I'm working on the 2nd draft of my fantasy WIP. The first draft was total crap, the second draft is getting better, but still pretty much crap. The problem that's come up in cleaning up the crap is this: In the original story, the main character is unaware of her special talents/abilities/heritage. It's complicated, but she is descended from both the good guys and the bad guys that will eventually have to face off with only one winner. She's surprised to learn of her heritage and abilities and much of the story centers on the adjustments she has to make in order to take her place in that world, deal with the shock, and choose whether she will fight with her family (even if they are evil) or join the good guys. She also has to deal with falling in love with the leader of the good guys. In other words, it's a pretty typical fish out of water story where the character is surprised to find her life turned upside down.
But as I've been revising, I'm starting to see that it might be better told from this perspective: She knows exactly who she is and that part of her lineage is evil and so she approaches the good guys seeking to defect. Telling it this way loses the element of surprise, but it seems like a more active way to tell the story, giving the MC more control over the events in the story. She is still choosing between her family and the good guys, but it's an active betrayal. She still has to learn how to harness her abilities and deal with life amongst the good guys, who don't really trust her. And she's still falling in love with the leader of the good guys, but she has to be accepted by them before that can happen. But maybe I'm just trying to over complicate something.
So the question is: Which way would you rather read it if you were picking a story off the shelf?
I have my preference, but I think either telling has its merits. I'm sort of worried that the "surprise, you aren't who you think you are" type of story has been overdone, particularly in fantasy and YA (mine is sort of older YA -- the MC's are college age). Plus, telling it this way seems to lead to a lot more "explaining" where other characters are telling her about her abilities, skills, and heritage and less activity on her part. But there is something about the surprise approach that attracts me and makes for a conflict of its own.
I wonder if a story where a character takes a more active role in deciding which side she will take and how she will get there is a better choice. Since she knows exactly who she is not as much has to be explained to her. Some things still do, obviously, but it seems like she can better hit the ground running and get to the meat of the conflict, which is choosing to betray her family and use her talents for their destruction.
But as I've been revising, I'm starting to see that it might be better told from this perspective: She knows exactly who she is and that part of her lineage is evil and so she approaches the good guys seeking to defect. Telling it this way loses the element of surprise, but it seems like a more active way to tell the story, giving the MC more control over the events in the story. She is still choosing between her family and the good guys, but it's an active betrayal. She still has to learn how to harness her abilities and deal with life amongst the good guys, who don't really trust her. And she's still falling in love with the leader of the good guys, but she has to be accepted by them before that can happen. But maybe I'm just trying to over complicate something.
So the question is: Which way would you rather read it if you were picking a story off the shelf?
I have my preference, but I think either telling has its merits. I'm sort of worried that the "surprise, you aren't who you think you are" type of story has been overdone, particularly in fantasy and YA (mine is sort of older YA -- the MC's are college age). Plus, telling it this way seems to lead to a lot more "explaining" where other characters are telling her about her abilities, skills, and heritage and less activity on her part. But there is something about the surprise approach that attracts me and makes for a conflict of its own.
I wonder if a story where a character takes a more active role in deciding which side she will take and how she will get there is a better choice. Since she knows exactly who she is not as much has to be explained to her. Some things still do, obviously, but it seems like she can better hit the ground running and get to the meat of the conflict, which is choosing to betray her family and use her talents for their destruction.
