My Heroine, the hero
I’m nearing the end of my WIP. Ok, I’m not nearly as near to the end as I’d like to be, but I can see that beacon of light at the end of the tunnel.
But, I'm afraid my black moment is going to create a few difficulties to my plot. I hear the pirates grumbling. “What hasn’t created difficulties to your plot, Marnee?”
This may be a deal breaker, though.
*Pause for dramatic effect.*
My Regency heroine is going to save my hero’s life in the end.
In fact, she’s been saving him in bits and pieces throughout the story. She’s a witch and she’s been called by Fate to save him. One doesn't mess with Fate, after all. But, in the final moment, she’s going to sacrifice herself for him.
Well, almost anyway. They do need their HEA so she obviously can’t die. But, my hero won’t know that.
We write in the age of strong heroines. In fact, I’ve started wondering if paranormals have taken off so dramatically because they allow for alphas that don’t seem like stalkers and still can hold up against the strong women in recent novels. But, that’s another blog.
The neurosis for this blog is that I have been worrying that having my heroine save my hero might make my hero look too weak.
I feel horrible about this. The feminist inside me screams that strong women don’t equal weak men, that a woman’s strength doesn't downplay a man's masculinity.
But, I’m concerned that others might disagree, or at least the fantasy part of others, especially as my story is in a historical setting. I’ve qualified it by telling myself that since she’s magical, she can be strong and it'll be ok.
Hey, it’s my little world; I’ll live here if I want.
What do you think? Do you think a heroine saving a hero downplays the hero's masculinity? What about a heroine in a historical saving a hero? What do you think makes it ok and what do you think makes it wrong?
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31 comments:
Depends on the saving...but there is nothing wrong with your heroine stepping up to bat to slug out the bad guys.
Marn, nothing is wrong in the telling of your story. Write it like you want, then if ton's of people groan and complain about it... then think how you can strengthen it, but if it's the heroine you envision saving the day... then it's the heroine you should have save the day.
Tiff - thank you! That is exactly the kind of vote of confidence I was needing. :)
I love a strong herione, and I'm with Tiff write it how you envion it to be. With Cory being a witch it allows you freedoms that you wouldn't have otherwise. I don't think it necessarily downplays Julian's masculinity at all, it just adds to the overall originality of the plot:)
Lis - thanks! I hope that's true.
I love a strong heroine too. I hate watching them be fiesty all through the story only to crumple at the end. It happens less in books in the past 10 years but sheesh that used to annoy me in the 90s.
I'm torn. Part of me says I want him to save her (because it seems like it would mean more when he does it without special powers than her with special powers) but that doesn't mean she can't save him. I guess I'm saying, let them save each other.
And that doesn't mean she punches one guy and he punches the other. It can be her saving him from harm but he saves her from something else. From being alone or something. I don't know. I just know that I like equality and balance and I'd have a hard time believing in their HEA if she's always doing the saving and it's all one sided. I'd need there to be a balance to believe that they are going to continue saving each other ever after.
Now I have to run. I'm sure this makes no sense since I'm in a hurry. Eek! I should have left five minutes ago. I'll be out in meetings all day so have fun without me. I'll check back in later this afternoon and can't wait to hear what everyone says.
Great blog, Marn! LOVE the picture. LOL!
I've read lots of romances, regencies even, where the heroine saves the hero. Generally she falls apart emotionally afterward or is shot/stabbed/almost burned to death and he has to save her, too. Without knowing your plot, you imply she throws herself in the way of something magical. It's a fairly standard 'magical writing ploy' that wiping yourself out magically can kill you if you aren't careful. Coming close to wiping yourself out magically leaves you so exhausted and shaky you can't walk, sometimes (depending on circumstances and genre) with a horrible, horrible backlash headache that makes a migraine look like a walk in the park. So after she saves him from the Big Bad, she can be completely vulnerable.
If that helps you any.
Sarah
Write the story the way you want it, like Tiff says.
BUT I think he will look "less weak" (as it were) if he had saved her first...and in the saving (he succeeds) he gets hurt--and therefore, she has to save him back. But I don't know what your plans are. This could not be where you wanted to go.
You write the story. Where your heart leads you. That's the right way to tell it babe.
I agree with Skirbo. There's nothing wrong with the heroine using her powers to save the hero. I think that opens up your HEA to even an greater finish. The hero and heroine each have their own qualities like two sides of a coin. One can't function without the other. Make her power magnify what makes the hero strong when he is weak. Give and take. So that when they are together, they are stronger than ever before.
For example, take Wonder Woman. She's invincible but she still needed Steve (Lyle Wagoner) to help her out every now and then. :-)
I say write it from the heart, Marnee, the way you see it. You won't be able to tell if it works or not until you can stand back and read it yourself. Then if it needs to be tweaked you've got something to tweak!
I believe, as with everything in the writing world, a good writer can make anything work! Go for it!
I love the idea of your heroine saving the hero at a moment when he is vulnerable and she is powerful, but I agree with Terri that there needs to be balance. At some point readers need to see her vulnerability and his strength. If she saves him from some physical threat at what could be the cost of her life, maybe his love and need for her pull her back from the brink of death. They have then saved each other. I know what I want to see in romance is evidence that the H/H are more together than they can ever be apart.
