If It Begins With Violence, Should It End With Violence?

[bashfullyshameless]

I have a story that has languished for some time. I really like the characters. I want to have fun with them. But I keep thinking that "having fun" doesn't live up to their jumping-off point. I turn to you, O Wise and Insightful Collective of Lit Writers, for input here. I'll try to keep it abstract rather than getting into the particulars of the story.

The story is "Morgan's Genie," and it's a modern fantasy story. My female & male protagonists (the genie is the guy) are both introduced to the story in violent episodes. This establishes their inner and outer toughness, guts and willpower. I wanted to make it plain that neither partner in the relationship was an emotional pushover for the other. Thing is, it's a genie story, so I mostly wanted it to be all whimsy and fantasy fun ("I wish for (blah) just because it sounds like fun!")...

...but, again, both characters were given serious situations as their intro pieces. The violence isn't cartoonish; it's real, and they both have their emotional scars. And I keep thinking--does it NEED to have an overarching plot of similiar weight and action? I feel like it wouldn't kill the story if it grew more humorous/snarky as it went along as long as there was an undercurrent of serious danger, but... hrm. I dunno.

I really planned on this story being one of sexy fun between two people who'd already done their time in hell, as it were, and now more or less have the world as their playground. Does that inherently cheapen the beginning?

 

[bashfullyshameless]

I should note -- this is a series with several chapters already on Literotica, so going back and changing it substantially wouldn't likely be a good idea.

 

[lance gt]

I have a story that has languished for some time. I really like the characters. I want to have fun with them. But I keep thinking that "having fun" doesn't live up to their jumping-off point. I turn to you, O Wise and Insightful Collective of Lit Writers, for input here. I'll try to keep it abstract rather than getting into the particulars of the story.

The story is "Morgan's Genie," and it's a modern fantasy story. My female & male protagonists (the genie is the guy) are both introduced to the story in violent episodes. This establishes their inner and outer toughness, guts and willpower. I wanted to make it plain that neither partner in the relationship was an emotional pushover for the other. Thing is, it's a genie story, so I mostly wanted it to be all whimsy and fantasy fun ("I wish for (blah) just because it sounds like fun!")...

...but, again, both characters were given serious situations as their intro pieces. The violence isn't cartoonish; it's real, and they both have their emotional scars. And I keep thinking--does it NEED to have an overarching plot of similiar weight and action? I feel like it wouldn't kill the story if it grew more humorous/snarky as it went along as long as there was an undercurrent of serious danger, but... hrm. I dunno.

I really planned on this story being one of sexy fun between two people who'd already done their time in hell, as it were, and now more or less have the world as their playground. Does that inherently cheapen the beginning?

I would imagine that would be one of her first wishes, was to have the hurt and violence end. It is wishful thinking and something Genie could produce for her. Might have it twist at the end of the wishes and she leaves the same way she came in.

 

[JackLuis]

Who's the villain?

I have the same problem with one of my stories, in a different plane.

Richard is supposed to be the Villain, but he's not despicable enough.

Now I'm thinking the Priest is a likely suspect.

 

[bashfullyshameless]

Who's the villain?

I have the same problem with one of my stories, in a different plane.

Richard is supposed to be the Villain, but he's not despicable enough.

Now I'm thinking the Priest is a likely suspect.

Originally I didn't even have one.
I kinda ret-conned in a villain from the Genie's past. Had the thought that it'd be some evil baddy out to steal his power. Thing is, pretty soon after that I found another genie story here on Lit that seemed to be going in a similar direction, so suddenly that felt very cheap of me. But it could be that the baddy is simply out to kill him or whatever. I've got room to play with him there.

But yeah, I didn't originally think of this as a hero vs villain piece. I'm wondering if that shortchanges it, though.

 

[lovecraft68]

My swb series had a rep as being the darkest bleakest thing ever in incest. The characters went through hell and back again more than once.

near the end I had them "die". it turned out to be a dream sequence and people were calling me an asshat(but they were happy) in the last chapter I had it, after all that misery, end happily.

during the series a lot of people were saying they thought it was going to end badly, many thought that would be fitting. But after I delivered the "death" they seemed thrilled with the happy ending, it was like I gave them both.

