OK, faithful blog readers. I require NaNoWriMo writing assistance.
So, without giving too much plot away… let’s say you’re a guy. You see this chick in the club, and you don’t know why you’re so attracted to her, but OMG, she just makes your stomach do a flipflop. Not in that I-want-to-sex-you-up-NOW sort of way, though; more of an I’m-totally-infatuated-with-everything-about-you sort of way. You don’t end up hooking up at the time, though, and you’re kind of unsure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. She’s quite a bit younger than you, though not jailbait by any means, and that (among other social reasons) makes you think that you two getting together would be a Bad Thing™.
Now, let’s say you run across this girl again, later on, and you find out that she has a big problem. One that you know how to solve. It’s actually your job and mission in life to solve these particular kinds of problems. You’re still totally attracted to her, more so than you ever have been before. Love at first sight, even — at least, on your side of the equation. You’re still not sure how she feels.
What do you do, and why? Do you:
- help her solve her problem, and use the thank-you-so-much reaction to try to get together with her, and damn the consequences?
- help her solve her problem from arm’s-length, because it’s your job, but reject your desire for her, even if she ends up wanting you?
- try to find someone else to solve her problem for her, so you don’t have to deal with the temptation of possibly hooking up?
- choose to banish her from your thoughts completely, and ignore her problem, even though you could help?
- or some other solution, or combination of solutions?
Leave a comment below with your answer, and give a little background explanation of why you picked that choice. Your motivations will help me shape my main character and his motivations (assuming that more than two or three of you answer).
Yes, yes, I know I’m supposed to be half-done with my NaNo by now. I’m only 15% done. I’m dealing with the fact that I probably won’t “win” NaNoWriMo this year. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still going to try.
A – mostly because I believe completely in love at first sight and it sure seems that fate is dragging you into the same place doesn’t it? And if you’re a guy and you’re not wanting to get her for bodily reasons.. that’s a good sign too…
To be realistic, you would go with A because you were stupid enough to pass her up once and you shouldn’t let her get away again. And it’s not like you’re kidnapping her — you’re just using a slightly unfair advantage to get things started.
However.
If you’re the author of a novel, you pick any option but A (except maybe D). Why? Because this gives you conflict and tension in your plot. It makes your character spend time angsting about his own desire and stupidity. It gives him excuses to do stupid shit like telling her to go away because he’s not going to help her and then turning up on her doorstep the next day to apologize for being an asshole. It gives the girl the opportunity to make him miserable for being a prick or to act confused by his rejection. It gives both of them an entire story’s worth of acting stupid about each other as a secondary plot and maybe you can find a way to write their undying love into the resolution of your story.
But then, that’s just me. I like a little conflict and I like a little romance. Sometimes with a side of angst and a giant vat of stupidity.
If you do go with something like B or C, I would say that your character’s motivation would be that he is too noble to desert a damsel in distress, but he is also too noble to subject her to.
Ooops. I didn’t realize that you’re neat little comment box would cut me off for daring to use pseudo-html tags within its hallowed . . . whatever comment boxes have.
Anyway, the rest of that sentence was supposed to say:
If you do go with something like B or C, I would say that your character’s motivation would be that he is too noble to desert a damsel in distress, but he is also too noble to subject her to (insert whatever here — his depraved desires, his evil family, his horrible past, the enemies that are about to catch up to him, the difference in their ages, whatever).