I wrote the wrong story

[iwatchus]

I'm frustrated with my active WIP and not sure what to do with it.

I had sat down to write a light, but silly sex romp story with specific elements in it. It was supposed to be exhibitionism, group sex and a dash of reluctance all around a lone female in a room of lumberjacks.

What's coming out of my fingers is a lone woman in a roomful of lumberjacks, but it has become heavy and the reluctance has become the dominant theme of the story.

I have not finished the story yet, but I'm not sure what I want to do with it. Finished, I think it will be a passable story, no more. Not one of my better efforts. I still want to write the story that was in my head originally. Should I publish this and then publish a different version of the same scenario in a month or two. This one would probably go in R/NC, which is a new category for me. The story in my head belongs in E&V (or possibly GS). Would it be too weird to write two version of the same scenario. Both would be from her perspective.

I'm torn on this one. Suggestions?

 

[yowser]

All depends on whether the 'Lumberjack Song' is included or not.

But, seriously, go for two, lots of ways to write them differently, explore and tease out varied perspectives. A good stylistic exercise.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Maybe take a week or two break from it and write something else in the meantime. Inspiration might hit you.

 

[onehitwanda]

. Inspiration might hit you.

With a brick. On the back of the head.

 

[Djmac1031]

Ive had something similar happen.

The real question is: would you ever get around to writing the OTHER version?

I'm not gonna get into the whole merits of the Non Con thing; its not my favorite and I'll leave it at that.

But I bring it up because Non Con and EV are two VERY different categories. And of course two VERY different stories.

I don't think anyone here can make this choice for you. It's your story.

But you hint you're not entirely happy with it. "Not one of my better efforts."

So the question then becomes: are you okay with publishing it anyway?

If you are, publish as is, no judgements from me. But if you think it could be better, or that it's not what you originally intended, then... go back and re-examine it.

 

[Z_TheWriter]

You seem not to be enjoying the writing of the current one. My suggestion would be to:
1) Start on the one you originally wanted to do, now having learned from this process, it will probably be better than otherwise.
or 2) Do something completely different like Jackie said, and then see if you feel the need to come back.

Either way, you can always finish this version if you feel a burning need someday. But right now it doesn't seem sensible to force it if you're not enjoying the process and the result won't be what you want anyway.

 

[Djmac1031]

Thinking further... You titled this thread "I wrote the WRONG story."

So haven't you really answered your own question?

 

[TheLobster]

If you still want to finish the original version, maybe start the new one in a slightly different setting, so that when both are up they don’t seem too similar if that’s what you’re worried about.

Otherwise just ditch the one you’re writing now and start on what it should’ve been. This is supposed to be fun, after all.

 

[iwatchus]

Thinking further... You titled this thread "I wrote the WRONG story."

So haven't you really answered your own question?

Let me rephrase my question. Should I throw this one away? It is a publishable story, or would be if finished.

(It is definitely Reluctance not Non Con, which I would never touch.)

And @yowser has a point. I might not write the story I had envisioned. It may not make enough sense for me to write it.

I guess I will follow @Jackie.Hikaru 's advice and set it aside and see what I feel like in a few weeks.

 

[Djmac1031]

Let me rephrase my question. Should I throw this one away? It is a publishable story, or would be if finished.

(It is definitely Reluctance not Non Con, which I would never touch.)

Again I feel like you just answered your own question.

 

[iwatchus]

Again I feel like you just answered your own question.

Which way do you think I answered? I can read two opposite directions out of what you quoted.

 

[Djmac1031]

Which way do you think I answered? I can read two opposite directions out of what you quoted.

You asked if you should throw it away or publish. Then emphasized its definitely Non Con, and stressed you "would never touch" that category.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Let me rephrase my question. Should I throw this one away? It is a publishable story, or would be if finished.

(It is definitely Reluctance not Non Con, which I would never touch.)

And @yowser has a point. I might not write the story I had envisioned. It may not make enough sense for me to write it.

I guess I will follow @Jackie.Hikaru 's advice and set it aside and see what I feel like in a few weeks.

Way I see it, you have four choices.

1. Set it aside, do something else. That just delays answering the question, which can be valuable.
2. Finish the story. You think it's publishable, and for better or for worse it is the story. It's not the story you wanted or expected, but it's the revealed truth of the concept.
3. Can it, interrogate why this story became what it did, and start it again. Sometimes just a wee little tweak can create a big change in tone down the line, like the hurricane-causing butterfly.
4. Set the concept aside and write something completely new.

