Hello all! So I'm writing a New Adult Fantasy. I'm currently in the plotting phase (I'm giving outlining a shot for the first time), and I got about halfway through before I came up with a new idea that I wanted to add. The basic story: It's futuristic America where creatures of myth are real and live among humans. My male POV character is a creature and changes my human female POV character into a creature like him. Starting in Ch. 6, they go on the run. And by the end, they're in a relationship. I have two sequences of events that I want to happen.. but I can't figure out where to place them in the story. My female POV is a creature -- but she's a special kind. They don't exactly know what she is. So one event I want to include is my characters going to another creature's house to pick his brain and figure out what my MC is. My male POV has an ex-girlfriend that he hasn't seen since they broke up. It was a strange break up, so neither of them are hostile with each other. I want to include her in their group. She would then pursue my male, even though my male is pursuing my female, thus creating all kinds of drama. My problem is I don't know which one to put first. Since I just came up with the idea today, I originally had them going to the other creature's house and finding out about my female in Ch. 10. Then going to the ex-gf's house in Ch. 12. But it doesn't really feel right to do it this way. So I thought of switching it. Have them find ex-gf in probably Ch. 9, then finding out what my female is in Ch. 11 or 12. That way, I could include some drama at the creature's house and start their love triangle early. But I worry that finding out what my female is in Ch. 12 is too late in the story. What do you think? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Y'all always give me great feedback. Thanks!!
Why isn't the guy's ex the one who they go to see for what sort of creature the other girl is? It's a matter of knowing what needs to come before and what needs to come after.
Really hard to give advice as I'm not sure how it will all work out. Or how you're treating the love triangle ( what you're going for ) is it a main important feature - the conflict, or more like a side plot - more conflict. Or maybe it's the turning point in the novel - kinda like when Hum thinks everything will be hunky dory with Lo and then Quilty shows up. It seems a little long before you mention her ( but it could be me and like I said it's all about what you're going for ) but maybe if you stall off the introduction that long mention her along the way - namedrop - foreshadow the complication.
@Smoke Z -- I don't really want them to be the same character, because the guy that they go to see is kind of like a father figure to my male. He's been around a lot longer and knows a lot more. Plus, he's the one who kind of hints to a darkness in my male's past and suggests he stick with my female, as she's good for him. It's a possibility though. I haven't written it off just yet. @peachalulu --I guess the love triangle is just going to be a side plot, since I didn't really plan for it until now. I was going to have a love interest between my male Lonnie and my female Giselle. They're really into each other in the beginning, then Lonnie starts to pull away from Giselle (because of things that are hard to explain at this moment), which confuses her. But at the end, he'll tell her everything and they'll get together. It wasn't until today that I realized the story would be much more interesting with another female in the picture, so I came up with his ex Hilary. Then Hilary would be trying to get with Lonnie, and Lonnie is secretly in love with Giselle, and Giselle is clearly into Lonnie. But when Lonnie starts pulling away from Giselle, she starts to think it's because he still wants to be with Hilary, and blah blah blah. The turning point in the novel is really when Lonnie and Giselle go to see the other creature that tells them what Giselle is. Then they realize how much danger she's in and that they have to get her to safety. That's another reason why I wanted to throw Hilary in before they talk to this guy. Because if they know Giselle is in danger and they're on a time crunch, why would they make another lengthy stop afterward? I planned on hinting toward Hilary and the circumstances in which they split before he sees her, but not giving much detail about it. I want Lonnie to think about her, but not talk to Giselle about her. Then when he runs into Hilary, Giselle will be really confused for a while before they tell her what's going on. I think I've really already made my decision.. I'm just worried finding out a key piece of information to the story in Chapter 12 is too late. :\ Thanks guys!
My suggestion is, work a little longer and harder on your idea. Asking us will do nothing for your story, or your long-term skill of translating ideas to paper.
I never said I was struggling with the idea itself, so obviously I'm not asking for your ideas. I knew exactly how the conflict was going to work against my characters the moment I thought of it. I already have several scenes in mind, and I know exactly where I'm going with it. I was simply asking for suggestions as to when to start it. But I figured it out on my own. Thanks for your input, though.
All I wanted to point out is that what you are asking, a mere day after you thought of it, should be something you work on yourself, because it is your story and the process of figuring out all these issues is what helps you improve and perfect the original idea. Asking a bunch of strangers who have no way of knowing the flavour and the essence of your story, is the same, if not worse, then tossing a coin. But, if you can not relate to my advice, feel free to disregard it.
Which is an important indicator. You're welcome. Sometimes it just takes asking the questions out loud. Using the forum as a sounding board is one way to do that. I was expecting another thread with someone who had a vague idea for a story but it looks like you are quite far along. And I was expecting the give the usual answer that we can't answer it for you. But @peachalulu actually had some helpful things to think about re plot structure. I think it's an intriguing plot. I'm curious about why the boy creature turns the girl human into a creature if they weren't in love in the first place, but I'm going to assume you have that worked out. I like the idea the triangle is just a subplot. Not sure if that's what you've decided to go with but the rest of the story sounds more intriguing to me.
I'm still only in the outlining phase, but I have the first fourteen and the last eight chapters planned (it needs a little tweaking now that I've added this ex girlfriend character, but it won't change much). Now I just have to come up with all the other stuff in between. I definitely have a reason behind him changing her, and it causes a little controversy, which is always fun. It's definitely going to be a subplot. I enjoy the story the way it is. I just felt that the added conflict would make it more entertaining. It gives more to talk about and focus on besides the ultimate problem. So I think it'll work well. Thank you for the compliments! Now all I have to do is write it.
