Alternate Endings

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

My current WIP has two plausible outcomes, based on MMC's choice at a critical moment. The upshot is that MMC is the principal support system for the virgin FMC's healing from the trauma of SA. Since the SA wasn't penis-in-vagina, she still considers herself to be a virgin. She asks MMC (her stepbrother and best friend) to make love to her. He hesitates because of the taboo, but agrees. They both find the experience well beyond expectations. The critical point is the next day. He said it was a one-time thing beforehand, but now he's wavering. She makes it clear she wants a lot more. He has much inner conflict about it. So does he run from it, or run with it?

I find myself wanting to write both possibilities. What would be the best way to present this, if I chose to do it? If I choose to pick one, which should I prefer? I realize that the decision is mine alone, but I'd appreciate some guidance from other authors.

 

[iwatchus]

My answer is always be to stay true to the character. What would he do? Only you can know that, as you observe. I will always stay true to that regardless of potential impact on views or rating or anything. At ;east for any stories I actually care about. Unlike children, I do care about some stories more than others. Some are an enjoyable fling, others are an emotional commitment.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Write both, set it aside for a day or two and let it percolate. Come back and whichever one you are more interested in reading first is the one.

 

[YmaOHyd]

I have three answers for you.

The answer I prefer is that only your characters can answer that question. You know them better than anyone else. Write the scenes and the answer will reveal itself.

The other answer, that I don't love, is that if you do a sexual encounter between stepsiblings, it goes in the T/I category. Your story will be better-received if, at the end, the two characters continue to have sex. For meta reasons, having it be ongoing will probably be better for its rating and therefore better for its reads.

The third answer is: do you need to answer the question at all, or can you leave it as a cliffhanger?

 

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

Actually, I've decided the final result will be them together; it's more about whether I want the long path (he runs from it) or the short path (he runs with it) to get there. Splitting the difference by shortening the time scale of the long path might be viable.

A two-part cliffhanger might work if I flesh out the story a bit more.

I never considered any category but T/I for this story. T/I trumps everything when multiple categories would apply.

Thanks to all for the good advice.

 

[YmaOHyd]

I never considered any category but T/I for this story. T/I trumps everything when multiple categories would apply.

Never doubted. I was thinking of the audience expectations. The story in my head ended with the decision to continue or stop, which is the bit right before the audience gets to rate it. If you have them stop, then ask the audience to rate, they're probably more likely to feel either like the rug's been pulled or potentially a bit blue-balled. If you have them continue the relationship, then the stars come up, they'll hit the stars while feeling emotionally satisfied.

 

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

Never doubted. I was thinking of the audience expectations. The story in my head ended with the decision to continue or stop, which is the bit right before the audience gets to rate it. If you have them stop, then ask the audience to rate, they're probably more likely to feel either like the rug's been pulled or potentially a bit blue-balled. If you have them continue the relationship, then the stars come up, they'll hit the stars while feeling emotionally satisfied.

Stars are never my fundamental purpose in writing, but I don't find them irrelevant. Five of my ten published stories achieved the H label, and two more teetered on the edge of it. My least popular story garnered a 4.19; I bet a 3-something would make me cry.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Is it long enough to end there as a cliffhanger?

Wait for a few comments ... then add Chapter 2 ?

 

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

Thanks again to all who commented. I wrote it both ways, then played around with both drafts. The final story has MMC trying to run from it for a single day, then loses his resolve and realizes he wants her as much as she wants him. The last few paragraphs are wrapping up loose ends. I've added language clarifying that they were in love before they made love, but only then realized it. A nice symmetry to this. She was terrified after the SA, and he helped her heal. But when it came to MMC's choice, he was the one gripped by taboo and fear.

 

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

There always comes a point for me when the characters are writing the story, I just do the word-smithing while Grammarly does the spell checking