I just re-read a nearly complete story I had written years ago, before I even had an account on Lit. 300K words purely pantsed, then set aside because I thought it was meandering to much.
Turns out, it wasn't. And I think it is really good. It needs a lot of work, but it has some of the most interesting characters I've written, some of the best relationships, a real plot that is heavily about sex as a concept while not being specifically about having it. Because of all that, it has some of the best, hottest, and most varied sex scenes I've ever written.
The problem is, it is an ensemble cast, and all of them are Mary Sues. Not quite that shallow, they do have flaws, but they are very, very intellectuallly and emotionally exceptional people. All between 18-23 years of age.
The problem with fixing that problem is that the whole story is about these exceptional people finding each other and building something important together.
It's also a little preachy in parts, but I can tone that down.
It's not all that realistic, though it is written in a way to induce suspension of disbelief. But I'm reminded of a quote from an author whose name I cannot remember (quoted from memory, so put into my own words):
"It is not mere happenstance that your story has extraordinary people or events in it. You selected this story to tell from all possible stories because those people and their story are extaordinary."
I'm on the fence about doing the huge amount of work needed to make it presentable. I love the story and the characters, but it's a big decision since my writing time is limited, and I'm not sure it will go over well. And the story is huge, the size of three novels. Even to me, some of it feels trite, too convenient, too unbelievable. Though that can, probably, be fixed up some. Still, my tastes are pretty niche, so I wonder if it is a story written just for me with little appeal to anyone else.
I'm not even sure I have a question for y'all, more just thinking out loud. But if anybody else wants to think out loud about it, I'd love to hear it.
Turns out, it wasn't. And I think it is really good. It needs a lot of work, but it has some of the most interesting characters I've written, some of the best relationships, a real plot that is heavily about sex as a concept while not being specifically about having it. Because of all that, it has some of the best, hottest, and most varied sex scenes I've ever written.
The problem is, it is an ensemble cast, and all of them are Mary Sues. Not quite that shallow, they do have flaws, but they are very, very intellectuallly and emotionally exceptional people. All between 18-23 years of age.
The problem with fixing that problem is that the whole story is about these exceptional people finding each other and building something important together.
It's also a little preachy in parts, but I can tone that down.
It's not all that realistic, though it is written in a way to induce suspension of disbelief. But I'm reminded of a quote from an author whose name I cannot remember (quoted from memory, so put into my own words):
"It is not mere happenstance that your story has extraordinary people or events in it. You selected this story to tell from all possible stories because those people and their story are extaordinary."
I'm on the fence about doing the huge amount of work needed to make it presentable. I love the story and the characters, but it's a big decision since my writing time is limited, and I'm not sure it will go over well. And the story is huge, the size of three novels. Even to me, some of it feels trite, too convenient, too unbelievable. Though that can, probably, be fixed up some. Still, my tastes are pretty niche, so I wonder if it is a story written just for me with little appeal to anyone else.
I'm not even sure I have a question for y'all, more just thinking out loud. But if anybody else wants to think out loud about it, I'd love to hear it.
