Comments on: Writing The Flawed Hero: She Makes Me Stutter

By: ellaquinnauthor

ellaquinnauthor — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:15:13 +0000

Great post, Ruthie. I tweeted.

By: Lyn Horner

Lyn Horner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Ruthie, I applaud you for tackling such a difficult "flaw." It can't have been easy to write. I'm about to begin a series of short books featuring a handicapped heroine. I'm handicapped myself with a form of muscular dystrophy, so I have plenty of firsthand knowledge. The trick will be to not let the character's physical problems totally dominate the story. Like you, I want to get to the person inside, the one who may dream of walking and running but who accepts her limitations and makes the best of them -- while taking on a responsibility that tests her courage and will eventually bring love into her life. I look forward to reading Flirting With Disaster.

By: Kaye Munroe

Kaye Munroe — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:16:16 +0000

Truly hope your book encourages other romance writers to develop less-than-perfect characters. My grandmother was crippled with RA, my mom was blind & I'm in a wheelchair from MS, so I long to read about characters with disabilities. Fiction is a wonderful way to break down bigotry and stereotypes, but too often, the romance genre only offers heroes and heroines who are unrealistically gorgeous, talented, rich and charming. As someone with a lifelong disability, I can't even count the times people have told me I should only look for love among others with disabilities--in other words, "stick with your own kind." Maybe books like yours will help break through that invisible barrier. Thanks--I look forward to reading this!

By: laramcgill

laramcgill — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:11:02 +0000

In reply to Yvette Carol. Maybe instead of the flawed but brilliant detective, it could be someone who's really good at his job, but hates it with every fiber of his being. His skill set is such, however, that's the only thing he's really fit to do. (Sorry if that doesn't make much sense - it's pre-coffee still.)

By: Creative Writing Software Team

Creative Writing Software Team — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:25:09 +0000

Thanks for this really thoughful and thought-provoking post. You make a lot of really good ponts about not simply using the stutter as a cheap tool, being sensitive and also keeping in mind that the stutter isn't the core of the character - the emotions are. I'm writing a story from the point of view of an animal that starts from birth and am finding all kinds of challenges regarding consistency, assuming knowledge, vocabulary etc. I think that writing in dialect or with a speech impediment brings similar head scratchers!

By: Yvette Carol

Yvette Carol — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 02:21:09 +0000

This is interesting because we were having a conversation about this over on LinkedIn last week. One of my writer friends there mentioned he was sick of the flawed yet brilliant detective type. He said he was going to write a really nice, well-rounded, essentially non-flawed detective. I applaud his motives but I felt moved to point out that surely even a truly nice hero, needs a flaw or two? I didn't want to say I might be so bored by a perfect hero, that I'd fail to read the book, friend of the writer or no...

By: laramcgill

laramcgill — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:59:11 +0000

In reply to Orly Konig-Lopez. Thanks, Orly! We'll see if I can get her past all the first-novel issues and bring her to the public.

By: Orly Konig-Lopez

Orly Konig-Lopez — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:22:55 +0000

In reply to Lara McGill. What a cool idea, Lara.

By: Orly Konig-Lopez

Orly Konig-Lopez — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:21:06 +0000

In reply to elfahearn. Oh wow! I love that!!!

By: elfahearn

elfahearn — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:55:16 +0000

In reply to Jenny Hansen. Isn't it sweet. Now, he's a man I could fall in love with.