To me, it seems like #2 isn't really on the table. So even if you pick #1, you're really choosing between #3 and #4. I'd suggest 3 -- go back, find the spot where the tone started to slip, and pick it up from that spot.

You asked if you should throw it away or publish. Then emphasized its definitely Non Con, and stressed you "would never touch" that category.

I think they meant that it's definitely Reluctance and not Non-Con, a concept they don't touch.

 

[iwatchus]

You asked if you should throw it away or publish. Then emphasized its definitely Non Con, and stressed you "would never touch" that category.

It's reluctance which I do separate from non-con. It is not non-con. There is a fair amount of effort to keep it away from non-con.

 

[iwatchus]

It's reluctance which I do separate from non-con. It is not non-con. There is a fair amount of effort to keep it away from non-con.

Having said this. It probably is too close to non-con for my comfort, which does answer my question.

 

[Djmac1031]

It's reluctance which I do separate from non-con. It is not non-con. There is a fair amount of effort to keep it away from non-con.

True. I suppose i tend to lump them together, but...

I'm not trying to frustrate you with a non answer, certainly not my intention. I'm just reading into your wording a hesitation to publish the story as written, which tells me you're not satisfied with your own work.

So it's really whether you can accept that and publish it anyway, or decide you're not happy with it and rework it.

I think the advice to give it some space is very valid at this point. Give it some time, walk away from it then come back with fresh eyes.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

With a brick. On the back of the head.

That was inspiration??? I thought it was a pissed off neighbor.

 

[YmaOHyd]

That was inspiration??? I thought it was a pissed off neighbor.

Why do we have to put labels on everything

 

[Writer61]

All depends on whether the 'Lumberjack Song' is included or not.

My first thought, too.

In the spirit of the song, it would have to be in TG.

 

[crookedletter]

I've started over on stories many many times because they're not going where I wanted them to go, and where they're going isn't somewhere I want to follow. It can be frustrating, and I understand the impulse to finish what you've started, but personally I would rather write the story I want to write than chain myself to one I'm not feeling anymore.

If that's the case with you, that the story this one has turned into isn't one you're proud of our really interested in, then I don't see the upside to continuing to work on it just because you don't want to leave it unfinished. Write what you want to write, finish what you want to finish.

On the other hand, if you're feeling both, I don't see why you shouldn't have alternate versions of a similar story. Might not be a particularly common approach, but if they're posted in different categories you may not get much overlap in readership anyway.

 

[Z_TheWriter]

All depends on whether the 'Lumberjack Song' is included or not.

I'm Lit-writer and I'm OK
I sleep all night, 'cause I write all day
(He's a Lit-writer and he's OK
He sleeps all night 'cause he writes all day)

I dot my i's, I cross my t's
I write BDSM
On Wednesdays I'm submitting
my latest finished gem
(He dots his i's, crosses his t's
He writes BDSM
On Wednesdays he's submitting
his latest finished gem)
(He's a Lit-writer... )

I dot my i's, I cross my t's
I go to the Lit forum
I argue 'bout semantics
and post memes which are dumb
(He dots his i's...)
(He's a Lit-writer... )

 

[Statius]

I have one of those, sitting for months in my WIPs. Couldn't write it because of the direction it was going in, but now it is becoming something else, still dark, still harsh, but something I think I can write. Hold on to it as is; even if you have to delete most of it, but hold on to it. Go write your fun story, but don't delete the other. In a few weeks or months you may see your way through it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I'm Lit-writer and I'm OK
I sleep all night, 'cause I write all day
(He's a Lit-writer and he's OK
He sleeps all night 'cause he writes all day)

I dot my i's, I cross my t's
I write BDSM
On Wednesdays I'm submitting
my latest finished gem
(He dots his i's, crosses his t's
He writes BDSM
On Wednesdays he's submitting
his latest finished gem)
(He's a Lit-writer... )

I dot my i's, I cross my t's
I go to the Lit forum
I argue 'bout semantics
and post memes which are dumb
(He dots his i's...)
(He's a Lit-writer... )

Where's the verse about dressing in women's clothing and hanging out in bars???

 

[YmaOHyd]

Where's the verse about dressing in women's clothing and hanging out in bars???

It wishes it'd been a girlie, just like its dear papa.

 

[Z_TheWriter]

Where's the verse about dressing in women's clothing and hanging out in bars???

I felt like that was implied in this setting. Don't want to spell out the obvious.