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[FrickingKaos]

Okay. So I will try not to spoil this story for anyone who's not read it yet but I need some opinons.

As most of you know, I've been working on If I Knew Then and using a real timeline to make the story more realistic. However, I am at the point where Brian is about to have his heart surgery and I've hit a little bit of a block. There's nothing on the website I've been using listed for June, at all. There's not much in May either other than the surgery and the things that the boys did without Brian.

So here's my dilemma. I was thinking about a time jump, but I'm not sure when to jump to. Any thoughts or suggestions? I feel there's more story to tell. This story is also nearly 40 chapters. So do I continue with a time jump or end with the surgery and start a second story with a time jump. Let me know what you think.

[RokofAges75]

I don't think they did much between May and July because Brian was recuperating.  They only gave him two months before they went back on tour in July.

I would love to read both Brian's perspective on the day of his surgery and Nick's perspective as he and the guys performed for Disney World's Grad Night without Brian.  Was that weird for him?  Did he feel guilty?  Worried?

I would also love to read the first time Brian and Nick talked after his surgery, as well as the first time they saw each other afterward.  I'm not sure when the latter was.  I don't think any of the guys went up to Rochester to visit Brian in the hospital in real life; I've never heard them talk about it if they did.  So did they not see him again until just before the tour resumed?  I'm not sure.

I think once you get past the surgery stuff, a two month time jump to when they're getting ready to go back on tour would be perfect.  It could be a little awkward between Brian and Nick if they haven't talked much, and yet, I hope the experience will be a catalyst for them to move forward in their relationship.  Hopefully it will make Brian realize that life is too short to keep living a lie; he needs to come out, dump Leighanne, and try to win Nick back.  And hopefully Nick will realize he can't live without Brian and fight for him, regardless of what Leighanne might do to try to ruin his reputation.  That's what I would love to see happen, anyway!

I'm not sure how much more you have planned, but I think you can finish it in one long story.  Who cares how many chapters it is?  There's a feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a long one.  I'm also not a big fan of sequels, but that's just me.  I would only do a sequel if it seemed like the story arc of this one was winding down and you had a completely different story arc in mind for a follow-up story.

[nicksgal]

I'm not sure how much more you have planned, but I think you can finish it in one long story.  Who cares how many chapters it is?  There's a feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a long one.  I'm also not a big fan of sequels, but that's just me.  I would only do a sequel if it seemed like the story arc of this one was winding down and you had a completely different story arc in mind for a follow-up story.

I don't have a lot to say specifically about the plot of your story since I haven't started it yet, but you know I'm always team time jump when it's appropriate and you haven't left anything untied (like Julie said, Nick's perspective would be a good thing to have either pre-time jump or something they discuss post-time jump, whichever fits the tone better).

I did want to comment on this sequel bit as I may now be the Princess of Sequels (can't be a queen because we already have our Queen of Fanfiction after all). I agree, it doesn't matter how long a story is as long as the story arc is complete. I think sequels are appropriate if there's something new for the characters to do. I'm the opposite of Julie, I love a good sequel as long as it makes sense. Characters I already love going on new adventures? Definitely. Even better, characters I love who get to have more character development? Sign me up right away.

[FrickingKaos]

Thanks for all the insight ladies. I've done the sequel thing before lol I am not going to do it with this. However I do want to tell more story so I'm just probably going to make it a long one. I've spent three years total on this between developing the idea and posting it and I am really excited to see how it turns out.

I would love to write those things Julie wanted to see as well. I think they would make for great storyline. I appreciate everyone's input.