A Story Behind the Story
In the last few weeks, I've shared about the tools I use to write and several characters that relate to the current story I'm working on. When I shared that I'd started this idea so long ago and that it only recently became so elaborate, I could have explained how or even what I did to do so. Figuring this out meant answering the big three who, what, and why questions. Honestly, it was not simple at the moment, but looking back on what had to get broken down and put together again, there is so much more to share.
Since when is a very open concept in this story, I thought I would have to start with who. Initially, it all begins with Rosalina in a vulnerable situation, and the unexpected happens though Jade is there to save her life. Both of these characters, I've said, are like me; I had no one to help me out of my situation, so I couldn't picture another person. At the time, I made one up the best I could, but what came to mind after making significant changes and building solid relationships with friends and partners was that I knew the kind of person the savior of my story had to be.
Who was still not completely clear until I asked why. Why would Jade save a stranger but still have a connection and need a story? Thus Gabriel, the villain, was made. Gabriel came with another why question. Why would he be part of the problem and have such an effect on the story? To simplify that answer, I looked at my own life again.
There rarely is a better romance tale than one with jealousy or what appears to be jealousy. When I faced being confined in a place I wanted to leave, I noticed an odd level of this emotion from my abuser. Gabriel is portrayed in the story to appear this way, but it is a different reason he is interested in Jade. Having asked why I seemed to have the three most important characters and answered the question of who that needed fulfilling allowing me to move on to what.
The most obvious question is, what did Gabriel do that was so bad? For this, I wanted to make it one bad thing after another and deeply painful. The resolution to all his wrongdoings leads to a second question. What would make the evident struggles in the story end without a hitch?
Teammates or at least a third person such as Ward would bring the likelihood of success that much closer. Comic relief or not, I felt a need to add people that would support the main characters. Everything came together sufficiently once who, what, and why were solved. The hardest part of this has been that I determined the best worst thing Gabriel did was to kill Jade’s parents.
Unfortunately, it means I have to write it, and therein lies my pause. I'm not too fond of the emotions that come with having to write a death being how not that long ago I lost a father in my life. However, I know this is the best time to make it feel raw and full of emotion. If you are interested to see me work through that one way or another, let me know. If you want a blog paired with a video of the process of separating real from fiction, I do know at least the deaths are not similar. I don't know when it will be, but hopefully soon because I'm coming up on the part quickly, so stay notified by following and share your feeling on this in the comments.