My wedding planning era is finally over. All I have left to do is thank you’s, name changes, and parent gifts (which is a lot more than you might think). However, I have brain space back. And, because of that, my brain is zooming around to different projects and thoughts.
I have about four different projects that are begging…screaming…to be worked on:
- Revisions of my Fantasy Novel (Magick Forest/Witch of the Woods)
- Discovery drafting of my Romantasy Serial (Scars and Demons)
- Plotting of my Contemporary Fiction/Romance (College Drama)
- Short fiction drafting for my new Substack section (Great Lakes Gothic)
- One other suspense romance that doesn’t know what it wants to be yet.
This means I’ve got so many different character voices, scenes, vibes, and settings going on in my mind. Fantasy, contemporary, gothic. Some of these go better together than others. The one I’m currently stuck on is the College Drama.
I know the vibes but can’t quite figure out the main conflict or plot line. Here are some of the comp titles I’ve thought of for it:
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
- Solitaire by Alice Oseman
- The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Why are these my comps?
It’s a story that focuses on a young woman’s relationships in college, or lack thereof. She desperately wishes to be an artist but has been scared out of pursuing it as a career by her parents who are both higher-ups at corporate businesses. The young woman has trouble making friends with her roommates whose only hobbies seem to be going out to party on weekends and watching reality TV. As graduation looms, she finds herself struggling against depression and expectations.
In her junior year, her dorm roommate invites her to take the final room in a 3-bedroom duplex apartment. The upstairs neighbors include a couple of guys she had become friends with during her freshman year through their girlfriends. Their third roommate, however, is a guy she’s been avoiding since she was first introduced during freshman year. He’s the campus player, the guy who flirts with everyone, and a known partier. He makes her nervous for reasons she doesn’t like to think about.
Vibes, No Plot?
I think I’ve talked about this idea before actually. I’ve written a 2-page synopsis for it so I know what happens, but none of it is…a plot? I’m not sure. It feels very much like it will be more of a character-driven novel. I’m trying to figure out how to not let that get boring. The vibes very much feel like it will be a more stream-of-consciousness style of first-person narration. It feels like it will be a coming-of-age story for college-aged students. Finding out who you are as you plan for your future and what that looks like while struggling with mental illness.
If you have any other suggestions for stories about college-aged women building relationships and navigating that time, I would love to hear them!
Happy Writing!
Rachel
Subtle Stories 