Heinlein used to say that there are really only three plots: boy meets girl and variants, the brave little tailor, and the man who learned better.

Wait. I thought the only three original stories were: Boy Meets Girl and variants, A Stranger Comes to Town, and The Quest.

Someone who has won awards retelling familiar tales, with a twist, of a writer a couple of generations older, and whose forte is retold fairytales often told me, "There are no original stories. None. Tell what you want, just make sure you tell it well."

(If I wanted to work at it I could get another told or tell in that sentence somewhere)

I had to have the "no original plots" talk with a friend several years ago. I told her, "The only ones who came up with original stories were the cavemen who told them first." That cheered her up.

The Brave Little Tailor could share elements with The Quest, but I think A Stranger Comes is more pervasive than The Man Who Learned Better, though the latter covers most of Aesop's Fables.

Does V of E have the same Napoleon succeeded in invading England thing that you do, Susan? I'm not familiar at all.

Yeah, it does, though it sounds like she might resolve that in one book instead of spinning it out over a series like I'm planning to.

Err. Spoiler whitefont for that plot point, plz?

I'd still say that not having the dragon element is a big differentiator for you. I really love your description and the pains you are taking in determining what effects the changes you postulate would make to the timeline are appealing to me as a reader. I don't think you've lost all chance of reaching a receptive publisher.

Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Font fixed.

I'd still say that not having the dragon element is a big differentiator for you. I really love your description and the pains you are taking in determining what effects the changes you postulate would make to the timeline are appealing to me as a reader. I don't think you've lost all chance of reaching a receptive publisher.

Thanks, -t! Right now, I'm just feeling flummoxed and unsure of myself, and I was already in the writing doldrums before--standard "Why is this draft sucking so much, and am I writer enough to fix it on rewrite?" stuff. So now there's this added layer of anxiety. I love this story, and I love to write, but this is one of those days where it seems like the only thing worse than writing is not writing.

ETA that sounds more grumpy than I meant it to. I tried, for a few minutes, to imagine myself not writing, or even taking more than a few weeks off writing. I couldn't do it. I'd be lost and adrift. It's just that right now, the thing that drives me is driving me crazy.

Another point to remember, Susan, is that an AU is not necessarily a fantasy. Well, it is in a way, but it's not always classed that way, shelved that way, or published by the same houses. There may be more gap than you think right now.

One of my CPs, the one who happens to love Novik and also totally gets what I'm trying to do, is taking me out to dinner tomorrow. I'm going to drown my sorrows in curry and naan...