Smokey
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Academia (Chapter 5)
🕑 Added 2020-06-10 13:53:14 +0000 UTCHello again! Ready for another fun filled day of education, I hope!
The choice to make aprons a focus in this chapter, alongside Mrs. Prescott‘s new outfit, came from this Electrolux ad I stumbled across! I figured that this story could use some new outfit descriptions, since they’ve been fairly static throughout.
Now, I’d just love to hear all of your thoughts on this chapter after you read it. Down to just two girls left, I’m very interested in seeing who you all think the mole is, and why!
And speaking of the mole, I actually really want to talk about hooks. Like with music, I think that the more hooks a story has, the more engaging it will be for an audience (as long as you don’t go overboard of course).
Academia began with a simple premise, that being a school in which women are reeducated and turned into stepford housewives. So there’s the first hook. The second hook is the “criminal” aspect; that each of these women have committed some sort of crime, and this is the alternative to prison. The third hook, which kind of ended up implemented at the last minute, is the fact that one of the girls is a mole.
Generally, I try to make sure that all of my multi-chapter stories (and my oneshots if I can help it) have at least two hooks.
The Stepford Game has the board game itself, as well as the reality warping aspect, and the idea that changes happen one at a time, and can be overturned or replaced by something else. Stepford Virus had the infectious nature of stepfordization, as well as the question of whether it would be undone or not, and who would be the next to turn.
Generally speaking, I hold onto an idea until I can put one or two more hooks into it, before I go ahead with it. I have tons of notes written down for stories, but some take much longer to develop their hooks than others.
I hope you enjoyed that little look into my writing process lol. It’s just been on my mind lately, as I work on my next multi-chapter story!
Comments
Smokey
Thanks! A big thing for these characters, and what causes them to become receptive, is the root of their behavior. Idle hands, an overbearing sex drive, and in Reggie’s case, assuming that her sexuality is antithetical to her mother’s lifestyle, when really it isn’t. And that’s what makes these positive changes for them all! Things that caused them genuine problems in life, being put to better use or corrected in some way.
vasily26
Yes! Doesn’t it make this such a happy story for Reggie (sorry, Regina)? Mrs. Prescott and her nice are teaching Regina that, unlike what she internalized, she actually can be the kind of person she always wanted to be (a Stepford housewife) and still be true to herself. How great for her!
Princess Claire
SPOILER!!: I loved the process of her resolve breaking down when she realised it wasn't just hatred or aversion to being a silly housewife but really just stemmed from trauma from pressure/harassment/expectation to be straight.
Smokey
Thank you so much! That was my intent with Reggie, yes. Originally her transformation was going to be different, but I think that this path offers for more down the line with her. That’s also one of the reasons why Josephine was the one to tie the aprons, the other being that she’s was the first to crack, so she’s now the most openly supportive. And I can’t wait to show you the finale!
vasily26
Love, love, love this chapter! Aprons might be my single favorite component of the traditional Stepford get-up, so I love that you focused a whole chapter on them! You used them brilliantly too; the scene of Reggie being forced to simultaneously put on the physical apron and reckon with her real inner desires was such an incredible moment. Lots of fascinating character development for Reggie too. It sounds like Reggie’s whole rebellious outlook was a reaction to her Stepford-y mother, but really she secretly wanted to be just like her all along? If she’s still alive, hope they get a chance to meet again someday when they’re on the same page! I also love to see that Josephine’s formerly criminal prestidigitation skills have another Stepford use: Not just knitting, but also helping other girls get dressed in the proper outfits! She’s become quite a helpful teacher’s pet. Sure seems like Keiko’s the spy...if so, I’m really into that idea! The idea of a fully Stepfordized girl consistently giving a believable anarchist impression is playfully erotic. I also love the idea of June, seemingly the meekest of the girls, turning out to be the last holdout, the real rebel (at the same time, excited for her transformation bc as an addict she might need Ms. Prescott’s help the most!) Then again maybe you have other plans! In any case, really excited for the home stretch on this story, it’s been a blast.
