I just found chapter summaries for an old story that I was going to work on back then.
I was rereading it, trying to remember something crucial about this story. My memory is very fuzzy on what transpired six years ago in this story, along with what this story is about.
I shall try my best to explain what I can remember.
So, my MC’s job is to essentially fix the problems that the imperial court is facing while the monarch is ruling. If there’s a scandal happening, my MC has to figure out how to handle it before the media catches wind of it. Basically my MC solves problems and issues for high ranking members of the imperial court so that the monarch can rule with less headaches. Six years ago there was a murder within the court which caused my MC to leave for six years only to come back months later. Though people suspect that the MC is tied to that the murder and something else. People aren’t pleased about that and want to do something about it, but their monarch is against it for her own reasons. My MC is back to handle the court issues and to restart his goal. The goal is to break and bring the imperial court into ruin for revenge.
My only gripe on why this doesn’t make sense is because of the six year gap, along with the fact my MC went back to the palace to get work again.
This story idea has promise and potential, but things are just off. I just want to figure out some small things before I start writing it.
Ah the hardest part of any story. The why’s!
I would recommend to really get into what the MC’s motivations are and what it would take for him to go back.
I would say you already narrowed down what is causing tension (the six year gap, and the fact he went back to work after 6 years).
If the story is about revenge (assuming it’s tied to the murder), then you might need a bit more propulsion and a narrative reason for him to stay and work for the imperial court (to take them down).
So, either he leaves and plots against the court from afar, OR he doesn’t leave at all and starts building a long-game scheme to take them down.
Probably the best fit would be this 6 year mission turned this person against the crown, and whatever happened out there (think of it like having to kill Snow White as the Huntsman) is why they’re back for vengeance.
Ah! That’s another angle I didn’t consider. So, instead of the murder–have the six-years BE work, and whatever happens during that time is the reason he plots revenge. That’s very interesting, and also clever. I’d have to question though the six-year gap, that’s quite a long time and if not done carefully could potentially make a story a bit too slow.
Its just when and how it happens. If the first part of the mission is still loyalist, that could easily take 2-3 years. Something exposes them to a change of mind during that last bit, and then they go to someone with questions and are betrayed–like maybe even nearly murdered. (Maybe another loyalist?) Have it be personally between two sub-factions and the other person has the upper hand until they’re either muzzled or deposed, and this person can step back out into public and be trying to figure out how much of it was their private adversary and how much of it was their ruler.
, trust your instincts fs