wherein Liz grumbles about issues in writing

Wrote a page of an original story last night, and then outlined the rest of the story up to the crisis point -- I'm not sure where to go after that because all the options have flaws and which one I pick will kind of depend on how the characters develop up to that point. I have a feeling I'm going to spend something like 5 pages making them argue through all the options until they come down on one of the various sides. After which I can then edit out 3-4 of those pages.

I had to do something like while writing "Bluebell," which is why I know this is going to happen. I spent about 5 pages in that story arguing the ethics of assisted suicide in a particular case, trying to make the characters go down one path, only to have them ultimately reach a different conclusion. Very irritating. It did work better that way than it would have in my original outline, but it was a pain in the neck to write.

Anyway, my original story, "Beauty," is a retelling of "Ricky of the Tuft," a fairy-tale which has always simultaneously drawn me in and repelled me, because I've never been comfortable with its treatment of various social issues. And now, as I rewrite it, I'm realizing that any way I resolve the situation is going to make me somewhat uncomfortable, because there are no perfect solutions. Any option I pick has certain implications, when taken to its logical conclusion, that I don't like.

wherein Liz grumbles about issues in writing

Wrote a page of an original story last night, and then outlined the rest of the story up to the crisis point -- I'm not sure where to go after that because all the options have flaws and which one I pick will kind of depend on how the characters develop up to that point. I have a feeling I'm going to spend something like 5 pages making them argue through all the options until they come down on one of the various sides. After which I can then edit out 3-4 of those pages.

I had to do something like while writing "Bluebell," which is why I know this is going to happen. I spent about 5 pages in that story arguing the ethics of assisted suicide in a particular case, trying to make the characters go down one path, only to have them ultimately reach a different conclusion. Very irritating. It did work better that way than it would have in my original outline, but it was a pain in the neck to write.

Anyway, my original story, "Beauty," is a retelling of "Ricky of the Tuft," a fairy-tale which has always simultaneously drawn me in and repelled me, because I've never been comfortable with its treatment of various social issues. And now, as I rewrite it, I'm realizing that any way I resolve the situation is going to make me somewhat uncomfortable, because there are no perfect solutions. Any option I pick has certain implications, when taken to its logical conclusion, that I don't like.