Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Writer Wednesday Novel Idea's

Firstly, you all are going to think I am a weirdo-freak for this but I'm so excited I got my first comment spam!! Yes it was immediately deleted when I saw it BUT I'm still on someone's radar in the internet world to get spam!

On to less nerdy things...not much less but whatever...

Ever had an idea? Of course you have. Most of you that stop by are writers so that is a silly question. Lets skip ahead a few questions and lemme ask you this:

Every been writing away and your story take you somewhere you weren't going in the first place?

This is also a fairly easy question. Yes. Most writers are flexible enough to let the story go where it needs to without trying to strangle it to death. Even plotters know they need a certain amount of leniency for the story to work. Can't control it all the time. (at least I haven't been able to)

So, while I critique others work this month I'm still trying to keep one toe on my own work. Give myself time to ponder my plots and idea. Give myself time to speculate on the direction I have written already and possible places for improvement.

My second novel is in desperate need of TLC. It ended at least 20,000 words sooner than I wanted, needs much much much plot/character development and...oh golly...just so much more before I can even hand over to anyone else to read.It's insane how badly  it looks.

But there is one place I have been stuck on since my best friend/ first reader read it. And so I want to ask you all what you think, though I must be fairly vague.

There is a place in my novel where my heroine is confronted by someone she wronged in the past. She is dealing with what she did back then and has already "vowed" to make things right.

But the fella she harmed then doesn't know that. Frankly I doubt he would care if he did. But he surprises her by waking her up one morning with a baseball bat and she and he go head to head. He basically kicks her butt for a good paragraph or so.

Now, my question to you is: Could she get over the fact that this guy broke into her house and kicked her ass if she needed him to accomplish a task that would set everything right?

More deeply, could she ever become closer than allies with someone who hated her guts enough to attack her?

2 things you need to know: SHE is not technically human. (not a vampire or any blah blah like that but she is more than human) And 2. He considers her a demon so none of that "he hit a girl" stuff can really apply. She ISN'T a demon but she isn't human and she wrecked his childhood by what she did.

If you guys could all weigh in on your opinions for a plausible, believable scenario.

Should I just not have him come after her in a violent way? But if someone had done what she did I can't say I wouldn't come after them, so that part...I donno. This is why I have a problem.

Because I believe it is believable to say that because he doesn't feel like my MC is human let alone the girl factor+what she did would cause anyone to become violent when faced with her.

But I need him to get over it because a. he is the key to the climax. He is the way she can make her life right again. and

b. Because, while I don't believe they can be romantically involved I need him to be close enough to care what happens to her. I think, saying they could ever become romantically involved is too much of a stretch (or is it?) 

HERE is an AMAZING post by Nathan Bransford including excellent writing advice AND Harry Potter. SO...yea, I was stoked! It is great stuff.

Stick it out till Friday and you get a contest sucka's. So drop back by and enter to win some cool stuff!

25 comments:

  1. Hmm that's an interesting question! I can see it being okay from an extreme standpoint but even with her being more than human I can't get past boy hits girl... It's a touchy subject for me personally.

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  2. First off: Where are you finding these awesome photos? I'd love to stalk this site! Nathan's post was flippin AWESOME! I love his posts as always, these just more so!

    As far as your scene scenario, I'd honestly have to see how badly he kicks her butt, what the real reason behind it is. Does he do it because what she did is an emotional connection? I know that if something happened that needed them to both unite together I could see it happening! I think it can happen, it's just how it happens!

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  3. Nathan's post was great!

    I've definitely found myself in the same situation with a WIP. Actually, I'm in it now. It sucks.

    What I'd say is that anything is possible. As long as you find a reason for her to forgive him and make it believable, I'll buy it. As for getting him to work with her ... maybe he's in a situation where he has no choice. I'm not sure. But, once they're working together he can grow to care for her then. That I could totally buy.

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  4. Okay, I think that it's okay to have him get even with her/it because you're not going to put them into a romantic situation later. As far as, boys shouldn't hit girls, to him she isn't a girl, she's a badass creature, so I'd say hit away. It's how you present it that matters.

    Love Harry Potter!!!!!! oh, and Nathan's post!

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  5. I have to agree with everyone: it's all how you write it. He can kick her ass and then come to care about her. Characters can do crazy things.

    And hi, shirtless Ron. These pictures are incredible :)

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  6. Thanks for the link to Nathan's post! He always gives such great advice.

    And congrats on your comment spam! Well done! :)

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  7. Personally, it depends on how the fight went down. IF he tries to kick her ass but she equally kicks his ass and then the ass kicking comes to a halt long enough for them to figure out they could fight on the same team- I wouldn't think romantic involvment would be a stretch.

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  8. It's an interesting question. I think it depends on how much he hurts her, like someone said, she's still a girl.

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  9. It depends on her personality. I remember a TV drama with Juliet Stevenson having to play a role to outwit her awful Prim Minister husband and pretend she was loving and loyal while all the while she was getting her revenge. :O)

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  10. Yes, she can come over it. It's like the at-first-impression-you-appeared-to-be-an-asshole-but-later-I-found-that-you-had-hidden-qualities thing. That's very much like my wife when she got to know me ... and we're still married. And I would definitely e attracted to a demon-girl >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  11. I would say that it depends on just how badly he hurts her. I don't really have anything against a guy hitting a girl, since hey, I don't see why the opposite should be any more acceptable, so it's more about personality and the extent of the situation.

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  12. Nathan's post was great!

    As for your question, like everyone else has said, it depends on how you write it. It's hard to say without actually reading it and understanding the context and seeing how you execute the ideas in detail. But give it a try and if it doesn't work, you can go back and change it.

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  13. I agree with the others. Depends on the context, the scene, but if she's fighting back to and it's not one-sided, then I think it could definitely work.

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  14. These are all really great opinions! I have to say that I think they could grow in their journey to care for each other. But yeah, the fight has to be equally matched, I think. And then maybe they are forced into a sitution where they have to work together, like Quinn said. And like you said, a romantic involvement might not work...BUT look at Spike and Buffy- they tottaly kicked each other's butts, were arch nemeses, and then fell in "love". Okay, there is debate on whether she actually loved him, and he her, (but I think they did in their own way). So if it's like that- I would totally go for the romantic thing. But it has to grow throughout the book rather slowly to get readers used to the idea.

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  15. I agree with Jen. She basically stole my answer! LOL. :-)

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  16. Only because she's non-human could I excuse the fact he kicks her butt. Now with that being said, you know that hatred is the closest thing to love. It usually involves passion and that passion tends to come from somewhere else (like suppressed fondness.)
    So I think it can work if you touch on that.Best of luck!

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  17. Thanks so much everyone! You all totally helped me work it out! Awesome!! Love this community.

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  18. I love Nathan's blog and I love Harry Potter. Two great tastes that taste great together. Sweet.

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  19. This is an interesting question... sounds like you've got it figured out! What I was going to say is that I think it would depend on the type of girl she is. If she's capable of kicking butt right back and there's no fear, I can see them becoming allies.

    Cool HP pics!

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  20. I read this post a bit late, and am glad to know you've got it figured out! I would have echoed the sentiments already shared. Great thoughts!

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  21. Nathan's blog is greatt!! It must feel so great to work through that scene :) And love the Harry Potter pictures (I am counting down the days until the next movie).
    Great blog! I am so excited to be a new follower.

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  22. Jennifer- She is in deed a kickin' ass kinda girl. Soon as she wakes up out of that shocked morning fog thingy she hold her own! So I think it will work out. Thanks!

    Saumya- Welcome! So happy to have you here! And yes, it is a relief. That was the main hole I had to figure out so big load off. Thanks for stopping by!

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  23. Nathan's post is great. Also... seriously WHERE do you find your pictures. God. I swear to god I love your blog posts anyway but your sorta my hero for always finding such great HP stuff.

    I feel like everyone else has said what I would've already in the comments and you already worked it out. I don't want to be redundant. I AM sorry I didn't stop by your blog earlier today so I could get my two pieces in before you fixed the problem.

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  24. Ha! Melissa, you just made my day! I would tell you where I get them on here but then everyone would know and then you all wouldn't need me!
    I love the one of Hermione in her bedroom(I assume that is where she is) Gives you a little look into her that we have never gotten to see.

    And thank you for the thought. Everyones advice has been so great, so I appreciate the awesome advice that would have come from you!

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  25. Good dilemma. Since you need them to become allies, because your MC needs him to do something for the climax, then yes, there can certainly be a complicated, begrudging ally relationship. Complicated relationships are so much more interesting anyways. However, the romantic thing is trickier... you don't want to undermine her feminine awesomeness by having her get together with someone who seriously tried to beat her up. So, maybe take it down a couple notches like she wakes up and he's sitting there with the bat and admits he felt like hitting her with it, but decided not to despite her screwing him over... something like that?

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