Comments on: My Favorite Kind of Heroine: Making Characters Do What They Fear the Most http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/ Hard to Intimidate, Too Damned Drunk to Care Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:21:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Irisheyes http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29798 Irisheyes Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:03:06 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29798 Way late here but this was a very informative blog!!!! At least for me :) I had the same thought as Hal - my character's internal conflict isn't really all that dramatic or intense. But it's so true that anything can be intense as long as you show the reader how important and relevant it is to the character. I was sitting here thinking all my issues were kind of wimpy and laughable. The part I was missing was that it is my job is to make them not wimpy or laughable! Awesome insight crew!!!! Way late here but this was a very informative blog!!!! At least for me :)

I had the same thought as Hal – my character’s internal conflict isn’t really all that dramatic or intense. But it’s so true that anything can be intense as long as you show the reader how important and relevant it is to the character. I was sitting here thinking all my issues were kind of wimpy and laughable. The part I was missing was that it is my job is to make them not wimpy or laughable! Awesome insight crew!!!!

]]> By: Donna http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29797 Donna Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:12:11 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29797 The snake story had me riveted! I hate snakes too, and I don't know that I would have exhibited your bravery. EXCEPT I know exactly what you mean about it still being in your apartment while YOU left. LOL Sometimes the down side of being a writer is when the imagination takes hold in real life. I'm still laughing about how the camera added 10 pounds to the snake. LOL I also loved all the discussion about fears, and motivation. It's given me a lot of food for thought today. The snake story had me riveted! I hate snakes too, and I don’t know that I would have exhibited your bravery. EXCEPT I know exactly what you mean about it still being in your apartment while YOU left. LOL Sometimes the down side of being a writer is when the imagination takes hold in real life.

I’m still laughing about how the camera added 10 pounds to the snake. LOL

I also loved all the discussion about fears, and motivation. It’s given me a lot of food for thought today.

]]> By: Hellion http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29796 Hellion Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:00:21 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29796 What Jules said is very true; and Deborah Dixon said it repeatedly about GMC. Goal-Motivation can be anything--you just have to show us how important it is to the character so we care. It has to be life and death to the character. Which can be anything. Also reminds me of a quotation by Billy Graham: "It might be puppy love, but it was real to the puppy." What Jules said is very true; and Deborah Dixon said it repeatedly about GMC. Goal-Motivation can be anything–you just have to show us how important it is to the character so we care. It has to be life and death to the character. Which can be anything.

Also reminds me of a quotation by Billy Graham:

“It might be puppy love, but it was real to the puppy.”

]]> By: Bo'sun http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29795 Bo'sun Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:57:12 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29795 Okay, Julie just said something profound that gave me an aha moment. The stakes don't have to be high in a general sense of the word, they just have to be high to the character. In other words, if we write it in such a way that breaking a nail feels like the end of the world through our character's POV, then the reader will feel like it's the end of the world. I just flashed back to being 17 and how EVERYTHING was the end of the world. Most of it wouldn't even be mildly stress inducing now, but back then, that shit was HUGE! Wait until you read this parody. Brilliant, as usual. Okay, Julie just said something profound that gave me an aha moment.

The stakes don’t have to be high in a general sense of the word, they just have to be high to the character. In other words, if we write it in such a way that breaking a nail feels like the end of the world through our character’s POV, then the reader will feel like it’s the end of the world.

I just flashed back to being 17 and how EVERYTHING was the end of the world. Most of it wouldn’t even be mildly stress inducing now, but back then, that shit was HUGE!

Wait until you read this parody. Brilliant, as usual.

]]> By: Julie http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29794 Julie Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:37:58 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29794 Yeah For Hellion Parodys! Ever notice how parody & party sound alike? Yeah For Hellion Parodys! Ever notice how parody & party sound alike?

]]> By: Julie http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29793 Julie Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:36:20 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29793 Hal said "I realize the stakes don’t sound all that high, but ..." I say: But Hal, in Real Life the stakes rarely seem That High. It isn't until you start to peal back the layers of a person/character's psyche that you begin to see what might have seem like a simple act on the surface is, in actuallity , a very complex one. IMO.A believable event is more relate able than something that is far fetched or contrived. So it engages the reader on a more personal level. Hal said “I realize the stakes don’t sound all that high, but …”

I say: But Hal, in Real Life the stakes rarely seem That High. It isn’t until you start to peal back the layers of a person/character’s psyche that you begin to see what might have seem like a simple act on the surface is, in actuallity , a very complex one.
IMO.A believable event is more relate able than something that is far fetched or contrived. So it engages the reader on a more personal level.

]]> By: Hellion http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29792 Hellion Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:32:10 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29792 Jules, you'll be thrilled to know next Tuesday there will be a parody. *grins* Jules, you’ll be thrilled to know next Tuesday there will be a parody. *grins*

]]> By: Julie http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29791 Julie Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:25:38 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29791 Hellion said:but in every romance, we don’t have the heroines overcoming that fear by holding a spider in their hand to prove their love. Julie giggled : Spider? IS That what their calling a man-ahhh-ahhumm Hellion, I loved The Snake Story! Not only was it well told (yes I know ... Like Hellion would ever Not tell a well told story ) it was also an excellent example of how a simple encounter or event can lead be a very important point in a characters development. I think that often times a writer feels pressured to make a life altering event Bigger Than Life. Or perhaps I should say Bigger than what most people would experience in their life. Which makes the story hard for a reader to relate to. Hellion said:but in every romance, we don’t have the heroines overcoming that fear by holding a spider in their hand to prove their love.
Julie giggled : Spider? IS That what their calling a man-ahhh-ahhumm Hellion, I loved The Snake Story! Not only was it well told (yes I know … Like Hellion would ever Not tell a well told story ) it was also an excellent example of how a simple encounter or event can lead be a very important point in a characters development. I think that often times a writer feels pressured to make a life altering event Bigger Than Life. Or perhaps I should say Bigger than what most people would experience in their life. Which makes the story hard for a reader to relate to.

]]> By: Julie http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29790 Julie Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:20:57 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29790 Late, late. late ... But what a Great story ... and as always ... an interesting discussion. Chance said: I make me heroines face their fears ... Me? I run! Julie said: I've faced down a carjacking bank robber ... but I've run away from bunnies! Hellion asked: What three things would I never do in order to keep my self-respect? Julie answered: Tell you why I was running away from bunnies! Late, late. late … But what a Great story … and as always … an interesting discussion.

Chance said: I make me heroines face their fears … Me? I run!
Julie said: I’ve faced down a carjacking bank robber … but I’ve run away from bunnies!

Hellion asked: What three things would I never do in order to keep my self-respect?
Julie answered: Tell you why I was running away from bunnies!

]]> By: Bo'sun http://romancewritersrevenge.com/2009/11/20/my-favorite-kind-of-heroine-making-characters-do-what-they-fear-the-most/comment-page-2/#comment-29789 Bo'sun Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:55:41 +0000 http://romancewritersrevenge.com/?p=780#comment-29789 We'll do anything to avoid our own plots. LOL! I do hope you'll let us read this when you're done. I love the sound of your story. And I've loved your voice in the things you've shared with us. We’ll do anything to avoid our own plots. LOL! I do hope you’ll let us read this when you’re done. I love the sound of your story. And I’ve loved your voice in the things you’ve shared with us.

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