Sanders Sides BROTP One-Shots: EXPLAINED

Chapter 23: A Halloween Nightmare

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Inspiration:

Before I get into the inspiration for this story, I should preface with the fact that I know A Halloween Nightmare went up on November 1st. The reason for this...I was lazy, there is no excuse.

Anyway, I had wanted to write a Halloween chapter for a while, but for the longest time, didn't know what the focal point of the story would be. Finally, I was actually looking over my stories to write the Explained series, and I got to the chapter Waking Nightmares. (So yes, my own story inspired another one of my own stories...)

Back to the point, I remembered that I had created these apparitions which were the physical embodiments of nightmares, and could take hold of someone's mind if their mental state was weak. It wasn't until I reread Waking Nightmares for the Explained chapter that I realized the nightmares held a lot of potential, so I decided to use them as the main antagonist for A Halloween Nightmare.

Overall Thoughts On A Halloween Nightmare:

A Halloween Nightmare isn't extremely high on the list of my favorite stories that I have written. I'm not disappointed with the way it turned out, but I feel like it was a little rushed since it was one of the few stories I had which sort of had a deadline...even if I technically missed it. Overall, I like the story for what it is and how it explores some of the characters emotions and fears, but seeing as I already have multiple stories based on that, *cough cough* Sleep-Walking *cough cough* it isn't one of my favorites.

A Special Address for A Halloween Nightmare (And Other Stories):

This was something brought to my attention by my editor and best friend Jay...this is the THIRD story in which Virgil is almost killed. Virgil's near death experiences have almost become a trope in my stories, but it has been brought to my attention that this is a little bit of a problem.

That being said, as you all know, Virgil is my favorite of the Sanders Sides. Therefore he is the main focal point for a lot of my stories, but there is more to this 'Virgil almost dying all the time' thing. He is a fight-or-flight reflex as I describe him frequently in my stories, and fight-or-flight reflexes usually tend to kick in when you are in a dangerous situation (unless you have anxiety like me and then you're always in fight-or-flight mode.) Back to the point, since he is the embodiment of this characteristic, I have always seen him as the protector of the group, something I sort of touched on in The Imposter and Personal History. I feel like Virgil by nature would put himself in the line of fire to keep the others safe

Still, I knew that this constant getting hurt trope couldn't keep going; something tells me that unless I have some super amazing idea for a story that requires Virgil putting his life in danger, this trope probably won't appear in my stories again. Virgil has been though enough and he needs a break. The other characters though...well, let's just say; for them, anything goes.

Another thing I wanted to do was address this problem in the stories themselves since I know that not everyone reads my Explained series. That is why I have Roman snap at him and the two of them get into an argument about Virgil always putting his life on the line. It was a way for me; in universe, to explain that I had been made aware of this trope. That is why I have Virgil specifically say: "I owe you an apology too...all of you actually. I know sometimes when I put myself into a life or death situation where my life is not my top priority, it can seem like I don't consider what it would be like for you all if I was gone. I have thought about it, but at the same time I can't stand idly by and watch any of you get hurt when I know that I have the power to stop it."

He addresses that there is a problem, and while he still wants to be their protector, he is also beginning to realize that there are ways he can keep his family safe without putting his own life at risk. (Which you see in the next chapter Fight, Flight, or Freeze)

Writing Tips Based On A Halloween Nightmare:

-Revisiting old ideas

· This is similar to another writing tip I gave 'References to your other material' but it's not exactly the same. Sometimes such as the nightmares, you aren't necessarily referencing a story as much as you are tapping into character or plot potential. If you came up with a really good idea in a past story, it is fine to revisit said idea and potentially flesh it out more. For example: figuring out that the nightmares become more powerful around Halloween.

· This can also help your story to meld together better as it shows a continuation of an idea or the fact that the past can come back to haunt you.

-Tropes

· Tropes are something you can never fully avoid; they are everywhere, some of them you might not even realize are tropes. (Enemies slowly falling in love / Love at first sight / the betrayal of who was believed to be a trusted character.) These are all tropes commonly found in story telling thought the ages whether it be Shakespeare, Tolkien, Rowling, or anyone else.

· Tropes help to move the plot along, but sometimes you can create your own tropes, and even though they are a good thing, you still need to be aware that they are there. This will give you insight on your own writings and ways to progress your stories.