Question of balance...

[Elianna]

So I have this old sci-fi/fantasy piece I've decided to revive and post. Of course, since I wrote it a long time ago, it needs editing.

I'm struggling, though. I suppose it's a romance, but it's got a plot (shockingly) that drives the characters. My problem is balance.

Stories should be plot-driven. Yes. However, I get the feeling that my plot isn't driving the characters so much. The sub-plots are (i.e. the characters hate each other and are stuck together). But the main plot is still out there hovering, just hinting at what's to come. Is this bad? How much romance is too much?

It's probably tough when you haven't read it, but, just wondering if anyone has struggled with this and has suggestions.

-E

 

[CWatson]

Umm... I have to say, your situation is so vague it's difficult to say anything constructive.

My feeling on it is: is it interesting? Will it catch the reader's attention and keep it, and leave them wanting more? If so, then who cares if the balance is off?

As to how much romance is too much, it depends on whether the romance is supposed to be the forefront of the story or not. If it's meant to be a subplot, then, yeah, you might want to make the sure the mainplot is at least hinted at by the end of the first chapter (which it sounds like you've done). Beyond that, it's merely a question of scale. Within a very short time, your Main Plot needs to have been introduced--but, for your story, what counts as a "very short" time? If it's Harry Potter, you can get away with not introducing the main plot for 50 pages (prologue from Vernon Dursley's POV notwithstanding) because, in the grand, 3,000-page scheme of things, 50 pages isn't much at all. But the point is, the speed with which you introduce the Main Plot is a cue as to how long your story is going to be when it's finished, and The Reader knows that and responds accordingly.

...I don't think anything else can be meaningfully said without reading the actual story, which I'd be interested in doing. PM me for an e-mail address if you want.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

So I have this old sci-fi/fantasy piece I've decided to revive and post. Of course, since I wrote it a long time ago, it needs editing. ...

Not necessarily.

... I'm struggling, though. I suppose it's a romance, but it's got a plot (shockingly) that drives the characters. My problem is balance.

Stories should be plot-driven. Yes. However, I get the feeling that my plot isn't driving the characters so much. The sub-plots are (i.e. the characters hate each other and are stuck together). But the main plot is still out there hovering, just hinting at what's to come. Is this bad? ...

No. Most characters in Shakespeare are driven more by events of theri last few hours than by the over-all story.

... How much romance is too much? ...

A story should have as much or as little romance as it needs. If you are telling the tale of a runner overcoming physical pain to break the world Marathon record, then there probably won't be much romance in it; if you are writing of a young couple in love overcoming family resentment to be together (Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending) then there will probably be a lot of romance in it.

... It's probably tough when you haven't read it, ...

Yes.

 

[poppy_cock]

You've got a bit of a dilemma here, haven't you? Because 'Falling into Darkness' was so well received, you know that your readers are expecting your next offering to be just as good, if not better than that story. And I'm guessing you're afraid that it might not be.

Couple of questions. What's your real motivation behind resurrecting the piece? Is it because you really want to finish it, that you feel that it's a story that deserves to be polished and completed? Or are you resurrecting it because, right now, you haven't got any ideas for/haven't got time to write a new story and you're afraid your loyal band of readers will forget you?

(Plus it's lovely to receive comments from adoring fans--and if you haven't got anything current, that can't happen...)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you're wrong to post it, whatever your motivation. But I do wonder about the root of your anxiety. I'm guessing you feel that you're a better writer these days than you were when you wrote the story you're resurrecting. Which is why you're full of self doubt as to whether it's any good.

As others have said, it's hard to comment without knowing more about the story. I think you're probably going to have to let someone else look at the outline for your story to be able to get some perspective here.

There's a good chance you're worrying needlessly. I reckon you should just post it anyway. And even if it doesn't turn out to be as good as you hoped, even if you don't receive the same head-swelling feedback you got for your last work, you'll still learn as you edit so that your next story is even better.

Nothing in the writing process is ever wasted.