Fiction writing week on Men With Pens blog

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Permalink Reply by Glenda C. Beall on January 29, 2010 at 1:50pm

I think that creating a sympathetic main character is the most important thing for a Romance novel. Years ago when I read Romance novels, one of my favorite authors was a woman who created women with some flaw, but the character was extra strong. The first of her books had a main character who walked with a limp. Many people might say that could not be the main character of a Romance novel, but the author wrote this woman in such a way that the reader became entranced with her and so did the Man in the story. It was a historical novel and I still remember it after twenty years. The author, after many successful books under her belt, retired from writing, and I stopped reading Romance novels

Permalink Reply by John Dilbeck on January 29, 2010 at 6:06pm

Good evening, Glenda.

From the fictional writing I've done in the past, I think I would make the mistake of creating a character that had no flaws. It's just not something I've really thought about until reading the blog post I linked to. Now that I've had the chance to think about it, a perfect character is boring. Now it's time to do my homework and imagine a couple of characters, warts and all.

Isn't it funny how we remember some characters from years or decades ago when they make a real impression on us?

Most of my fictional writing attempts have been based on science fiction or fantasy and I mainly concentrated on creating a world and putting characters in it. This story will be different since the location will be in and around Murphy and I don't have to invent a history or anything that would not be found here normally. That's a big change in perspective for me.

All the best,

JD

Permalink Reply by Michael Clutton on February 2, 2010 at 8:40pm

I tried those links. Apparently Men with Pens have become Men with A Game to Watch... or something.

Anyhow, site down for what I assume is a remodel of some kind. Bummer. I'll try again later.

So... as I sit here drumming my fingers on the desktop... got the first couple "rough" chapters of this epic romance ready for me to review yet? John?.... uh.... hello?.... Yo, John!

Darn it.... another victim of writer's block bites the dust.

Permalink Reply by John Dilbeck on February 3, 2010 at 11:40am

Good morning, Michael.

You're right. It looks like the Men With Pens site is undergoing some sort of change. Hope the links start working again, soon.

I don't even have the main character sketches done, yet! But, I'm thinking about it.

Not writer's block, just lack of time and energy and competing projects. (grin)

All the best,

JD

Permalink Reply by John Dilbeck on February 8, 2010 at 5:04am

Good morning, Michael.

Men With Pens is live again and the links are working, now.

All the best,

JD