1. 33percent

    33percent Active Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2012
    Messages:
    164
    Likes Received:
    61

    Incest situation

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by 33percent, Jan 10, 2023.

    As I'm correcting my first rough draft, and had a slight change how the story ends in a way. I simply had two characters found a thing for each other, made love etc. throughout the conflict of the story. I felt this was too cliché like any story involving romance. I felt there wasn't enough tension, conflict either.

    Simply put, the character wakes up from a cryo sleep, and being the same age as this woman that he later falls in love with. In the end, I'm debating how I want to reveal this information that MC, impregnated his own niece. I wanted to create an internal conflict with the MC, challenging his own morals.

    Both characters didn't know they were in related, but antagonist and the mother did. The reason I want this is because it was his own brother's actions that ended the MC in the situation in the first place. The MC has a gift, in order to continue the linage in a pure blood, in a sense.

    The antagonist and mother have been working together against a common foe. In a way, antagonist coerce and convivences the mother, allowing the MC and her daughter have intimacy relations together. The antagonist believes them having offspring to continue the linage and will pay off later to "ends justify the means" to weaponize against their common enemy.

    I'm debating either having the antagonist/mother reveal the truth to the MC about his relations with his niece that he got her pregnant or reveal the information in a epilogue for the audience of the antagonist/mother talking about it. I want to show the mother is still conflicted about it, hating herself allowing it to happen.
     
  2. Andrae Smith

    Andrae Smith Bestselling Author|Editor|Writing Coach Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2012
    Messages:
    2,640
    Likes Received:
    1,668
    Location:
    Washington State, U.S.A.
    Hi! sounds like an interesting dilemma for the MC. I do have to say, though, it is literally impossible for anyone here to actually answer this. With so little information about the story, we could speculate at best. Even if we knew the whole story, the most we could say is, "whatever serves the story best."

    Some questions for you to consider:

    1. How important is it to the story that the MC find out this detail? If it's tangential enough to be an epilogue, then it may not have enough significance to fit into the main story. If it impacts the main story/characters significantly, it shouldn't be in an epilogue.

    2. What would be the most believable, natural and interesting way for the MC to find out this knowledge based on what's already happening in the story? What I mean is you'll want to consider what the existing set up is. Why would the mother want to tell him? When would be her best opportunity? What would the impact of the knowledge be? Where can you take the story from there. I sometimes teach my writing students to "stir the pot." To to this we think about what ways we can mess with the MCs circumstances and what would happen if we did x, y, or z.

    Ultimately, it's up for you to decide (as I'm sure you know). Just remember, it's not a matter of what you decide, but how you execute it that matters.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2023
    hmnut likes this.
  3. montecarlo

    montecarlo Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2020
    Messages:
    922
    Likes Received:
    835
    Location:
    America's Heartland
    @33percent it’s unclear to me if the incest is critical to the plot line or simply an opportunity to have a dramatic sub plot. I would say if both participants were 100% unaware of the genetic relationship, where is the drama? Seems sophomoric unless one of the pair willingly abandoned values.
     
  4. Kalisto

    Kalisto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2015
    Messages:
    975
    Likes Received:
    995
    I'm afraid I fail to see how this idea produces a compelling conflict of values. You can't just throw something random like that in there. Even if you "built up" to it, it's still random if it doesn't match the themes the story is trying to present.

    What is the main theme of the story? If it's just some bad guys in space, sort of deal (which aren't bad stories) then where is this incest plotline coming from and how is that a conflict of anything? All you're doing is depending on the universal agreement that incest is bad, but it really has nothing to do with anything.

    What idea are we going to see expressed over and over again as we read through the story? And how does this plot twist fit in to challenge or affirm these themes? Is it about genetic diversity? Let's say you don't get to choose who you marry because they are looking for couples to have as much genetic diversity as possible and your MC advocates for that rule. To a point where he's even done people wrong who have failed to follow. Now that would be a conflict of values that are present in the theme. All his moral advocating for the rules and now he stands in direct conflict with them puts him effectively in the shoes of those he previously criticized.
     
  5. Username Required

    Username Required Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2023
    Messages:
    229
    Likes Received:
    291
    If the deed is done, what can the character do? I don’t really understand where the conflict comes from.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice