But have you ever gone to see an action movie with a guy and cringe at the gun toting, big-breasted Daisy Duke sidekick? Have you ever laughed and thought "How corny. That's not a realistic female reaction." Or something along those lines.
How many self-help relationship books are written every year? Hmmm. There goes my analytical (read-anal) mind again. A best seller turned female motivational phenomenon out a while back is "He's Just Not That Into You." The man who co-authored the book was a former writer for HBO's Sex in the City. Women (ME) are constantly frustrated by our significant other's behaviour that there is a very large market for women wanting to know what in the heck our guys are thinking.
I personally have tried asking. Fat lot of good that did me. My hubby will hesitate which means he is weighing out his options...and the consequences his answer may bring. He is teaching our boys to just humor Mom. Sometimes it pisses me off. But not most of the time because it means I get my way the majority of the time.
So how can we authenticate dialogue? Without a male perspective? I know in my writing I try to think about my experiences...good and bad. I also try to think about how my hubby or male influence might react. But to be honest, I guess how I expect them to react. After all...the majority of our readers are female.
6 comments:
What I like about writing romance is we get to decide how our particular characters will act like? I can't control my husband's reactions and thoughts but I certainly can control my heros (UP to a point, that is.)
Me again? Just read the post on motivation. Well, hell Chelle, you need to turn off the tv and get to work.
My motivation changed when I signed my first contract, now I feel like I have to write. It's a good thing I enjoy it so much.
Haha LOL! I dated this huge/tall/wide gorgeous cowboy when I was 20 (he was almost 30!) that would say "Well, hell." And sometimes in his sexy cowboy twang would say "Well hell, Chelle." WHAT a memory!! Sorry honey...love you more...thats why I held still long enough for you to put a ring on my finger! :)
BTW Erin...I turned the tv off! LOL but got a brain fart and spit out an 8 page outline for a new book. But I put it up and got back to work on Chapter 5!!
HA! Yeah, I think what we write about men can't be TOO accurate.
After all, it's fiction! HA!
And that's what women (me) want to see/experience. The romanticized (spelling??) part of a man/relationship.
Sometimes I read certain sex scenes in books and think, "Oh, come on! That doesn't work!" HA! But I guess that's part of the romantic fantasy the writer is trying to create too.
I copied this from Kathy Coffing's blog, "The Write Calling." I think we all have trouble understanding them...
Sunday, March 04, 2007
A workshop on the male psyche
I know women and men both read my blog. Men, you may now stop reading today's post. (Just trying to save you some time, guys.)
Dr. Debra Holland is a psychotherapist, a talented writer, and a friend of mine. She's giving an online workshop for women writers titled "Understanding The Male Psyche" starting this Tuesday, March 6. She and I first met at a similar workshop she gave at the 2002 RWA conference, and I highly recommend this course.
For more information, click here and scroll down to March 2007.
Happy learning—and writing!
I watched a Primetime Special: The Outsiders last night and they had a woman who went undercover as a man. She had a light mental breakdown because of messing with her own head and gender issues. She talked about how men are really emotional and have so many society pressures and expectations that we should really feel sorry for them. That we should give them all of our love and support. Well...I do if they deserve it. Regardless of gender a person is judged on their actions and reactions. That can be as indepth as you want to go. My hubby is a good man...so I do. My ex was not a good person...so I didn't respect him.
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