Story Thoughts/Poll
Added 2025-10-14 22:18:47 +0000 UTCI've been doing a lot of thinking about the response that shows up sometimes on QQ regarding the story and the Targaryens. It goes back to some of what I was doing when I was initially drafting for the story.
See, I wrote Terrible, Yes, but Great in third person limited, with thoughts and other things that really made it feel personal. As I got to the end of it(presuming I didn't want to ever do the potential third/fourth arc) and began considering another story(which eventually became Mistakes Were Made) I wanted to do a first person style story, where the story was told in first person from every character's perspective, showing how it blended.
Fast forward to Aak Daar Dovah, and I thought, well, I didn't finish the first person only thing I had planned, but I did try it. So maybe not do that for ADD despite my initial thought being to do so(to make up for having not finished the other in that style).
Instead, I decided to kind of hybridize, and make it so that Ysmir was always told in first person, and all of the other characters of the story were told in third person, which made for an interesting observational telling style, as if we're reading the story as he saw it in some cases, and then as things were(from other perspectives).
I've been wondering though if this switch (third person always in other people, first person in him) might contribute in part at least to the feelings that a lot of people have regarding the Targaryen side being... like disconnected? So I want to hear the Patrons thoughts on this idea.
Should I consider going back and editing the other perspectives all into first person as well (making the story told in first person always, with different perspectives) or should I leave it as it is?
The poll isn't the deciding factor, it's just that I want to see where everyone else's head is at and I know a lot of you are lurkers who don't say much.
Post thoughts below, and an explanation if you feel strongly some way.
Comments
Much like GenericReader_n, I'm liking the Targ chapters much more as we approach the two stories coming together. In retrospect I'm glad their chapters aren't just focused on talking about Ysmir (not that they would have any reason to at this point). I just find it annoying/narcissistic when other authors have non-MC chapters and all anyone ever talks about is the MC/their actions. I don't really know where I was going with this. Keep it like it is!
mkdelux
2025-10-15 03:01:51 +0000 UTCHm... on the one hand, I like the emphasis on the primary protagonist the different narration styles create. On the other hand though, that same difference will inevitably mean readers are more personally invested in Ysmir's perspective/story compared to Targs... which is kind of how it should be? Because he's the primary protagonist? But yes, it was somewhat of a turn off back when I first started reading this as I also found the Targs to be a bit of a slog, though not at all anymore. Unfortunately, I suspect there's no easy fix, as while rewriting the Targs to be first person may bridge the gap in investment to a degree, the real issue for some of those complaining is simply that there are deuteragonists competing for focus period. As it is now I'm good with it and very excited for Ysmir to arrive and the remaining disconnect to lessen, but I can't deny I may likely be even more engaged with the Targs if they're first person, and thus even more engaged/invested overall. Might not be worth it/necessary though. Perhaps do this poll on QQ to see how big of an issue it really is, and check if its maybe just a vocal minority.
GenericReader_n
2025-10-14 22:45:29 +0000 UTC
