"Dark Goddess" Now Complete

Both versions of Dark Goddess are now complete. The E/B version was hosted on FanFiction and the E/B/J version was over on TWCS. You can download them from my downloads page.

A while back, i wrote a post about why I did two different versions, but when I split the site between my OF and FF, the post seems to have gotten lost somewhere in the shuffle. Anyway, I'm too lazy to hunt it down and re-telling you is easier.

I originally "wrote" two different versions of it in my head. This is not uncommon. I may re-write a story half a dozen times with new characters, new pairings, new plot twists, etc. I liked both versions, though I preferred the E/B/J version slightly more. I decided that was the one I'd post.

When I was discussing the story with SoapyMayhem, she who made the lovely banner above, she warned me I might face some negative reactions from it. I figured I was cool with it. If people didn't like it, they didn't have to read it, I reasoned. No hard feelings. After all, not every story is right for everyone.

Love triangles are a seriously under-utilized plot line.

However, once I started posting, I encountered a lot of people who were confused by the pairings. They thought it would be another Edward-and-Jacob-fight-over-Bella story, or a threesome story, in the sense of all three of them sharing the same bed. I was composing long emails several times a day to try to explain where the story was going, romance-wise.

At the same time, I was finishing up edits on my second novel The End of All Things, and trying to start my third. It got overwhelming, trying to keep up with the correspondence and with juggling my other stuff. So, I decided it'd just be easier to write two versions of it.

In all, I'd estimate only about 20% to 25% of the text is different. The stories are identical up to about chapter four. Later, a chapter is omitted completely from the Original Version. And the last chapter contains only a few snippets which are the same.

They see me rollin'. They hatin'.

It was a really interesting experience, writing two versions at the same time. I usually did the E/B version first, because I tend to write my FF on FanFiction's word processing screen, a habit I retained from the days of Compulsion when I found that uploading my chapters after writing them on my computer made chunks of text disappear  I have a new computer now and FanFiction has updated its software, but it's just how I roll. I'm a creature of habit. What can I say?

Anyhoo, it was a great learning experience because it made me concentrate on how romance plots are built. Little gestures which might build toward tension or emotion... I had to look at each of them and decide whether to discard it for the alternate version. And then build the alternative romance plot line for Jacob.

I keep trying different things in my writing and so far, I've enjoyed every moment of it.

Tell me, which was your favorite version and why?