[One Direction] Plot help for ISKY

[Masq]

Hello, everyone. I don't think I've introduced myself on here, but I'm from the 1DFF boards, so most of you probably already know me. For those of you who don't, my name is Emily and I currently have two stories in progress on 1DFF, called 'Behind the Mask' and 'I Should've Kissed You.'

The problem I'm having right now deals with 'I Should've Kissed You' (or, as it's usually called, ISKY). I know exactly what I want to happen in the story; I even have the ending already planned out, and tbh, I could probably write that before finishing the story, it's that detailed. My problem happens to be with the middle of the story.

I'm currently at a place where quite a bit of action is going on - the story is mainly action, with a bit of romance on the side - and after this part, I'm not sure what I want to happen.

Ugh, this is so hard to explain without giving the plot away.

Basically, the story occurs during the X-Factor, which is cliche, I know, but the rest of the story is what makes it different. Anyway, the action moment is right after the live shows of Week 4, and it lasts for a few chapters, which is cool and all, but I don't know what to do after. The next thing I have really PLANNED for the story is during the finals, but that seems like quite a bit if time to skip. I could do it, I guess, by just having one of the characters mention a few things that happened, but I'd rather not do that if I don't have to, you know?

Or... maybe I do have a few things planned out to put in between, I just don't know where to put them because they're more for the romance side of the plot than like... the actual plot. And I feel like there needs to be actual plot mixed in or it'll get boring. Or maybe not. I think my readers like the romance better. Whoops.

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So do I just need to get a beta or what? Because I feel like this makes absolutely no sense but I don't want to give stuff away and just AUGH.

help

[Maya Your queen.]

That awk. Moment when my name is Emily.
Well in I'm available for beta, As well as Princess Cliche
But as more people join check in fandom specific for available betas.

[Timothy]

Hey, OP Emily I was actually in the exact same boat with The House with the Red Roof. Beginning? Check. Ending? Check.

Middle?

That was one big question mark.

The problem with The House was that a good portion the story takes place with Louis and the FMC being on different continents and their only interaction being on twitter and other social media. I could have decided to keep writing full chapters for that time period of the story and run the risk of boring everybody to death with my FMC's life and trials with very little One Direction in between but I really, really didn't want to do that.

My solution was what I call 'the twitter chapters.' Basically it's just a series of about 5-9 extremely short chapters which each focus on one little instance in particular which is important to how the characters develop, but which are not important enough to build an entire chapter of +3k.

I don't know if something similar could help you. Just hitting the highlights from Week 4 up to the Finals and including all the little romantic bits would be what I would do, but I understand that this particular method of storytelling is a bit jumpy and not everyone's cup of tea.

[Masq]

I seriously considered doing that, just sort of filling a chapter with things that have passed... but I've come to realize that the romance parts are a bit more important than I first thought.

Like the feelings are what makes the ending... the way it is. It wouldn't really work otherwise. So I can't really just casually put stuff in there, I actually need to include them. I guess I'm going to have to work out each chapter, maybe even start outlining (I'm terrible at that sort of thing) and hope that I can create enough events that they don't seem like fillers.

I probably should get a beta, but like, I'm not very trusting with my stories haha. The only person who's read them beforehand at this point is my best friend, but she generally just checks for grammar mistakes and such.

[Timothy]

Well, like Emily said, you can check the 1D thread for a beta here or hit the beta requests of 1DFF. I'm not taking long term requests at the moment, but if you'd like to PM me about the plot in a more detailed way we can try to come up with a better solution.

[Sienna]

Uhm, Emily, I would totally be willing to beta for you doll. Because, you know I'm an avid fangirl of ISKY.