Comments on: Being Too Self Aware About Self Awareness

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:56:30 +0000

Jane – I’m so with you! Especially as men I think don’t sit there angsting about it. Or should I say, most men. Anyway, I hope now I haven’t made my hero too dense!

By: Jane Holland

Jane Holland — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:45:07 +0000

Lol, I have the same problem. Heroes and heroines who sit there and self-analyse themselves to death!

I gues it comes down to the old 'show, don't tell' rule. The heroine bites her nails, and that's good, because you see her anxieties in action. But if she's biting her nails at the same as rambling through some 'should I, shouldn't I?' interior monologue splurge on the page, it's not good.

If only I could remember that myself when actually writing ... grrr.

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:25:56 +0000

Lacey – I scarfed all the good chocolate during the first draft sadly. I need a secret stash somewhere I think.

Kaily – yeah, men are way more dense when it comes to their feelings and things. Or at least, they tend to take things at face value a lot more, while women angst and worry. Some women. 🙂 Yes indeed, the heroine must be sympathetic. Though I have to say that I find a heroine that is really aware about other people, but can’t see what’s going on for herself rather endearing. 🙂

By: Kaily Hart

Kaily Hart — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:42:33 +0000

Great post as usual. I think I’m pretty good at ensuring the hero is adequately dense. I honestly don’t think most men really look at issues and problems the way women do and I do try to reflect that in my writing. I try to find a balance with my heroines on the other hand. Yeah, there might be some light bulb moments and growth throughout (and at the end of the novel of course), but I think you have to make sure you don’t make her too clueless. The reader has to feel invested in the heroine especially, and having a silly idiot who can’t see what’s right in front of her doesn’t get much reader sympathy I’m guessing. She has to be redeemable and the reader needs to believe that early on. It’s a tough line to walk to be sure!!

Good going with your edits!

By: Lacey Devlin

Lacey Devlin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:00:54 +0000

Mine are certainly dense... I don't know whether it's really appropriately so but hopefully they can see the line from where they're standing and will eventually go and stand on it during editing.

Either that or I'll pull all my hair out.

Huge congrats on finishing that major edit!!! Get out the good chocolate for celebrating that ;)

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:15:42 +0000

Kerrin – so glad the post was of some use to you! Absolutely, them finding their answers is about their journey. And, really, we shouldn’t deny them that eh?

By: Kerrin

Kerrin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:19:42 +0000

Jackie i think you are so right. I’ve just done character interviews for the first time for my characters and i couldn’t for the life of me figure out my heroes main goal and motivation (i was trying to think like him). I knew what it was of course, but he didn’t.
At the beginning they shouldn’t know all the answers, it is totally part of their journey to learn them, and i finally worked that out after reading your post.I thought i’d missed something and had to think of something else for him. thanks!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:30:03 +0000

Julie – I know, I have to keep reminding myself of it too. Anyway, so glad it made sense to you! We do kind of want to what makes these characters tick and if you reveal it too soon, it’s like ‘oh well, that’s that then’. Yay for helping!

Suzanne – the form Rs are the worst. But self awareness is definitely something to watch for!

Joanne – argh! Attack of the niceness! Yeah, that can be tricky. I have to say, being nice to my characters is not something anyone can accuse me of – I have far too much fun torturing them. 🙂

Maisey – Dr Jax is very self aware too. I guess he has to be since he’s a psychiatrist! Now you see, that self-awareness example may be just them thinking they are aware, but really, they’re not because they haven’t admitted there’s a deeper reason. Fear of being wrong maybe?? 😉

By: Maisey

Maisey — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:33:09 +0000

Usually I write me some dense men. Ironic, considering my hubby is the most self-aware man on the planet. But if they are self-aware, they might so see no problem with their conflict, eg, they know they don’t believe in love because they’ve seen so much crap, but they’re right and everyone else is wrong!!

By: Joanne Coles

Joanne Coles — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:27:25 +0000

Hmm, not so much self awareness but more like just too nice. Too nice to each other. I have trouble making the reasons for them to be apart not matter too much to them. I seem to forget about the conflict I’ve carefully crafted and just want them to fall in love already!