I think you can pull it off Marn! Now, if he were standing in the corner, crying, because he was too scared to fight and she had to swoop in to save him, then he'd look weak. LOL. But if he's incapacitated in some way and she saves him, then I think it's fine! If he hasn't been a wimpy hero up to this point (and from what I've heard, he is certainly not wimpy!) then I think you're good. It seems like one of those scenes that you just have to write, and tweak later if necessary.
But you're getting close to the end! Congrats!
Ter - I think that's what is going to happen, basically. That they're going to save each other, maybe not at the same time, but alternately. Good luck finding a place for your party!
Sarah - Hi! I am not sure if I want to go that way (though I have thought about it) or if I want to get her wounded in the saving so he saves her too. Eh. I'll figure it out, I hope. :)
Hellion - I think you're right with the alternate saving. That seems to be the consensus, that they can save each other.
Sin - awh... thanks. You guys give my heart a lot of credit. LOL!
Kathy says: "Make her power magnify what makes the hero strong when he is weak." This is wonderful. I think that might clarify exactly what I want to do. Now... the logistics... LOL!
Janga says: "what I want to see in romance is evidence that the H/H are more together than they can ever be apart." - awwh.... I love that. Who's making the t-shirts? Great thought, Janga. By the time my black moment comes, I'm hoping she's been brought down to earth enough. YOu know how it is though, it's hard writing these parts with your nose pressed so close to the story.
Hal - thanks for the congrats! I can see the end, it's so awesome. I've been writing every second, just trying to get it over with.
And I think you're right. Just spit it out and figure it out later.
Party location found! Thank goodness. Five venues and 50 miles later I'm exhausted. *leans back in hammock with glass of rum*
I have every faith that you'll find the balance, Marn. I think the motto is don't bore the reader and I'd say don't piss them off either. You keep those two things in mind and the rest will fall into place. :)
Don't piss them off. LOL! Good advice. :)
I'm glad that you found a place to party. Anywhere good?
Virginia Beach Hotel & Resort. It sits right where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Talk about amazing views! And there's an indoor pool so we can still enjoy a swim even in December. Parking is free and plentiful and they have an award winning chef. The place is perfect!
Whenever we get around to having our own little Pirate gathering, we're so having it at this hotel. LOL! So start saving now! (And you can bring your pirate men too, of course.)
I would imagine the rum would be plentiful?
So glad you were able to understand my post, Marn! I'm drugged up with antibiotics trying to once again defeat the dreaded sinus infection that has plagued me for months. Coherent thoughts? A mighty good thing... :-)
I'm sure Hellion will echo me on this one, Terrio. No finer partay will there be if the Captain himself is in attendance. Be he fair game? Rum, please! Tar.....
Kathy, if I could get Jack Sparrow to show up to a real-life Pirate Retreat, he wouldn't come up for air until three weeks after it was over...
We should have a pirate gathering. Man, that would be so much fun. Like a Pirate Writing Bootcamp thing. Clearly near the ocean. But not so close to fun places that we'll want to club rather than write or plot.
That soon? LOL!
Yes, plenty of rum. And staying on the ocean is just what we need. The sound of the waves is so calming and has to be good to get the writing juices flowing.
But if you don't want to be too close to the water, we could always stay in Williamsburg. I'm sure you know where we can find some real life inspiration. ;)
Marnee, if you haven't watched Stardust. Watch it. You'll see why when you get to the almost end.
And you need to tell the story how it's meant to be told. Listen to your characters. *g*
Stardust, huh? I haven't watched, but I have wanted to. Maybe I'll rent it tonight. :)
And thanks Ely. I appreciate that.
"But if you don’t want to be too close to the water, we could always stay in Williamsburg. I’m sure you know where we can find some real life inspiration."
LOL. I know who ye be talkin' bout, Terrio!! :-)
Ely - I love that movie. And you're right, it fits this convo perfectly.
In a few weeks time, I'll be propping up me feet near the ocean's edge and writing me pirate book. Ah! I can hear the frothy surf lapping at me feet now...
When you say save - do you mean physically as in sweeping in and grabbing him out of the fray or do you mean emotionally as in her bringing his life and successes into focus?
Either one works for me. I adore a tortured hero and it takes a strong heroine, IMHO, to pull that sucker out of the darkest depths and into the light.
Nice venue, Terri! They have a Sunday Brunch with a DONUT MACHINE!! Sounds like just the thing for a pirate retreat.
I'm all about the strong heroine. So much so that I can't get a feel for a possible story if the heroine doesn't leap from the page as vigorously as the hero. It's led me to scrap a few good plots admittedly, plots I do like featuring great characters, but the heroine didn't really have a "voice" the way the hero did. In order for me to believe in my own novels, the h/h must be evenly matched--and the heroine's character arc must be the focal point of the plot. *g*
Kathy - GOod luck with your pirate book!! And have a drink for me!
Santa - It's a little bit of both. She does save him physically, while he's trying to keep her save. This whole convo has got me thinking it should be ok. I'm going to get writing it and stop stressing. LOL!!
Evangeline - Hello! I love a strong heroine too. I think most women today think of themselves as strong women and can relate to a tough heroine. I hope so anyway. Thanks for stopping by!
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