Subplot 001

Okay, I don't remember if this was late November or early December, but for a while I was trying to learn more about my protagonist by creating subplots for him.

This is sort of adapting the John Vorhaus technique of learning about your character by having them cross the street and seeing what they do, rather than write up a complex biography about who what they were like growing up.

I actually used a structure tool from THE LITTLE BOOK OF SITCOM by Vorhaus to help me shape and evolve the subplots.

My first thought was to give Alex a girlfriend that he lives with, and have his investigation come into conflict with he relationship.  I was hoping that this might allow me the chance to explore realistic, on-going relationships -- as opposed to the usual entertainment trope of introducing characters and watching them fall in love over the course of the story.

In the course of maybe an hour or two, here's what I came up with...

***

Subplot 001

Sc A1 - ALEX agrees to help TIFFANI with the Brimmes Case.

Sc A2 - LEELA TOTALLY thinks that ALEX should take the Brimmes case!  But he should make it his NEXT BOOK!

Sc A3 - ALEX chooses to ignore LEELA's suggestion.

Sc A4 - LEELA withholds sex and affection from ALEX.  If he's not concerned about her needs, why should she care about his?

Sc A5 - ALEX approaches the BRIMMES FAMILY about doing a book -- he'll change all the names and details, etc.  CARLTON BRIMES is appalled at the suggestion!  If he knew this was about Alex selling books he never would have let Alex into his home!  Alex retracts the request.  He makes an excuse and Carlton feels better -- still a bit apprehensive, but a bit placated -- and the investigation is still on.

Sc A6 - ALEX tells LEELA one of his publishers has agreed to buy the book, but only after it's written.  (This is a bald-faced lie so that Leela will drop the matter for now.)

Sc A7 - LEELA is super-sexy and super-affectionate to ALEX now that he has a book deal for the Brimmes case.

Sc A8 - ALEX makes an expensive purchase for the case.

Sc A9 - ALEX discovers that LEELA has made an expensive purchase in anticipation of the book-deal money that she believes is on its way.

Sc A10 - A bill comes up that LEELA expects ALEX to pay, but he can't pay it because of his purchase, and she can't pay it because of her purchase.  How can Alex not have enough?  Alex has to fess up to the lie about the book deal...

Sc A11 - TIFFANI listens to ALEX and his problems with Leela.  Tiffani holds back telling Alex that he should break up with Leela because she's not right for him.

Sc A12 - ALEX gets a loan from his DAD.  Dad uses this as an opportunity to tell Alex that he thought Leela would straighten Alex out, make him grow up.  Dad's doing it out of love and concern, but he makes Alex feel like a loser.

Sc A13 - ALEX surprises LEELA by taking care of the bills and buying her something else.  Leela is super-happy and has sex with Alex.

Sc A14 - TIFFANI and ALEX talk after the case.  Tiffani refrains from telling Alex that the center cannot hold...

***

You'll probably agree with me that this just feels too Sitcom-y.  It doesn't feel real.  It feels like a writer trying to fill pages.

Moreover, I don't like Alex any better than I did.

I'm still trying to get enthusiastic about this novel and about this character.  I want this novel to be the first in a series, so I want to really enjoy spending time with Alex.  I like Tiffani, but she's not my center, she may not be around for the next novel.

And I fucking HATE Leela!

What a bitch!

Alex is my surrogate in many ways, and if he's dumb enough to stay with Leela he's a sucky surrogate.

This book is meant to be fun to write and fun to read.  I feel like this subplot drags the whole thing down.

It's not that I don't want to make my protagonist unhappy; that's what writing is.  John Vorhaus suggests that we learn to delight in making our characters miserable for the sake of comedy (or, in this case, drama), and I'm on-board with that concept.

But this subplot is too much.

If nothing else, both Alex and Leela pick up the "Idiot Ball" early on and toss it around for the majority of the storyline.

So sometime later (I don't recall whether it was a day or two later or a week or two later; sorry) I gave the subplot another shot...