New Year's Day(e) Progress Report - 3/24/26
Hey Everyone!
Sorry for the extended absence. I just wanted to let you know I’m still here, plugging away at chapter 6 of NYD. I feel like a broken record sometimes, saying that I had to scrap one portion of the story or another, but here’s the deal. I wanted this chapter to include this sort of redemption arc for Portia and have her overcome some of the issues she’s been battling. I wanted this whole subplot to happen and this big emotional breakthrough at the end. It was going to be really awesome and epic, and all the things. To be clear, the plan isn't to make Portia a love interest. I don’t think she’s ready for that. Also, given what she's been through, framing it as a 'redemption arc' isn't quite right either. It's more of a reclamation arc. She wasn't outright evil; she was broken. It’s more about her healing than being shown the error of her ways. Anyway, try as I might, I couldn’t get that plotline off the ground. I tried and tried, and it just didn’t seem to want to fit into the rest of the story. And then I realized the error of MY ways, and that is: It doesn’t fit. Something that big can’t just be jammed into a subplot of an already crowded storyline. It deserves to either happen off-screen or get its own story. If any of you are interested in that story, let me know. Maybe I can either write it in a book/novella format, or I can do a short VN of it later.
Here’s the thing, though, now that I have lifted that out of this chapter’s narrative, the wheels are spinning freely, and I’m making really good progress. Daye is up to her old antics, and Eve is rolling her eyes at her while Kaylee is just as sweet and supportive as ever. Next up is the glow-up before the party. These girls are gonna look great! If everything goes well, I should still be on track for my original ETA, but I’ll keep you all posted if anything changes.
I’ll be back soon with better news and more progress, I promise. Until then, stay safe.
Love Y’all,
~Jonesy
Comments (5)
Hi Jonsey, I kind of echo other comments here in that it sounds like the inteneded Portia storyline was going to be rather long, heavy and complex, thus I cannot see how it would readily fit in to the one (or is it two) day left for the main story. Other than in reporting updates on the fate of the purpetrators there is probably little cause to follow that story line further, however, if you really wanted to allluded to it further maybe it could done with just a few sentences in passing as it were. Some of the main characters are aware of what happened to Portia and realising it is the cause of her demeanor, a change that broke friendships and made some of them lash out at her in return. They could now appolgise for that and express their symphathy/support to Portia., while that would not immediately resolve Portia' issues, maybe that support/repairing of friendhships would lift her spirts enough to briefly forget what happened, if only for a few minutes and perhaps eventually prooves to be the catalyst that allows her to begin her healing process.
A side story for Portia would be welcome but it will be deep and dark. The trauma she experienced has obviously been suppressed and replaced with a personality meant to keep others at a distance and a defense mechanism to transfer blame upon herself. By being a bitch she can keep from being betrayed by anyone else but it also explains in her mind why she was targeted. Her appearance, beyond a minor cameo or allusion, is unneeded during the conclusion of NYD in my opinion. Honestly, it's a party, and no one needs to cry.
From our perspective, once Portia's father faces justice she can start to heal. I don't think we need to detail that process. All the trauma and seriousness will drag the story down anyway. Portia and her sister are in desperate need of a positive male role model and father figure, especially when their own father is away getting jail sexed (please elude to this, for all of our catharsis) forever. Maybe after he's put away Portia can offer a simple apology, maybe with Mercedes at her side, and MC and the girls ask if they'd like to hang out sometime... Mercedes can get romantically involved with MC while Portia and MC have a more wholesome father/daughter dynamic for a while. As she recovers and gets more comfortable with men being around MC, a decent one, she can start to see him like the other girls. Then Portia's mom sees what MC has done for her and her daughters then she falls for him too. And Kaylee's mom then comes in to... uh, I digress.
I absolutely think this is the right move. That being said I hope Mercedes still makes a splash if there’s room for it. She’s adorable! What Portia went through is the kind of thing that takes years of talk and will always leave a mark. I wouldn’t mind seeing something like MC in town doing something for the party and see her maybe dressed down a bit, wearing quiet muted clothes going into a therapists office, but I’m sure you have plenty of ideas without my nonsense. Keep up the excellent work!
The entire story so far has been pretty heavy to begin with. Perhaps a nod towards Portia not being as much of a bitch, and it could be a spinoff or part of an epilogue after the main story completion? I wouldn't mind it if she's less of a complete bitch, seen similar in other AVNs for sure. Don't beat yourself up too much! Glad to hear the progress!