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story Using Paul Schrader's metaphor method for a story

If anyone wants to read on his method, check out a post I made on reddit which gives a summary, then a YouTube link where he talks for 90minutes about it.

Here is my proposed concept and story using this method. The conflict behind this is personal, and this is how I'm going to convey it.

A narcotics anonymous counselor (think of those group settings where people sit in a circle) has a thing for the older women who frequent the meetings. I'm not sure what the "thing" is, whether it be that he's romantically attracted to them, or if he feels sorry for them and wants to help, or if he feels sorry for them and wants to put them out of their misery.

This could go the straight up drama route, or a sort of depraved fetish type thing with a violent angle.

The story here is that this counselor has a troubled past with his own mother, who was a drug addict during his childhood.

His mother passed, so he looks for that same type of woman for one of the reasons I suggested above.

Here is the link

 
“Write what you know” Pretty good advice sometimes attributed
to Mark Twain. And often misunderstood by writers.

To answer your question; no, I've never practiced this specific
approach – using writing to exorcise my demons. Well, I did when
I was first starting out but I discovered I wasn't a good enough writer
then to do it well. And now that I'm better I don't feel the need to
do it. But there are many examples of great writers doing it well.

A counselor with a troubled past seems like an overused trope.
But a trope is “overused” because it is familiar so that could be a
good starting place for a compelling character.
 
“Write what you know” Pretty good advice sometimes attributed
to Mark Twain. And often misunderstood by writers.

To answer your question; no, I've never practiced this specific
approach – using writing to exorcise my demons. Well, I did when
I was first starting out but I discovered I wasn't a good enough writer
then to do it well. And now that I'm better I don't feel the need to
do it. But there are many examples of great writers doing it well.

A counselor with a troubled past seems like an overused trope.
But a trope is “overused” because it is familiar so that could be a
good starting place for a compelling character.
Thanks for the input. I've actually thought a bit more about it.

He hosts these weekly meetings outside of his actual job. He does help people because of his own experience with addicts, but also resents his mother for the same reason. When he sees someone that could be his mother, he gets close to them and kills them by giving them a hot dose. So he has to be almost a con man and tricking these women into getting high again.

We find out at some point that he is a detective, and the numerous women turning up dead all had one thing in common - these weekly meetings.

I should say he's not sexual with these women, that isn't his thing.
 
“Write what you know” Pretty good advice sometimes attributed
to Mark Twain. And often misunderstood by writers.

Some good reading here
 
NA meetings aren't led by counselors. The only people who attend NA meetings are recovering addicts. There is no group leader or counselor. Your story still works, but for sake of realism, I'd make it a generic support group for recovering addicts, one that is led by a licensed counselor, without mentioning the real-life group Narcotics Anonymous.
 
NA meetings aren't led by counselors. The only people who attend NA meetings are recovering addicts. There is no group leader or counselor. Your story still works, but for sake of realism, I'd make it a generic support group for recovering addicts, one that is led by a licensed counselor, without mentioning the real-life group Narcotics Anonymous.
Thanks for that.
 
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