Help me with my story please?

Question

I'm writing a prison drama about a prisoners 18 year stint in prison and his time in one particularly overcrowded prison. Would it be necessary to include his time inside of prison and out including his struggle to accept his place in society or does it drag out the story too long? Also the story does have an antagonist and its about his downfall also and it shows his side of the story too would it make it complex?

Update:

The protagonist and the antagonist have a connection to each other

? · Accepted Answer

I think it depends on how you plan on writing the story. If you plan on writing it when his released from prison, then maybe you could incorporate the time he spent in jail as flashbacks. But if you plan on writing it from while he is in prison, perhaps it would be best to write a bit of his previous life which led him into the situation that he is in; meaning the crimes, conviction, arrest, trial...etc... 

Either way, it would definitely be beneficial if you were to include his time before and after prison life. It can show how he develops as a person and how he struggles to find peace in society after prison life. It's always hard for ex-convict to adjust from a life of crime to normality.

Complex in a story is good, very good. You want the characters to be rounded and complex, not static and one way. You want the readers to feel a plethora of emotions when reading about them. Just be aware that you don't want it to be too complex, or else it could be hard to follow, sometimes. 

I hope I helped! 

Good luck with your story! May your little fairy always bless you with inspiration lol :)

? · Answer

I believe that you should put his struggle with society into the story. It's internal conflict and it adds emotions to the story. 
I don't believe you should put the antagonist's point of view. It would be complicated and you should focus on your main character.

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Help me with my story please?

2 Answers