All I can say, is that I'm promising a very happy ending. It's way too soon to end my book now, and if you want to kill a book, a movie, or a TV show--get the two, who have created sexual tension for months on end, if not years, together. No one is interested past that. The reader/viewer experienced their happy ending, and don't care about the wedding plans, mean relatives, or if he puts the toilet seat down or not. I have seen it over and over again. It is a well known fact in Hollywood that you have to do anything you can to keep the love birds apart, unless there is an ensemble cast, and this was not the only story going on.
So, since this is the only story going on, more angst is on the way. Deal with it people (she says with deep affection...) :0) Enjoy the roller coaster ride. Grab the safety bar, and hold on tight. We can fix our hair when it's all over.
I hope that you enjoy Chapter 9. Thanks for sticking with me this far...
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The problem with that last statement is that some of us have haircuts that are supposed to look mussed.
ReplyDeletewoo hoo! Yeah. Now I know what I am going to do this morning :) Elyse
ReplyDeleteJust the right amount of angst:) Though Lizzy is mature & intelligent, she IS young. Her character is very believable. I can't wait for more..................thank:)
ReplyDeleteI don't mind this. It's difficult to explain exactly what type of "angst" I was afraid of, but this is not it. This is manageable, reasonable, and believable.
ReplyDeleteNo anger Here!
Amy--
ReplyDeleteOnce again you are to be congratulated on an extremely well-done chapter.
I do have to take issue with the generalization that no one will be interested in a tale once the romantic tension is fulfilled, if only because that particular issue is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.
I remember back in the day when I was an X-Files fan, everyone kept making the argument that the sexual tension between Mulder and Scully could never be resolved because then the show would be all about their relationship and OMG-look-what-happened-to-Moonlighting and blah blah blah.
First, it depends on the kind of story you are telling. The reason the Moonlighting argument was never all that compelling when applied to X-Files is because the shows had completely different premises. Moonlighting WAS all about the sexual tension, so OF COURSE once it was fulfilled, the only story left to tell was one predicated on ever-more implausible reasons why the characters couldn't be together. XF, however, was a plot-driven show, and the status of the relationship between the lead characters actually didn't matter so long as it was never given center stage. Fulfilled and unfulfilled, so long as it didn't become the primary focus, there would always be a story to tell. In fact, XF largely started to go downhill when the excuses for why the sexual tension was not fulfilled got so elaborate and absurd that they became the story.
Now, clearly, your story is more of a character -driven story, rather than plot-driven, which means that yes, in a way once the romantic tension is resolved, there's not a lot of story left to tell. There are exceptions to this rule, however. "Characters together" doesn't necessarily equate to "happily ever after." If the story shifts from the characters' journey to find each other to their journey, together, to overcome the obstacles standing between them and the "happy ending." There are still journeys a couple can make having already acknowledged that they love one another and wish to be together.
Conversely, if the device used to keep a couple from the happy ending is too contrived, it can also have a very detrimental effect on the story.
Now, this is not to say that you should change a thing with YOUR story. Happily, you have managed to come upon an obstacle that is very plausible for the characters in question given the journey they have been on to date. You've skillfully managed to find the right balance between maintaining tension and running the risk of your plot devices becoming contrived and implausible. Congratulations on that.
So, what is the point of this comment, then? Like I said, that particular generalization is a pet peeve of mine, and I'd invite you to examine your preconceptions about what fulfilling romantic tension means for a story and perhaps in some future story, challenge yourself to thwart them by taking the road less traveled and finding a story that maintains tension which still allowing the characters to resolve their romantic inclination.
An example of an author who did this with CONSUMATE skill is Jacqueline Carey in the original "Kushiel's Legacy" trilogy. She somehow managed to hit the perfect pitch and combine a character-driven story with enough plot-driven elements that even once her protagonists achieved a contented ending together, they still had journeys to go on together that would challenge their love for one another without, necessarily, separating them. If you haven't read the "Kushiel's Dart/Kushiel's Chosen/Kushiel's Avatar" trilogy, I highly recommend doing so.
Great job on the latest chapter! I'm looking forward to Sunday.
Also, forgive some poor grammar and awful sentence structure in the previous post. It's hard to type a thoughtful post with a 2-year-old demanding, "Have a conversation with me, Mommy!"
ReplyDeleteI had to wait all day to have time to read the chapter. Ah, the Lizzy must not drag him down has emmerged. Give her time, Darcy. And write one heck of a letter in response to hers! Let her know you are constant and will wait for her to be at peace - other some other suitable profession.
ReplyDeleteOnward!
And at least she was not kidnapped by pirates!
ReplyDeleteHey Crystal,
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked Chapter 9. Please know that it's just my opinion I get to go on and on about in my blog. I'm the one who gets bored when the couple gets together and stays together--it's my romantic side. Thanks for the challenge, and for keeping me sharp. I'll put the trilogy you mentioned on my "must read" list.
FYI, I totally agree about The X-Files. I was an avid fan, and even though I loved the mythology and Mulder's sister's abduction story arc, I was mostly a fan of their relationship. That is what got me to tune in each week. I was actually an intern on that show in '99-2000. Lots of fun, but the stories were waning by then. The scripts suffered because Mulder and Scully had been held back from each other for 7 years by then, and people were getting tired of it, and it was hard to contrive believable reasons not to have them fall into each other's arms. But the monsters of the week at least were a diversion.
Now go and do your mommy duties. :0)
Thanks for your input!
Amy
Hi LE,
ReplyDeletePirates! I should have thought of that...
;0)
Hi Amy--
ReplyDeleteAh, good, so you know what I mean about XF. Yeah, by 2000 things were definitely on the downhill side. Heck, even once Scully was pregnant they played the "who's the daddy?" card and didn't confirm an actual romantic relationship between Mulder and Scully for another full season. It was an incredible waste of a solid storytelling opportunity, so much so that I ended up spearheading an "alternate season 8" fanfic project where we re-wrote all the episodes to make the season about Scully's search for Mulder rather than a bunch of monster chases in between which she was like, "Oh, yeah, that one guy I once knew is missing!"
The Kushiel trilogy is definitely a must-read. It's very hard to describe it, as it's almost more an alternate European history than actual fantasy (though it does get more fantastic as the series continues.)
The protagonist has proclivities that make for some rather, ah, spicy reading, and yet despite the fact that her proclivities totally set the stage, the story is actually all about politics and adventure and intrigue rather than about those proclivities.
Best of all, however, is the writing. Carey has about as rich and elegant a narrative voice as I've ever encountered. Her use of language is absolutely gorgeous, her characterization complex, and her plotting airtight and laser-beam precise. I was hooked from page 1. Just read the first few paragraphs in the sample available on amazon.com to get an idea of what I mean about her use of language.
And please forgive me if I overstep my bounds and get too opinionated, or if you simply do not wish for that sort of commentary here. I totally respect that.
Eagerly awaiting Sunday...
Crystal
Crystal,
ReplyDeleteComment away! If I didn't want to hear from you, I would get rid of my comment buttons. I think it's fun to hear what others are thinking.
I loved both chapters 8 and 9. After a very busy and stressful couple of weeks what a lovely escape from the realities of life. I'll be waiting anxiously for the next.
ReplyDeleteThis is great... can't wait to see what happens. Elyse
ReplyDelete