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Saturday, June 11, 2005

Whose Book Is it?

I was talking to a friend last night, and we were discussing her story. One of the questions I asked her was whose story is it? The hero's or the heroine's? I don't know why, but it seems like once a writer knows the answer to this, it becomes a little bit easier to write.

Once, I used to believe that a book could belong to both the h/h. Ravyn's Flight was meant to be a 50/50 split between Ravyn and Damon. But a funny thing happened as I was writing--the focus ended up on Ravyn. Oh, sure, Damon still had his issues. They colored his actions, weighed on him and they were raised in the story, but it was Ravyn who did the most changing.

Maybe that's what it comes down to, which character needs to change the most--at least in their perspective of themselves. In RF, maybe the focus was on Ravyn because her self-perspective was more easily changed. Or maybe the circumstances forced her self-image to shift and that was why the story became hers. Damon's issues were something he'd need counseling for and probably would never completely go away.

In The Power of Two the story was always Cai's. Again, Jake had his own issues, his own reasons to hold back, but it was Cai who changed the most during the course of the story. She gained confidence, both in herself and in her ability to meet challenges. In a lot of ways, she finished growing up. Yeah, she'd matured earlier than most people in some ways, but in others, she had work to do. She did it in TPOT.

The WIP (Work In Progress) is Kendall's book. This is the first story I'm writing that has a hero without any major issues. :-) Wyatt grew up in a loving family, he's well-grounded and he's totally got his head on straight. It's Kendall who has a messed up perspective, but that comes from the way she was raised--mostly. Luckily for her, Wyatt doesn't give up easily.

My two connected paranormal stories (as yet unsold) are both heroine-centered stories as well. Especially the first book. Ryne feels she has something to prove and she doesn't even realize half of what she's up against. Of course, when it comes right down to it, she'll discover that the only person she needs to prove something to is herself. I really want to be writing this book. I set the first scene in the cemetery I can see from the windows at work, and whenever I look outside, I think of Ryne and Deke.

I do have some stories that belong to the hero. Through a Crimson Veil might be mostly in Mika's POV (point of view), but it's Conor's book. He's the one who needed to change the most. Mika was pretty well balanced and centered before the start of the story, although she did change some during the course of the book as she understood what loving someone else as much as she loved Conor meant for her.

My romantic suspense proposal is the hero's story too. Poor Tyler. He's so burnt out, so ready for this part of his life to end, but he has to complete one more mission. It's the assignment that might cost him what's left of his soul--and it's the job that brings Sloan into his life. She's cynical and wounded too. She's cut herself off from her family to a large degree even though she loves them and she's a little short on trust, but it's definitely Tyler's book. This story is calling to me loudly too. I'm going to have to squeeze in time to finish revamping this proposal. I think the prologue and chapter one are done, but it's chapters two and three that need work. And the synopsis. Sigh. I hate writing the darn things, but I like having the framework to write with once I'm working on the book.

MN Weather Report: 70 degrees.