So this is the general premise from start to finish of how I'm currently envisioning this story to go: Sarah-Mae is fresh out of college and doesn't know what to do with her life. She tries different jobs but doesn't perform too well. She gets a job as an administrator at a hospital and makes many mistakes, gets in trouble etc. Naturally she's a bit depressed about A) not knowing where her life is going and B) the mistakes she's making at work and home So her best friend and sister try to cheer her up by taking her to the local bar's Halloween party. They dress up as sexy girl slashers. Sarah-Mae, pulling a sexy Mrs. Jason voorhees look meets a guy who's costumed as Freddy Krueger. They hit it off and hang out most of the night. She leaves with her group and gives him her number. She goes weeks hearing nothing back. Then at her job one day before Thanksgiving, he shows up at the hospital for a fundraising event. He's a burn survivor. They recognize each other, going on a few cringeworthy dates as he does not trust her yet. And then they become more serious. Sarah-Mae's family finds out and are not happy believing she's being irresponsible yet again and trying to use this guy who's been through something horrible to boost her self esteem. She then meets Ralph's family who seems to get along with her. All except one of his sisters who seems to hate her. This sister has been through lots of trauma (more in the story) so there will be explanation there. Covid erupts and Ralph has to return to England as he was on medical visa. They want to have a child during the pandemic as a way to keep something of them linked. So he banks some of his sperm and then leaves. Sarah-Mae tries to get pregnant as a single mom but can't. Several tests are done indicating low sperm quality due to Ralph's injuries. A year into covid, Ralph proposes over zoom. And the following year he and his family return for the wedding. Their marriage consists of them navigating cruel comments from both strangers and Healthcare providers alike as well as Sarah-Mae trying to form a bond with the nasty sister. Ultimately the story ends where the entire family tucks in to Thanksgiving supper, revealing Sarah-Mae and Ralph have 3 kids and a fourth on the way and the mean sister heals from her trauma, meets someone special and is also pregnant and both she and Sarah-Mae bond over their pregnancies. Does this sound like a meaningful Story? And if so, any suggestions for further plot development?
Hi Dana, welcome to our little clubhouse. I don't know much about writing romance or relationship stories, but I saw what seems to me an amazing video about it just the other day. It makes sense to me that there needs to be a solid story besides just the relationship. The little bit you wrote above might not be enough to explain what the real crux of the story is, or (as I say) I just don't know much about relationship stories. Here it is:
Not my genre either. But it sounds like you have the building blocks for a character driven story. The MCs self doubts, budding relationship, and job provide lots of possibilities for complications. Perhaps she approves a costly procedure that while medically sound, causes problems because the insurance doesn't approve it. I would say make it a burn patient, and the decision might cost her her job. That spawns introspection that her relationship may have biased her choice. An idea to play with.
She doesn't know what to do with herself so she decides to have a baby with a guy in another country? Really? Being artificially inseminated and genetic testing like having his sperm tested are not cheep. And I'm just not buying that these two young people think having a baby is a good way to stay connected. To me, the whole idea seems very unrealistic.
No hospital is going to hire a "fresh out of college" kid as an administrator. First off, in most states that requires an MHA for starters, not a Bachelor's.
