Angela Verdenius's Blog - Posts Tagged "driving-me-nuts"
so my latest hero and I are arguing...
Honest to goodness, I just don't get it. I really don’t. I put pen to paper (okay, fingers to keyboard), breath life into my latest hero - the yummy, quiet Kirk from Gully’s Fall, that golden-haired cop, that hunky man who slings a leg over a black and chrome motorbike - and what do I get in return?
Does he do as he’s told?
Does he act as he’s supposed to?
Does he say what I expect?
How about a big, fat ‘no’ to all of these?
Okay, yes, he does some of it, but he should be doing ALL of it. Does he? Let me just repeat - NO!
He said something that rocked me.
Did something that shocked me.
Bemused me. Made me mad. Made me want to smack him.
I mean, really, is it so hard for this man to mould nicely to how I want him? Is it? IS IT?
In my mind I’m arguing with him “Really, Kirk, should you have said that?”
He just blinked at me, all quiet like.
“You shouldn’t have said that. Why did you say that?”
There’s his easy smile, just a little one, just a faint curl at the corner of his mouth.
“For the love of Mike or anyone else listening, what you just did - that’s not who you are. Do you understand?”
There’s that quiet gaze.
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
So calm, just looks me up and down, smiles quietly, looks away, turns back and regards me steadily.
“I have a delete key and I’m not afraid to use it.”
He winked.
See? See what I mean? HE WINKED!
This is the kind of internal battle I have with my characters. When they’re doing what they’re supposed to and then decide that they’ll throw something unexpected in.
I have four days off work. I can see an epic fight looming on the horizon with Kirk. His heroine has already had enough of him. I think you get the picture…
Does he do as he’s told?
Does he act as he’s supposed to?
Does he say what I expect?
How about a big, fat ‘no’ to all of these?
Okay, yes, he does some of it, but he should be doing ALL of it. Does he? Let me just repeat - NO!
He said something that rocked me.
Did something that shocked me.
Bemused me. Made me mad. Made me want to smack him.
I mean, really, is it so hard for this man to mould nicely to how I want him? Is it? IS IT?
In my mind I’m arguing with him “Really, Kirk, should you have said that?”
He just blinked at me, all quiet like.
“You shouldn’t have said that. Why did you say that?”
There’s his easy smile, just a little one, just a faint curl at the corner of his mouth.
“For the love of Mike or anyone else listening, what you just did - that’s not who you are. Do you understand?”
There’s that quiet gaze.
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
So calm, just looks me up and down, smiles quietly, looks away, turns back and regards me steadily.
“I have a delete key and I’m not afraid to use it.”
He winked.
See? See what I mean? HE WINKED!
This is the kind of internal battle I have with my characters. When they’re doing what they’re supposed to and then decide that they’ll throw something unexpected in.
I have four days off work. I can see an epic fight looming on the horizon with Kirk. His heroine has already had enough of him. I think you get the picture…
Ryder and Dee - Driving Me Mad!
OMG, this couple are killing me! I kid you not!
Why? you may ask. Well, it’s pretty obvious there is history of some kind between them. It's pretty obvious dumb ar - I mean Ryder is pretty clueless. It's also pretty obvious that Dee isn't. So it should be an easy write. Right? WRONG!
This is a couple who know each other since they were both, as Dee put it, crapping their nappies and fighting in the sand box. This is no couple new to each other, where they have so much to discover about each other, new impressions, everything.
NO! NO THEY'RE NOT!
I am currently doing something like this - write three pages, delete two, write three pages, delete one, write three pages, leave teeth marks in my desk, write two pages, bang my forehead on the desk, write four pages and delete three. And swear. A lot.
OMG! How can two characters give me such a headache? Holy moley, Batman, I'm going nuts! This is it; they have officially driven me nuts! I'm halfway up the wall because of them!
Is it homicide to delete two characters completely?????
Why? you may ask. Well, it’s pretty obvious there is history of some kind between them. It's pretty obvious dumb ar - I mean Ryder is pretty clueless. It's also pretty obvious that Dee isn't. So it should be an easy write. Right? WRONG!
This is a couple who know each other since they were both, as Dee put it, crapping their nappies and fighting in the sand box. This is no couple new to each other, where they have so much to discover about each other, new impressions, everything.
NO! NO THEY'RE NOT!
I am currently doing something like this - write three pages, delete two, write three pages, delete one, write three pages, leave teeth marks in my desk, write two pages, bang my forehead on the desk, write four pages and delete three. And swear. A lot.
OMG! How can two characters give me such a headache? Holy moley, Batman, I'm going nuts! This is it; they have officially driven me nuts! I'm halfway up the wall because of them!
Is it homicide to delete two characters completely?????
Doing My Head In
Oh boy. Grant is another hero doing my head in. Like Simon, he's supposed to be easy-going. He's not a complex man, he's supposed to be an easy write.
Ha ha - it is to laugh! When has any of my heroes been easy to write lately?
For example, I'm writing away, when suddenly in the story Grant's hand slips and he touches - suffice it to say that I tried to tell him he couldn't do that, it was a sleazy move, and he countered by saying it was an honest mistake. And it was. But still...
On the plus side, I am halfway through 2 weeks annual leave from my day job, and writing almost all day every day, which has been great. I'm halfway through chapter 3 already!
Got Evie (cat) asleep behind me on the filing cabinet, Lily (cat) curled up on a chair by my side, Leo (dog) asleep on a mat beside me, Diet Coke on the desk, music going...this is the life!
As long as I don't choke it out of Grant first...
Ha ha - it is to laugh! When has any of my heroes been easy to write lately?
For example, I'm writing away, when suddenly in the story Grant's hand slips and he touches - suffice it to say that I tried to tell him he couldn't do that, it was a sleazy move, and he countered by saying it was an honest mistake. And it was. But still...
On the plus side, I am halfway through 2 weeks annual leave from my day job, and writing almost all day every day, which has been great. I'm halfway through chapter 3 already!
Got Evie (cat) asleep behind me on the filing cabinet, Lily (cat) curled up on a chair by my side, Leo (dog) asleep on a mat beside me, Diet Coke on the desk, music going...this is the life!
As long as I don't choke it out of Grant first...
Obstinant Characters
I don't believe it. I've just started this book, right? Not even finished the first chapter and what happens?
ME AND THE HERO ARE FIGHTING! Already!
This does not bode well for his future. Seriously, he is being such a DICK right now. Not towards anyone else except me, and if that sounds weird, I live my characters so I know him. And he won't cooperate.
He's facing the DELETE button if he keeps being such an obstinate character. He needs to pull HIS finger out and start behaving himself and do what he's supposed to do!
Sheesh...he's just lucky I have to stop writing now to have some lunch, as I have a late shift at work today and need to be dressed and leaving by 1340hrs. If he and I had to keep this mental wrestling match going, he would be one sorry bugger, that's all I can say...
ME AND THE HERO ARE FIGHTING! Already!
This does not bode well for his future. Seriously, he is being such a DICK right now. Not towards anyone else except me, and if that sounds weird, I live my characters so I know him. And he won't cooperate.
He's facing the DELETE button if he keeps being such an obstinate character. He needs to pull HIS finger out and start behaving himself and do what he's supposed to do!
Sheesh...he's just lucky I have to stop writing now to have some lunch, as I have a late shift at work today and need to be dressed and leaving by 1340hrs. If he and I had to keep this mental wrestling match going, he would be one sorry bugger, that's all I can say...
