Angsty stories are certainly my favourites. I like to read tragedy and this soul searching kind of angst you mentioned. The best is a combination of both. I like it best, if it is sort of ... near to reality. For example putting a character into a situation where he or she has to deal with an illness or accident or psychological trauma or embarressment. I always had in real life a lot of contact with people who have some kind of handicap, illness or trauma... be it autism, down syndrom, epilepsy, unable to walk, enuresis, loosing a child etc. So I like to read or put characters in such situation that I see people in and explore how they might cope with it, how they may feel, how others may see and treat them, how the interaction between characters might change, if some suddenly because of an accident has strong special needs, all the psychological and social consequensens of situations that make people feel uneasy, sad... and this gets even more interessting when it is set in a different kind of society, like the society of the Regency.
I also do not need to have an Happy Ending, as in suddenly all is well again and the sun is shining, but I like a realistic ending, which might sometimes be an Happy Ending for the cercumstances... maybe someone who was shunned by society finds one little ray of sunshine in the end, which does not mean all is well, but there is hope. But if it fits I also like stories that have no Happy Endings, but sad ones, if that is the logical way for a story. And with all that I still like to have some sort of "magic" inside, like if someone dies that the soul finds peace in heaven in the end...which might be realistic for some, but not for all, depending what one believes in.
I would have some ideas what to put Darcy and Co through, but I fail when putting it into practise, means when trying to write that down. (Started one Darcy short story where he´s got a certain problem, but I seem not be able to finish it and what I got I don´t like anymore after rereading it.). However the few short (non Austen) stories I managed to write where mostly angst and I enjoy putting in front of people´s eyes what they would rather not see in a way that makes them think or even cry, thought without shocking them in a way, that would stop them to read the story.
And so I also "like" (even when a certain topic would make me feel sad, angry etc.) when people put things in front of my eyes, that I might rather not see, but that make me think. I would certainly love to read more angsty Austen stories.
Jaimy
I also do not need to have an Happy Ending, as in suddenly all is well again and the sun is shining, but I like a realistic ending, which might sometimes be an Happy Ending for the cercumstances... maybe someone who was shunned by society finds one little ray of sunshine in the end, which does not mean all is well, but there is hope. But if it fits I also like stories that have no Happy Endings, but sad ones, if that is the logical way for a story. And with all that I still like to have some sort of "magic" inside, like if someone dies that the soul finds peace in heaven in the end...which might be realistic for some, but not for all, depending what one believes in.
I would have some ideas what to put Darcy and Co through, but I fail when putting it into practise, means when trying to write that down. (Started one Darcy short story where he´s got a certain problem, but I seem not be able to finish it and what I got I don´t like anymore after rereading it.). However the few short (non Austen) stories I managed to write where mostly angst and I enjoy putting in front of people´s eyes what they would rather not see in a way that makes them think or even cry, thought without shocking them in a way, that would stop them to read the story.
And so I also "like" (even when a certain topic would make me feel sad, angry etc.) when people put things in front of my eyes, that I might rather not see, but that make me think. I would certainly love to read more angsty Austen stories.
Jaimy