Unfuckifying

One piece of really good advice I got from "Janet Reno, Online Writing Coach" was when you're stuck or in doubt, think of the worst thing possible that your character can do or the worst thing fate (ie: you) could do to him and do it.

I had blogged before about how I felt this story is missing the oomph of a climax for the ending. Now April has insinuated herself back into the story when I'd already written her off and I'm wondering if she might not be this "bad thing." Maybe she's the oomph. I plan to write it and find out. Just let him make his bad decision and see what happens.

Here's where my quandry is: I'm wondering if this is the "worst thing that can happen" for Seth or for me. Am I making a smart choice for the story or am I sabotaging myself? Hey, it's just words. They can be deleted if they don't work. I was just thinking about the line between character and creator.

I think I was resisting having something happen at this point just so I could tie it up and say "the end." It was ending with a whimper and I seemed to be fine with that, sad as it sounds. So I think I already made the "bad choice" for myself -- a safe choice, an easy choice. Now my characters are coming to me and saying "What? You think it's that simple? Life is never that simple."

In a previous brief scene, Seth told Natalie he was trying to "unfuckify" his life. What if he succeeds? What if he's all straightened out, gets rid of his demons, etc.? Does he traipse off into the sunset llike we all do once all our problems are fixed? Oh right. Our problems are never fixed. Moreover, it's human nature to mess things up, even when we work hard to "unfuckify" things. So his girl is gone and everything went well and he loves her and let her go... and now his "sidedish," as the guys said, is still around, still there, still obviously infatuated with him, even if he doesn't get that. Did he really think he'd be faithful to Natalie or something? Even knowing he would never see her again? I mean, he had sex with April, went home and had sex with Natalie... so what if he does it in reverse? So what if she's probably as far as Lancaster on her bus out of town? He's a free man. So what if that voice comes back into his head? B/c that is the worst thing that could happen to him and it would be his own fault. It would fit in with the "going back for it" that he said he always did. He could beat himself up royally over that. Plus he has to meet with his teacher tomorrow...

Okay now I'm having fun imaging the possibilities. Like I said, I'm totally flying without a net. I don't know what's going to happen but it seems like Seth, April and I are going to find out together.