Help with plot point

[AmbreaTaddy]

Hello,

I am reaching a point where one of the plot points driving the story is wrapping up, letting more space unfold for the next shenanigan. However, I need some help to wrap it up nicely, as my tired brain can't think properly.

Warning : This will spoil a lot of the story if you are currently reading my novel 'I Blinked And Now I'm Famous'. You have been warned.

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Ok, so that's the thing. Our MC has been treated very badly by her paternal family growing up. She later somehow becomes famous, and her step-mother (an absolute hysteric of a psychopath) tries to gains some advantages by getting closer to the protagonist, which she refuses. She then tries to blackmail her, saying she will reveal her real identity (the protagonist uses a stage name and doesn't want her real identity to be known to not endanger her mother and brother). The MC succeeds in thwarting that attempt, and the step-mother even tries to kill her to inherit all the money the MC has made (there is a law in France where if you die without a will, your money will go to your parents if you don't have kids or spouse).

All of that is thwarted, and the protagonist finally has enough when she sees her step-mother on TV revealing our protagonist's real identity, showing pictures of her as a kid to show 'how close they are' and say that unfortunatly, since the protagonist has gone famous, she didn't give back a single cent to her family, boohoo, she is so mean, etc... Essentially using public opinion to blackmail the MC into giving her benefits while casually exposing the family to the public, including the little brother who didn't ask anything, poor guy.

So our MC explodes and, contrary to the step-mother's thoughts, she doesn't as usual bend her head and stay silent. No. Our MC first made a donation to a foundation for children abused by their family, saying as a message 'My own experience inspired me to donate'. While people started wondering what was going on, she organized a press conference, showed in direct live the texts she had received from the step-mother, all the pictures and recordings of the bad treatments when she was a kid, she essentially exposed everything.

Was that enough ? No ! When Internet was having a field trip with it, she payed to have fake accounts made to criticize herself, saying that those were just educational punishments that exist in every household, that not obeying your parents is bad, that exposing everything online is a bad thing to do, etc... She essentially created haters to rile up her own fans, and so that her celebrity friends would see the war online and post support messages to her.

Public opinion turned in her favor while she was pressuring the police to investigate the murder attempt and find evidence that her step-mother instigated it. Then, she made sure to be in a public space with a lot of fans having cameras in hand when the news came out, essentially 'discovering in direct live that her step-mother tried to kill her' cementing the idea that MC is a nice girl and her family are psychopath.

And now I'm here, and I lack just the right thing to completely wrap up this segment with the step-mother and make sure that she is done (Not definetivly, I need her to make a dramatic come back for the finale, but this plot point needs to end)

Does anyone have a good way to end this ? Should I conclude on a trial ? Maybe it would be a bit bland for an entertainement industry story... Or maybe the last shot of the step-mother must be when she is taken by the police ? Should our protagonist manipulate things one last time just to make sure she can't get up ?

Tell me your ideas ♥

 

[Arkus86]

I would say, consider that trials are a long run. Months or years easily. You can lock the mother up for custody awaiting trial, though the particular rules for that depend on the jurisdiction. This would open the door for her eventually getting released when her guild is not proven, or when some time limit runs out, or even her ignoring house arrest or such.

The one thing I question though, is how she has convenient pictures and recordings of getting abused as a kid. Who recorded it and why.

 

[AmbreaTaddy]

I would say, consider that trials are a long run. Months or years easily. You can lock the mother up for custody awaiting trial, though the particular rules for that depend on the jurisdiction. This would open the door for her eventually getting released when her guild is not proven, or when some time limit runs out, or even her ignoring house arrest or such.

The one thing I question though, is how she has convenient pictures and recordings of getting abused as a kid. Who recorded it and why.

The recordings are explained in the story because she has an older sister (who was the abused one, but she was strong-willed and wasn't about to suffer through that, so she left first and never even went back to the country, thus the step-mother needed a new scapegoat to vent on and it fell on the protagonist), and that older sister instructed her to take pictures and record, if only to vent by showing them to friends.

You're right, a trial would be too long, I need the MC on a movie project in a month, that wouldn't do. But the idea of the step-mother being taken into custody is good. Considering the level of the online discourse, there is sure to be tons of paparazzi. It would be a memorable moment of the step-mother being showered in camera flashes while dragged into the police car. I'm just wondering... Since the issue became so big, the MC definetly needs to make a statement online about the arrest, right ? I mean, she might hate her step-mother, but in the eyes of the public she is just a nice naive girl who just learned her step-mother wanted to kill her. She definetly needs to play with that image, right ?

I'm just talking to sort out my thoughts at this point, thanks for being my rubber duck

 

[Arkus86]

You're right, a trial would be too long, I need the MC on a movie project in a month, that wouldn't do. But the idea of the step-mother being taken into custody is good. Considering the level of the online discourse, there is sure to be tons of paparazzi. It would be a memorable moment of the step-mother being showered in camera flashes while dragged into the police car. I'm just wondering... Since the issue became so big, the MC definetly needs to make a statement online about the arrest, right ? I mean, she might hate her step-mother, but in the eyes of the public she is just a nice naive girl who just learned her step-mother wanted to kill her. She definetly needs to play with that image, right ?

