Smokey
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Meet The Mayor (Stepfordization)
🕑 Added 2022-02-02 13:00:05 +0000 UTCSome fun insight into who is running the show in Stepford presently~
I don't have a whole lot to say about the content of this story in and of itself (aside from that I wanted to shine a light on a widower in Stepford, and an interesting friendship between a man and a dominant woman), but while writing it I did think about a criticism I've gotten of late over on Deviantart. Namely, that my stories are too dark and shouldn't end with the main characters being stepfordized as often.
And I ended up deciding that I honestly don't care. Not in a mean or bitter way, but in the way that if I were to change my writing to suit the preferences of a handful of vocal readers, I wouldn't enjoy what I'm doing anymore. I find it incredibly difficult to write stories that aren't things I personally enjoy (hence why I rarely take commissions), and if I tried, my output would likely just dry up. If I write what I enjoy, as I have, then I will attract readers who also enjoy my work, such as all of you!
So if you had seen those comments and were wondering whether they were going to impact my writing style, I assure you they will not. Stepfordization has its roots in horror, and I think a kinky story without payoff is kind of a waste of time. It wouldn't be Stepfordization if she didn't get Stepfordized, now would it?
Comments
Jakitron
It's always good when artists stand by what they want to make, and on an unrelated note, I love what you make and have now decided to pay into the patreon to see more
Smokey
Thank you! I really did want to tie this one back to my original reporter story, like you noticed. Zoe was probably the first time I ever really wrote a proper long form Stepfordization that I enjoyed, and I'm really glad that I've transitioned to doing these sorts of stories exclusively now. Just like Zoe, I've come a long way, and I'm not looking back! Of course, I've got free will that she and the new Mrs Chambers lack...
vasily26
I’ll admit when I first saw this post I was skimming the text and worried that you were gonna take those readers’ suggestions. So glad you’re sticking to your gut! Love it!! Journalist feels like such a good occupation for a woman about to be Stepfordized, not least bc (as you prove here) an interview is a great setting for a power dynamic to shift suddenly. I love that you connected this to your original reporter in Stepford story…as you’ve been doing these check-ins with past characters I’ve been really hoping to see Zoe again. It’s awesome to see her, once the most anti-Stepford woman around, now totally permanently domesticated and happy to be one housewife among many. As for Denise, I love that she went from investigating the truth of Kathleen Weston’s life to fully taking her place. I love the moment when the late first wife is referred to as “Mrs. Edwin Chambers.” It’s nice to think that Denise is going from being a journalist with her own byline trying to make a name for herself to trying her best to just stand silently and obediently in her new husband’s shadow
