March 23, 2011

So, "Friends with Benefits" is officially complete, meaning I will now have to focus my energy on "The Dorkiest Vampire," or one of the thousand other weird ideas gnawing at my brain constantly. I know a lot of people have followed Fletch and Lenny's story from the beginning and aren't ready to give them up yet. Personally, I have a hard time letting go of my characters too since they take up such as residence in my life, they might as well become my imaginary roommates.

However, I feel like the story has sort of "jumped the shark" and needs to end now before it gets long, drawn out, and looses it's value. I really hate reading stories where the story has reached it's natural end, but the writer keeps dragging it out, attempting to make it last longer to appease people. I've seen writers come up with contrite plot twists, unbelievable storylines, and horrible ideas in general just trying to keep interest or keep the plot going in a way that can only be described as desperate. To me, doing this negates the wonderfulness of the story and I couldn't bear to drag Fletch and Lenny through the mud like that. I feel like Fletch and Lenny have reached their natural end.

You can use your own imagination to think of them going to college, getting married, and having a zillion babies or whatever, but in my mind, I'll probably always think of them frozen in time as they were at the ending of the final chapter: seventeen, young, vibrant, and in love. That's sort of why I chose to end the story the way I did, with the two of them expressing their great love and final realization of that great love for each other. Like Lenny said, it is the end of the beginning for something beautiful between them and I'll let you guys fill in the blanks in your own imagination what that beginning will hold.

I want to thank everyone so much for their lovely comments that kept my smiling, laughing, and most importantly, letting me know that I wasn't just posting this story into an empty corner of the internet. I know how much Lenny and Fletch have meant to a lot of you and I want you to know they mean a lot to me. In a way, with the completion of this story, I feel like I've had to go through the process of graduating high school and moving away from two very good friends. I hope to come visit them again in the form of reading this story myself again, but right now, I sort of need distance. I such at endings and I think that's because ending my stories for me are like what it's like going through the break up with a really great boyfriend for other people. I'll probably cry and eat tons of ice cream tonight then been generally depressed for a few weeks afterward.

Again, thank all of your for your kind words. May you all find as much happiness as Fletch and Lenny have.