/raises hand halfheartedly/

 

I didn't think this was an appropriate little thing for the writing thread but, in there, Sorrows makes an excellent post discussing two things. Firstly, romantic plot convention and, secondly, prompts for romance.

I have been struggling to fully understand the why of the parallel plot, and where it might or might not be appropriate and how to do it well so that it doesn't drag at the romance but complements it.

I found this video on When Harry Met Sally (which I've never actually seen), and it explores romance genre conventions by exploring how this wildly successful film broke some and cleaved to others. It helped me understand the purpose of the parallel plot, the reason why you have to have something swinging at the leads, that it's not just for prolongation of the narrative, so that hopefully I have a better chance of writing a decent external pressure cooker plot to soften their edges and melt them together.

 

Presently dead in the water and looking toward other ships to steer my entry. Harry/Daphne has been done far better and romantically nuanced than the plot I was attempting to railroad together.

 

I'll admit to having zilch as of yet. Just haven't had a flash of a prompt that seemed interesting.

 

I'll read this when I'm home, it looks thorough which is great because romance seems hard.

To turn around the general statements above. I am writing something, life has gotten in the way but I'm hoping after some training applications I'm shooting for close I'll have time to power through in early December.

 

Welp, after finally reading all of this, I think I'll toss my hat in the ring too. I've had an idea for years that I can probably make work. Been meaning to write it anyway.

 

The faintest stirrings of a new ship have come to me in the night. Whether or not it amounts to anything... well, the deadline's in twelve days, aye? Just my usual sort of pace to spew something across the pages.

So how's everyone else doing, then?

 

I've finished my story yesterday, just need to translate all of it yet again while learning for an exam that's coming up two days after the deadline.
That'll be massive amounts of fun.

I'd consider it somewhat decent, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm not sure whether it even remotely touches the prompt.

 

So, who'll be the first to try a Madame Maxime/Hagrid story?

 

mrw I've got nothing and the desperation begins to sink in

 

I've stared at these three pages for the past month. And I have to admit I can't do anything more with them. I'm sorry, but I have nothing substantial to submit.