...and they were roomates plot

 So here I am in bed, wrapped in a blanket and demotivated to finish my first thriller short story. The reason being, I'm lost. Obviously, lots of time is needed to go back and edit. Add more character descriptions/developments, play around with the narrator, use the third person? But the thing that has got me really stuck is, where the hell is this going?

I know that I've decided on Maria being the real cold-blooded twisted killer, but I need the reader to initially think that it's Marco who's fucked up. I think I have to change it therefore to Marco's perspective. reveal his deepest, darkest thoughts as he observes Maria from afar. Then slowly cast doubt in the reader's mind about Maria. Like Eileenesque narrative. I really need to delve deep into Marco's psyche. 

Maybe Maria confronts Marco? Knows that he's been watching her but initially she thinks he's part of the police and spying on her to get her convicted of the crime she's committed. Or maybe, Marco catches her in the act of committing a crime? First and foremost, I need to actually figure out what Maria's crime is. I was thinking of combing a few of the twisted crimes I hear about on the Crime Junkie Podcast. 

If Marco catches her in the midst of a crime, it needs to be a crime where she's doing a clean-up act. Someone was going to snitch on her or something. 

I quite like the idea of Marco turning on Maria because she turns out not to be the angelic woman he made her up to be. He can't cope with the idea that she isn't what he thought and instead was a total monster. I want him to be arrogant, god complex, and a total incel. 

Damn, I really need to figure my characters out. Why did I start writing before getting this all sorted? grrr

Right, with all things that need doing, a to-do list is essential to tackle this. 

1. I need to get my character's backstories solidly drawn out. I need to figure out what has made Marco the way he is. Research incel/stalker psychology, what was his childhood like? What does he do for work? How did he meet Maria? What is it about Maria that attracts him? Then there's Maria. What's she about? Sociopathic heartless killer? What crime did she commit and is she on the run? I still like the idea of someone other than Marco following Maria (Private investigator perhaps?). 

2. The whole plot needs to be mapped out, section by section. The pacing needs to be good and the reader needs to be gripped from the onset. Masterclass says that the protagonist needs obstacles. I think Maria has to put him in a difficult position. A dilemma that makes him question his love for her. There has to be lots of plot twists and diversions.  

UPDATE 14/09/2021

I've changed my tune. After reading a couple of Ottessa Moshfegh's short stories, I've realised that this story does not need a page-turning plotline. Instead, perhaps, an in-depth character analysis of Marco and his obsession with Maria. He's a secluded, sad, loner. However, to top it off, I'll maybe allow him to follow Maria to see her dump a body. Leave the reader with a cliffhanger. 

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