Honestly...I don't know. This story has
always included this particular plot point. Like I said, it's the inciting event. The hard thing is I can't really think of much to compare it to. I've only read a couple of books that are similar. I'm trying to lean it more suspense--the bad guys are coming after them and upping the ante, and at the same time they're trying to uncover the big conspiracy and put a stop to it. It almost feels thriller in a way, but I'm too big on lighter tone to have it actually qualify as a thriller.
If that's the case, I could see it working the way I've always envisioned it, but I really did want more of an outsmarting each other thing going on than a typical life or death stakes sort of story. Now I'm afraid the majority of readers would agree with him and just think it's boring or stupid.
I've had concerns about this book for ages. My friend who I used to plot with (he was brilliant) loved the idea and was super helpful and encouraging, but he's in another country now and I hardly ever get to talk to him, so I can't get his opinion. I've always been a little nervous that what
I like and think is fun/interesting is actually stupid and doesn't work for anyone but me. I got lucky once, and I guess I've just been feeling lately like I'm not going to be able to write something that good again (and we see how far that one got me).
Honestly, I can't imagine changing the story to make it fit what my boyfriend is saying. It would change so much, and more than that I think it just wouldn't work. The entire story was built around this event and how it throws two of the characters together in a really fun way. I've been looking forward to writing this scene for months, and now I'm feeling like I'm going about this in the completely wrong way. The worst part is I just finished rewriting the first ten thousand words because I'd figured out how to make the opening work, and from what he's saying I'd really need to toss what I have and start over again.
How do you know when someone else's opinion is right or wrong? I know it doesn't fit what I have in mind for the story/characters, but he's got a point, and I've never been good at plot. It's always been my big weakness--that's why I outline everything so much now. He also said that there's no hook to this story (I kind of agree, it's not a very hooky story) the way there was with my last ones, and he thinks if I changed this it would give it more of a hook. Ugh. This whole thing is just frustrating. I actually have time to be working and instead I'm feeling so totally insecure I'm not even sure I should keep writing at all.