ROW 80 is a friendly group that’s there to help writers focus on their writing goals. Each writer decides what they would like to accomplish in the next 80 days. We check in on Sundays and Wednesdays with their “linky tool” and are welcome to adjust our goals as we need to. If you’re late getting started, that’s OK. Round 1 lasts from January 2, 2012 through March 22, 2012.
Chapter Nineteen is rewritten! It’s done! YAY!!!
When I made the decision to divide Book 1 into two separate books, I knew was making the right call, but it has also brought out some issues that I hadn’t anticipated. It’s a good problem, in retrospect. I had some plot threads that I’d planned on drawing out longer than I probably should have. It was nice to have the characters confront each other, rather than allow them to wallow longer than necessary in ignorance.
I’ve been thinking of a conversation I had. Last summer, an old friend of mine made a comment to me about some of his pet peeves concerning female writers. He said, that he could ALWAYS tell when a woman wrote a male character. He said it was obvious. At first, I was annoyed with this buddy of mine, but then he went into more detail. He claimed that women like to make male characters do things that real men would NEVER do. For example, he claimed that men don’t “gaze longingly.” They don’t gaze at all! They stare. They don’t over-analyze relationships. They make decisions. They react to situations. They don’t sit around having conversations about their relationships. Women do that, not men. They don’t normally notice details about what a woman is wearing, etc. They may notice a favorite body part, but that part is NOT a woman’s eyes. 😉 LOL
I tend to agree with all of these statements, especially after talking with my hubby. Even though I tend to think my audience will mostly be women, I’ve tried to be conscious of any men that might read my work. I’ve tried my best to make realistic male characters. I don’t how successful I’ve been, but most of my revisions seem to revolve around my male characters.
Chapter Nineteen was an especially difficult chapter for me, even worse than “The Lost Chapter,” for a number of reasons. I have one character in particular, that tends to give me grief. He’s essential to this chapter and a nice guy. I married a really great man, so I assumed that writing a “nice guy” would be easy. WRONG! Every time I write a scene with this character in it, he starts out looking like a wimp. My female characters would walk all over him if I let them. Poor guy! It’s actually become a running gag at Ye Old Hoffman Haus. I write a chapter with this guy in it, and later I have to go through his scenes shouting, “Give him back his balls!” Yup! I have had to the sound the charge a number of times. Gesh!
So…I’m geeked! I think I finally was able to find the balance I was looking for in this chapter. My male and female characters were able to talk to one another, to say what they needed to say to each other. I actually cried a little as I finished writing this chapter. My female character was able to stay strong. My nice guy wasn’t a doormat or a jerk. Yay! I feel good!!!
Things are wrapping up. Chapter Twenty is my next victim. It’s going to need some major revisions, but I’m excited. It’s a reaction chapter, but I’m working it differently than I was before. It will be better than the original. Another “Yay!” moment! Woo Hoo!!! 🙂
I’m SOOO close to finishing this book. I’m so happy with the amount of support I’ve been given. I couldn’t have gotten this far without the encouragement I’ve been receiving from my family, my friends, and the support of fellow writers and readers.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Juli
JULI HOFFMAN 
Yay!! Yeah breaking a book in two is a pain (this is how I ended up with four books).
The nice guy made me giggle. My trouble with men is they fight like girls then my brother goes through, trashes my fight scene and sends me back to work. Lol!
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LOL I can’t even imagine this! OMG! Maybe I can…Jorick and Verchiel, getting into a slap fest, pulling each other’s hair, hmm…another “lost chapter?” He! He! Maybe it should STAY lost!!!!!!!!! LMAO! Take Care Jo! Hope you’re having a good MIA!
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The problem with that is the amount of women who don’t particularly like to read about realistic men. 😉 I see what he means though. Just do what you feel is right, and congrats on the progress. 😀
I thought I was the only one shouting while editing. 😉
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I talk to my laptop all the time! 🙂 I just make sure the “Give him back his balls” talk happens when the kiddo’s not around. LOL That might be a tad awkward! He! He!
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i applaud your dedication – “soon” I will be re writing my “book” after I finish this thing and that etc Thanks for the notes though – I have to change my male characters cause they’re too sweet. will try and keep this in mind it’s a valid point
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I’m doing this, Sue! I want to FINALLY be able to say that I’m a “published author.” I don’t even care if I sell a book or not. It’s not about that. 🙂
I have so much positive support in this endeavor. It really does help. One of my friends joked with me about this yesterday. She said that if my book is a failure, it will be of epic proportions, because I’m a “force of nature.” I don’t do ANYTHING halfway! LOL It doesn’t sound very positive in written form, but in person, it was a great compliment.
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I understand – we’ll have to chat some day when we both have time…
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I have that terrible habit of turning every male character I write into my ideal man. I’m hoping I might be able to break this habit with my next WIP, in which a lot of the plot basically relies on a couple of character flaws each of the MCs have and how that affects their relationship.
Congrats on getting that chapter done! It’s great that you’re so pleased with the finished product! Best of luck for the rest.
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I’ve discovered that it’s easy for me to write about male characters who are jerks. It’s the nice ones that are tricky. 😉
I have to laugh at myself. When I first started to play at writing, I had two of my characters practically fall into each others arms. OMG! It’s pretty embarrassing stuff and completely unrealistic! It was good to get it out of my system. Those stories are NEVER seeing the light of day! Never! Never! Never! LOL
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As a guy Juli, I think the trick to writing guys who sound like guys is a matter of confidence. Not so much yours, but theirs. If he has confidence in himself and the strength to not back down to others, and yet be pliant to the desires and needs of others. Perhaps that is the type of character you are writing, and maybe not, but confidence in self adds a strength to a character even when they are nice. Just thought it might help. 😀
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Good point! That’s really good advice!!!
I want the guys in my book to be realistic. I’ve always found it easier for me to form friendships with men than with women, and my hubby and I very close, but that doesn’t seem to make writing “nice guys” any easier for me. Gesh! I does make me want to do them justice, make them multifaceted. I don’t want them to turn into some silly romantic notion of what women think men are like. LOL
Thanks again!
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I love your description of your “Nice guy” Character, very funny!:) Glad the book is going so well for you! It sounds like you have your act together!
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Thanks! 🙂 I don’t know if I have it all together, but I’m persistent.
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