I need help writing a story...

Victor Frost

So I read this article about a woman who was declared a vegetable, but who's brain was still fully active. It said something about how she couldn't feel, taste, or hear anything, but could still see (but couldn't move her eyes). That gave me an idea for an interesting science fiction story, but I need a plausible scenario for a person to get into some horrible accident where their whole body was effectively destroyed but their brain survives.

I was initially thinking helicopter accident or something, but I'd like you guys to weigh in as well. Hopefully something where the family would expect little remains.

Luke Burrage

There's a good short story already using a helicopter accident. His brain survives, and is transplanted into a new body. When he gets out of hospital he meets and falls in love with his old wife.

Why not go for wood chipper accident? Maybe exposure to corrosive liquid or gas? Fire? Sadistic murderer, who was stopped before the killing stroke?

Maybe, if the story is about miss-diagnosis and problems in a medical unit, you could go "thematic" and have a robotic surgery machine at the beginning. The person could only need an appendix removed, but the robot malfunctions (maybe because of hackers?) and cuts everything up. However, because of some really low level programming, the machine is incapable of actions that would cause the final brain-death of the patient. This way you could plausibly destroy the person's body completely, but still have the brain alive in a very controlled manner. The doctors think everything is over, but then a lowly geek stops them "pulling the plug" when he/she discovers this restrictive protocol.

Victor Frost

Well, actually it's more of a story where the guys brain is salvaged by a government research lab where they are experimenting with brain-machine interfaces. I won't tell any more than that because I don't want to give the story away.

Luke Burrage

Ok, so have the government be the hackers that disrupt the programming of the surgery machine, just so they can get a brain. But if you won't tell us what the story needs, how can we help you?

Kiey

I would say go with something ordinary for accident that destroys the body. I say that because I think if its more ordinary its possibly easier for the reader to relate to it and put themselves in the character's shoes.