 

[PennLady]

Stories don't have to have clear-cut villains or heroes to be interesting. Conflict doesn't have to mean white v. black hats.

As for your genie story, Bash, I don't think it has to end in violence. I'm sorry, I don't know the story, so I can't be specific, but I think it just needs to end in a natural way for the characters. If they have "outgrown" the violence, then perhaps you don't need it. Or perhaps they need to save someone else from the violence, or from doing what they did. You need to look, I think, at where they started and where they are, and where you think they will end up based on those.

And don't worry about similarities to other stories. So long as you do it your way in your style, that's what's important.

 

[lance gt]

Originally I didn't even have one.
I kinda ret-conned in a villain from the Genie's past. Had the thought that it'd be some evil baddy out to steal his power. Thing is, pretty soon after that I found another genie story here on Lit that seemed to be going in a similar direction, so suddenly that felt very cheap of me. But it could be that the baddy is simply out to kill him or whatever. I've got room to play with him there.

But yeah, I didn't originally think of this as a hero vs villain piece. I'm wondering if that shortchanges it, though.

It could never shortchange it. Readers love to root for the good guy and hiss and boo the bad guy. I even have heroines and villainesses in my lesbian story and that seems to be one of the key features that makes it a good story. Sex is sex, but the story is key to have readers stay for the long haul.

 

[sr71plt]

There's no "should" or "have to" in story arc (with the possible exception of traditional Romance). And as PennLady posted, there's really no good advice to give on a brief summary. If you want to begin violent, go to something different in the middle, and end violent, that probably can be done effectively. This is like, strangely enough, what Carol Burnett perfected in her skits--starting in pathetic, moving to almost slapstick humor, and just as the viewer is getting a good laugh at the character's expense, snapping right back to pathos and catching that laugh in the viewer's throat (and ending up with her getting an Emmy).

 

[Kathleen11]

Thumbs UP

 

[TheEndBegins]

Bash-big fan of your work, especially "Good Intentions." Anyway, if you need some sort of conflict in the story, it doesn't necessarily have to be violent in nature, and the "villian" per se, doesn't need to be a person. How about a situation where the bond between Morgan and the genie is undermined because the oath he made was flawed, or something, and they need to find the right ritual to make the bond permanent? And along the way, they find one that can make him completely human and need to choose between one spell or the other?

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. BTW, can we expect a sequel to Good Intentions?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I like to work with violence but I dont use it for cheap thrills, I use it for character revelation, and as a force of Nature characters struggle with.

 

[TxRad]

I like to work with violence but I dont use it for cheap thrills, I use it for character revelation, and as a force of Nature characters struggle with.

Could we have an example of that please.

 

[SweetMaj]

Could we have an example of that please.

I'll second that.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

The climax of a story is the emotional high point. That emotion doesn't have to involve violence. It could just as easily involve love, forgiveness, or the sense of relief that a surprising and satisfying ending brings. But it should be the emotional high point of the story.

 

[mynameisben]

The climax of a story is where I stop reading and go take a shower.

 

[sr71plt]

The climax of a story is where I stop reading and go take a shower.

Don't do that on most of my stories. I try to have more than one climax (and you may be missing the best one while you shower).

 

[Tyro999]

I was wondering where 'Morgan's Genie' went. You got me hooked and then left me hanging.

As others have said, there are a lot of ways to play this out that don't need a villain. You've got two great characters here, and hopefully they'll be kind enough to tell you where they want you to take them. Being a hardcore reader, LitE or otherwise, I leave the writing to writers, and go or don't go where they take me. I did like where you seemed to be headed, and hope your Genie muse returns.

 

[Ironiclaconic]

I enjoy your stories. I suspect this one is languishing for lack of conflict, which your other series had in spades. Violence is beside the point if it isn't integral to the story, and stories die without conflict. Doesn't have to be a villain, although you have laid the most groundwork there.

 

[Ruth12]

Much appreciated