I've thought long and hard about this question, and rather than give you my personal view of whether or not it's too much of a hot topic, I'm going to put on the literary nerd hat and turn the question back to you: go back to your premise.
Yes, it is a real question that I believe every woman, pro-life or pro-choice, has when confronted with an unplanned pregnancy. Yes, I believe it's consistent with the Lois character to have this kind of internal debate. Including it will definitely ground your story in more realism and give more definition to the Lois character, which fits into what you want to accomplish with this fic. I know you have been trying to find and flesh out those little character moments and present the details of the Supesverse in HD, so to speak.
However, as one-shot-y as this fic is, there is a cohesiveness to it and a driving narrative that holds them all together. Ask yourself what story you are trying to tell with Sunspots, if the abortion question fits into that narrative thread, and ultimately, if your story needs it. While it *is* an interesting one to explore, speculate upon, and discuss, given what we know about Lois' views on independence and feminism, does excluding it take away from what the reader absolutely needs to know about Lois for the purposes of the overall story? Alternately, does including it feel organic to the chapter/story?
If the answer is no to either, then don't include it. Or, write the conversation/scene, but leave it as an outtake, set in the Sunspots-verse. Don't force it into the multi-chaptered piece.
If the answer is yes to both, then it's just a matter of framing it in such a way that it is consistent with the characters involved. You'll have to think very carefully about 1) whom Lois will be having this conversation with, 2) the tone of conversation, 3) how much you are going to reveal Lois' inner thoughts and what she will speak out loud, 4) how to introduce the topic so it fits in as a natural progression in the chapter and 5) how true her decision process is to the character. It'll be a challenge, but it is doable so long as it is consistent with the Lois that you have created in this verse.
I guess, that's a long winded way of saying, don't be afraid to tackle controversial topics. Just be critical of whether it's really necessary to the story or just an interesting point you want to explore, and above all, present it in actions and words consistent with the character. That's the only way to avoid soapbox preaching and to ensure a positive response from the reader. No matter how I may feel about abortion or if I disagree with Lois' reasons and actions, if I still believe LOIS would bring it up/discuss it/think about it in the way it is presented in the chapter, you should be good.
Yes, it is a real question that I believe every woman, pro-life or pro-choice, has when confronted with an unplanned pregnancy. Yes, I believe it's consistent with the Lois character to have this kind of internal debate. Including it will definitely ground your story in more realism and give more definition to the Lois character, which fits into what you want to accomplish with this fic. I know you have been trying to find and flesh out those little character moments and present the details of the Supesverse in HD, so to speak.
However, as one-shot-y as this fic is, there is a cohesiveness to it and a driving narrative that holds them all together. Ask yourself what story you are trying to tell with Sunspots, if the abortion question fits into that narrative thread, and ultimately, if your story needs it. While it *is* an interesting one to explore, speculate upon, and discuss, given what we know about Lois' views on independence and feminism, does excluding it take away from what the reader absolutely needs to know about Lois for the purposes of the overall story? Alternately, does including it feel organic to the chapter/story?
If the answer is no to either, then don't include it. Or, write the conversation/scene, but leave it as an outtake, set in the Sunspots-verse. Don't force it into the multi-chaptered piece.
If the answer is yes to both, then it's just a matter of framing it in such a way that it is consistent with the characters involved. You'll have to think very carefully about 1) whom Lois will be having this conversation with, 2) the tone of conversation, 3) how much you are going to reveal Lois' inner thoughts and what she will speak out loud, 4) how to introduce the topic so it fits in as a natural progression in the chapter and 5) how true her decision process is to the character. It'll be a challenge, but it is doable so long as it is consistent with the Lois that you have created in this verse.
I guess, that's a long winded way of saying, don't be afraid to tackle controversial topics. Just be critical of whether it's really necessary to the story or just an interesting point you want to explore, and above all, present it in actions and words consistent with the character. That's the only way to avoid soapbox preaching and to ensure a positive response from the reader. No matter how I may feel about abortion or if I disagree with Lois' reasons and actions, if I still believe LOIS would bring it up/discuss it/think about it in the way it is presented in the chapter, you should be good.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment