What's the best way to handle writing two versions of a short story? I had an idea about Dean appearing with Teri on Desperate Housewives (kind of a L&C/Desperate Housewives crossover). Two versions of this scene have come to mind. They both start the same but end very differently. One is rather light. The other is very serious.

Would it be boring for the reader since the two stories start the same? Or if I provide sufficient information that the stories will become different, is that enough? Any advice on how to handle this? Thanks!

Joan

Hmmm...depends on how much is going to be different. If the bulk of the story is remaining the same, what I would probably do is do it like an alternate ending feature on a dvd. That is: write the story one way (your preffered ending) and then add another chapter with the second ending. I would add an author's note to the beginning, stating that it is an alternate ending. Then I would retype a few of the last lines of the story that remain the same, then launch into the different ending.

If the story is going to be vastly different for the bulk of it, I would write it out as two distinct stories and add an author's note to each stating that they are alternate takes on each other.

Hope this helps! And best of luck writing!

Agreed. I've done that before, where I wrote my favorite version, then wrote another version which replaced the ending to the other one. Whether you want to repeat the same information or not is up to you. I'd treat it like they do in television- you know how they have the little cliffhangers before commercial breaks, and then you come back and they repeat it? Sometimes they just leave it out and continue- but the point is, if you don't want to repeat the entire story just for the ending, then maybe just reestablish the scene briefly. Like a "previously on Desperate Housewives"... only not that.

Best wishes!

Great suggestions Deadly Chakram and Mouserocks. Thanks for the input.

Joan

Here's an example of a story with alternate endings:

The Hottest Team in Town

These were actually written by different authors, but the principle works with any alternate endings.

Hope that helps,

Happy

Thanks. That worked well for you. I can try something like that.

Joan