She "just learned" her step-mother tried to kill her, but also showed the evidence of getting abused. But there's also the presumption if innocence, and as a celebrity she might not want to be seen breaking that before the court decides. There is certainly room for some interesting interplay in that.

 

[AmbreaTaddy]

She "just learned" her step-mother tried to kill her, but also showed the evidence of getting abused. But there's also the presumption if innocence, and as a celebrity she might not want to be seen breaking that before the court decides. There is certainly room for some interesting interplay in that.

Oooh yeah, playing even more of the victim and 'good person' card by refusing to talk on the issue despite the abuse she suffered can be really good ! With a few PR statements, telling a few happy childhood memories with the step-mother and shedding a few tears, there is a way for the fans to go overprotective and for the protagonist to completely control the public opinion. By saying 'I don't want my step-mother detained', thousand of people will plead for the step-mother to be detained 'for the MC's own good', and the few haters will also beg for the same thing, but to spite the MC

I love reaching the desired ending by using reverse psychology

 

[CharlesEBrown]

If she riles up the Horseboys enough, her step-mother won't see trial, unless it's like the one Josef K. faced in Kafka's "The Trial." They seem to be a tempest in a teapot and that would make them boil over.
Once outed, her real mother would probably find herself constantly protected by them (with or without her permission) and watched by polite people who try to keep a distance but get giddy when approached. Leon would probably be upset at first but then find someone to hook up with in these "new friends." He just seems that type (as do they).

 

[Terrate]

I would say that if you really want to still use the stepmother even after the flashy incident. Make the stepmother have a doctor friend so that she could fight back on court and have a real legit diagnosis of some "mental instability" so that either the charges are acquitted "Quickly" or for an early settlement. That way, the public could still be divided on whether who to support.


Also a way for you to let the stepmother lay low a while before she gets back guns blazing again.

 

[Fairemont]

Well, if you want the step-mother to make a comeback, having someone figure out that most of the early haters were actually fake accounts bought and paid for by the MC would massively undermine the credibility of the MC and potentially be a big blow to her overall success. It might not be enough to foil any criminal proceedings against the step mother, but it would certainly be a good, last-ditch effort for revenge.

"See, (MC) isn't all that great! Everything has been fabricated, so how can you trust that the rest of the evidence isn't fake, too?"

 

[AmbreaTaddy]

If she riles up the Horseboys enough, her step-mother won't see trial, unless it's like the one Josef K. faced in Kafka's "The Trial." They seem to be a tempest in a teapot and that would make them boil over.
Once outed, her real mother would probably find herself constantly protected by them (with or without her permission) and watched by polite people who try to keep a distance but get giddy when approached. Leon would probably be upset at first but then find someone to hook up with in these "new friends." He just seems that type (as do they).

Trueeeee ! You just gave me so many ideas, I need to make use of the horseboys, they are so fun

I would say that if you really want to still use the stepmother even after the flashy incident. Make the stepmother have a doctor friend so that she could fight back on court and have a real legit diagnosis of some "mental instability" so that either the charges are acquitted "Quickly" or for an early settlement. That way, the public could still be divided on whether who to support.


Also a way for you to let the stepmother lay low a while before she gets back guns blazing again.

I didn't think about it, but that's a good idea !

Well, if you want the step-mother to make a comeback, having someone figure out that most of the early haters were actually fake accounts bought and paid for by the MC would massively undermine the credibility of the MC and potentially be a big blow to her overall success. It might not be enough to foil any criminal proceedings against the step mother, but it would certainly be a good, last-ditch effort for revenge.

"See, (MC) isn't all that great! Everything has been fabricated, so how can you trust that the rest of the evidence isn't fake, too?"

And that could laynch another plot point about her credibility... That's good !


I'm taking everything and the chapters are forming in my head, thanks everyone !

 

[MFontana]

I haven't read your story personally, and have a couple of questions that could also (potentially) get you on a track to do just that.
1) What has the older sister been doing all this time?
2) How do you want to re-introduce your step-mother antagonist later?
3) How do you plan to tie in the next plot point?
4) What are your plans for the other characters in this story?
5) How do each of their goals, and motivations, intersect? Where do they diverge?

You don't actually need to answer them here. They're intended to get you thinking, and help you find the answers that work for you, and your story.

If you want to explore the more personal stakes, and also get the step-mother out of the action (and spotlight) for an extended time without killing her off and setting up for another plot thread, then maybe the following could work:

Having one obsessive, stalker-fan, lash out at the step-mother in such a way that she ends up in the hospital. IE: Said fan could attempt a hit-and-run.
It thickens the overall plot, while the time recovering from the medical trauma can take the step-mother out of commission, and open a new plot thread simultaneously. Closing off one loop, setting up the next, and setting the stage for the step-mother's return in said later story beat.