After canning Zenith, Vicisittudes, and now the "Wingless Girl" which technically still has no name, I've finally resolved to yet again try what has previously been impossible for me--FINISH a novel.
So far, it's going well. The novel's name is "The End of Time" and a fantasy story with scifi elements (actually, to be technical, it's scifi with fantasy elements, but the fantasy aspect currently overrides the scifi). The story's actually flowing very well, in no small part because of my discovery of the "Snowflake Method" for plotting a novel--for someone as disorganized as me, the method is a GODSEND. Finally instead of diving in and writing randomly, I'm planning the entire novel from beginning to end. And I still love it, which is new because I usually end up hating a novel after trying (and failing) to plan it.
I've hit a problem, though, when it comes to one character--at the beginning of the book he's the best friend of the main character, but later gets drawn into the villainous (and genocidal) conspiracy opposing the main characters. He feels that for the first time in his life, he has something to believe in, and for the first time is being valued not for his connection to the main character but for who he himself is. Which is important because previously the friend was only a follower of the main character, never making his own decisions.
The friend is a nice guy, but I'm having a lot of trouble planning his redemption. It's just not working; as it currently is it feels hollow. He's fighting the main character, and the main character manages to get the friend to see the error of his ways while fighting. That's it. Somehow, given the rest of the friend's character arc, it feels false. I just feel that this friend, having spent the rest of the novel developing a personality distinct from the main character's, would be betraying himself by just deciding "guess you're right!" and becoming all buddy-buddy with the main character in a heartbeat again.
I don't want to leave the friend as a villain, though, or unreformed, because what the conspiracy's been doing truly is vile (they committed, and are still committing, a genocide). It feels bad to leave the friend on a bitter note. I want him to reconcile with the main character, but the way I've currently got it doesn't jibe with his character development. Any ideas, please? I'm very upset, but pleased at the same time because it's good that my characters are growing their own identities and won't let themselves get constrained by the plot.
But at the same time it's difficult for a writer. I'm now caught in a dilemma as how to resolve the friend's storyline. >_> Any suggestions? I welcome any.
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