Tuesday, May 30, 2006
You gotta fight ... for your right ... to write ... him
First fight of the morning... what is it with little boys that makes them fight ... for no reason. Oh, I am sure they think they have a reason but just because your brother is sitting beside you does not strike me as enough motivation to punch him in the stomach... maybe it's just me.

which leads me to the second part of yesterday's question....

When dealing with your male characters and learning of their emotional motivation, how to you get them to cooperate? How do you know when to keep at him, keep pushing him and try to make him work or when to pull his argumentative unhelpfull ass out and plunk in a new character?

I am loathe to give up on them - the male characters - but every once in a while I think you do have to cut your losses and move on to the next guy.

I have tried to get him into the grove by maybe throwing in a dead body, explosion or ass whooping but that doesn't always give him the arena to release his inhibitions and let the heroine fall in love and vice versa. And obviously men (i.e. grown little boys) have motivators that are borne of nothing more than adrenaline and agression. Don't get me wrong - Die Hard is one of my favorite movies so I can appreciate blood and pain with the best of them but when you have given your hero all that and he still doesn't come around do you shove him out the door and pull open the casting couch for number two?
Written at 8:40 AM by Denise McDonald.
8 comments
8 Comments:
Blogger Bailey Stewart said...
I don't know. I've re-written ornery ones, changed a scene, manipulated a situation and then something just pops out - a line that reveals all. I've never thrown one out.
May 30, 2006 10:16 AM  
Blogger Amie Stuart said...
or when to pull his argumentative unhelpfull ass out and plunk in a new character?

I have no clue....I was about ready to scrap the novella yesterday but after two hours with Raine I finally have some f*cking conflict for Mr. Damn Perfect =(

This is where another brain comes in handy cuz Raine saved my ass and D'Angelos too =)
May 30, 2006 2:45 PM  
Blogger Denise McDonald said...
I am nothing if not timely - LOL!
May 30, 2006 5:50 PM  
Blogger Toni Anderson said...
I just listened to that Discovering story magic workshop from Reno (3x) part of it is this sheet of character strengths and the accompanying weakness. My guy's strength is Competent/in charge the flaw to which is Fear of Failure and the weakness is he's bossy and arrogant.

It helps--but I'm dense.
May 30, 2006 10:07 PM  
Blogger Bonnie S. Calhoun said...
"but every once in a while I think you do have to cut your losses and move on to the next guy."

I like that line...it sums it up for me! LOL!
May 30, 2006 10:37 PM  
Blogger Bernita said...
Hmmm.
Guys sometimes don't open up because they don't consider themselves up to the responsibility involved in a commitment, they may feel they are not worth the girl.
Another thing is that if they are the hero type, their aim in life is to keep all the ugliness away from the innocent - part of their reason for hitting the front lines after all - and why it's difficult for soldiers and policemen, to sometimes share their experiences.
May 31, 2006 8:48 AM  
Blogger Denise McDonald said...
because they don't consider themselves up to the responsibility involved in a commitment…

that’s what I was thinking of but couldn’t quite get into words – thanks so much B!
May 31, 2006 9:02 AM  
Blogger Denise McDonald said...
Toni - I guess I need to pull out my copies of DSM - I have the handouts but not the tapes (Though I was there so you'd think I'd remember...)

Bonnie - what can I say - I am an impatient person. I will only put up w/ crap for so long....
May 31, 2006 9:07 AM  
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