self indulgent

to some extent. writers live out there own fantasies or aspirations in their work. So, 'self-indulgence' is part of the territory. I don't see that as a bad thing.

Whatever you do, it should propel the story forward, and help flesh out your characters and plot.
 
i think it can be a bit thing. for me, goodkind self indulages with his violence against women. that's a veerry bad thing in my book. i think when you're going to write for a commerical reason, to sell it, to be a writer as a proffession, you have to do it right, not indulage too much with what you like, but with what works for the book. robin hobb also self indulaged a bit with her happy marriage endings, and it made the end of her tawny man series seem rather fake and forced to some people

but yeah, you're right, as with everything it has to be relevant. its just hard to tell whether it is, or whether it just pelases me :)
 
Frankly, I'd say the only way to do this is to write what seems to fit, and then go back and look at it as objectively as possible (if you have trouble with this, get someone whose judgment you respect to do so) and ask: is this part of the story? Does it add to character/plot? Or does it seem forced, tacked on, unnecessary. Read it as a reader, not as the writer. If it seems to fit with the story as a whole, then it fits. "Self-indulgence" only enters if you don't give it that consideration, but insist on something being there when it simply doesn't belong; when it doesn't grow out of the story's natural development.
 

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