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writing : already doubting this thing
May. 1st, 2017 11:04 pmI just. aaaaaaaaargh.
I'm writing, I'm trying to write at least. And the story I'm working on is just... frustrating me, in a way that's hard to explain. A sort of meta-doubt, about my responsibility as an author and if I have the skills for this damn idea at all.
To explain, the novel I'm working on is one I've referenced before as my 'bluebeard story', but referencing bluebeard is a... bit of an obfuscation. It's a BatB story, a girl-lives-with-wizard story. I call it the bluebeard story because it starts with a horror mystery - who is this wizard she's found herself with? is he as trustworthy as he seems? what about the Strange Rumors? and because well, aren't relationships all a bit horrorifying, even the good ones? (especially relationships with beings that can command Powers Beyond Comprehension? what's the difference between magic and money?)
It started out way more bluebeard then it is now - I didn't mean to write it as a romance, but honestly that's my Thing and I couldn't help it. (The last few years for me have been all about Accepting Your Thing and rolling with it. I highly recommend it - more id writing for everyone!) I figure that's alright, but now I'm having trouble fitting in elements from the original story - the bluebeard red herring stuff, that I feel like make this thing unique. I'm falling into this sea of Doubt - is this story pure hubris? do i have the skills to transition from horror to romance? does ANYONE?! I'm trying to make one character a Decent Person and a Credible Threat at the same time, and omg it just hit me that I probably need to read more gothic romances. Anybody have any recs for Modern Feminist Gothic Romances? except 'gothic' isn't the feel I want to reach for. am I just trying to force into place puzzle pieces that just don't belong here at all? I guess the only way to know for sure is to finish it and hand it off to someone else, and oh jeez do I miss my in-person writing group.
I'm writing, I'm trying to write at least. And the story I'm working on is just... frustrating me, in a way that's hard to explain. A sort of meta-doubt, about my responsibility as an author and if I have the skills for this damn idea at all.
To explain, the novel I'm working on is one I've referenced before as my 'bluebeard story', but referencing bluebeard is a... bit of an obfuscation. It's a BatB story, a girl-lives-with-wizard story. I call it the bluebeard story because it starts with a horror mystery - who is this wizard she's found herself with? is he as trustworthy as he seems? what about the Strange Rumors? and because well, aren't relationships all a bit horrorifying, even the good ones? (especially relationships with beings that can command Powers Beyond Comprehension? what's the difference between magic and money?)
It started out way more bluebeard then it is now - I didn't mean to write it as a romance, but honestly that's my Thing and I couldn't help it. (The last few years for me have been all about Accepting Your Thing and rolling with it. I highly recommend it - more id writing for everyone!) I figure that's alright, but now I'm having trouble fitting in elements from the original story - the bluebeard red herring stuff, that I feel like make this thing unique. I'm falling into this sea of Doubt - is this story pure hubris? do i have the skills to transition from horror to romance? does ANYONE?! I'm trying to make one character a Decent Person and a Credible Threat at the same time, and omg it just hit me that I probably need to read more gothic romances. Anybody have any recs for Modern Feminist Gothic Romances? except 'gothic' isn't the feel I want to reach for. am I just trying to force into place puzzle pieces that just don't belong here at all? I guess the only way to know for sure is to finish it and hand it off to someone else, and oh jeez do I miss my in-person writing group.
