Friday, April 8, 2011
Unexpected...
I'm finding myself faced with an unexpected problem with my plotting. The few who have read my WIP, who aren't already familiar with my writing, have expressed the same criticism: My heroine doesn't seem to have any goals. How do I share that the heroine is written from an abuse survivor's perspective? It's difficult to invest in dreams, when those who rule your life take pleasure in crushing your dreams. You learn to not have them, in order to protect them. The only goals you allow yourself are to survive one more day and not to turn out like your abusers. I'm really struggling with giving my heroine other tangible goals. I'm finding it painfully awkward because I DON'T GET IT. I haven't given up hope for working it out, but the joy of writing is missing as it feels more like pulling teeth. I'm hoping the joy comes in the accomplishment.
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The dream is there...buried deep under years of protective guarding...a dream so precious that there is real fear that it will evaporate with contact with reality...Perhaps part of the hassle is why allow your character to dream if you are not allowed to yourself.
ReplyDeleteOh. I hadn't considered that possibility.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ruth! It won't be easy to overcome that, either, so in order to get your heroine dreaming about her goals, you might have to go along with her in the process, and let yourself dream a little, too.
ReplyDeleteThank Margaret, for being an answer to prayer. I've spent the last few days trying to figure out where to go from here. And God sent you to tell me. It isn't going to be easy, but the worthwhile things usually aren't.
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