Chapter 44 Of Plots and Tropes
Under normal circumstances, Em would’ve slept great that night. She had one last campfire with her party, tucked in a downy sleeping bag, finally resting her exhausted body after one too many shots of healing potions. But of course, her damn Great Author dragged her into a final vision.
Em’s bodiless soul drifted in the warmth over the FOURTH WALL, and although she couldn’t see Stephanie, in her inner core, she knew the writer was sharing the dream with her.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“You still need to pick an ending,” I said. “Otherwise, there’s not much more I can write.”
“I’ll figure it out,” Em sighed. “I just don’t know how to decide what I want or when I’ll be satisfied.”
“You’ll know when the time is right. And don’t ask me to explain that all because I’m trying to write this vision scene as it’s happening before my fingers fall off,” I replied.
“You don’t mind waiting a bit more for me?”
“I’ll do anything for you, my chaotic Main Character,” I said with a laugh. “So long as you uphold your end of the deal, so I can complete mine.”
Where tension and desperation once separated us, a sense of understanding had developed.
As Em had accepted her fate and embraced the craziness of her quest, so I was able to enjoy the process of writing again.
She helped me in more ways than I could ever express, so I want my readers to be aware here and now, I owe my creative life to this mildly insane but wonderful disaster of a Main Character.
And somehow in it all, Em Smith found a way to accept me as her author.
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about, before we part ways,” I said, bringing both our drifting thoughts back to the main issue at hand regarding the vision.
“Oh?” Em’s interest piqued.
“You see, it is entirely likely that your next story will be written by another author,” I explained. “It’s not usual for the same author to write the same character’s other stories unless you intend to be in an entire series.”
“Hell no.”
“Exactly my point.”
If she could see me, she’d know I’d grinned. “And also, one last thing. There’s a problem with the ending of your quest, and it’s one you might not like.”
“What do you mean?” Em braced herself for more disappointment. After all, I’d regularly failed her as her Great Author this entire mess of a book you’ve been reading.
“Your entire story is cliché,” I said.
“No…” Em began to argue.
“It is.”
“But we changed it, remember?” she retorted.
“I mean, the whole concept of you succeeding and achieving your dreams is stereotypical,” I said.
“Being able to outsmart the Big Bad to get what you want, even in the face of impossible forces. The stereotypical Hero’s Journey follows an ordinary character who is called to adventure, faces trials and inner doubts, grows through hardship, and ultimately becomes transformed after overcoming a great challenge to restore balance or bring new wisdom to their world for the sake of their friends.
You did all of that… despite an initial rejection to the call or inciting incident, but in the end, you followed the Hero’s Journey arc to a perfect textbook example. ”
“Huh.” Em was silent for a moment.
I braced myself for her wrath.
But then she shrugged.
“Fuck it. I don’t care,” Em said. “I’m done with all the plots and tropes and clichés and nonsense. I’m just happy I got to have my first real story, meet my Great Author, and save my world.”
“That’s it?” I asked.
“I guess I did develop after all,” Em laughed.
“About time.”
“Thank you for everything, Stephanie,” my Main Character said. “I hope in some other time or life, I can see you on the other side of these pages. Who knew I’d one day have the privilege of calling my own author my friend?”
“Me too, Em,” I said. “Me too.”
Em shut her eyes, severing our connection. Our time together in this book was almost complete. The FOURTH WALL sucked her back into Novella: her home—full of realms, characters, and adventures just waiting for her to explore.