tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post3903165965835783994..comments2023-10-25T05:30:54.507-04:00Comments on Oh Get A Grip!: Mean GirlsAshe Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390519279886657608noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-66509571059927832172012-10-02T10:05:41.682-04:002012-10-02T10:05:41.682-04:00Jean - I don't know many Dolly Parton songs, b...Jean - I don't know many Dolly Parton songs, but I know that one. I like that she never says a bad thing about Jolene. Kathleen Bradeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06347913255760493335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-47600867894348119852012-10-02T03:28:46.650-04:002012-10-02T03:28:46.650-04:00Lisabet & Kathleen, I think one of the best po...Lisabet & Kathleen, I think one of the best portrayals of the Rival I've seen or heard is the song "Jolene" by Dolly Parton. On the surface, the female singer is begging the luscious Jolene not to "take [her] man," but the intensity in her voice is not all about the dude. This aspect of an apparently het triangle (2 f's and an m) could be a thread on its own. Jean Robertahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08805088081675965859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-47327364835247727342012-10-01T09:41:19.802-04:002012-10-01T09:41:19.802-04:00Lisabet - Yes! You could even call it The Rival. I...Lisabet - Yes! You could even call it The Rival. I've read probably a hundred romance novels in my life, which is barely a three month supply for most romance fans, but I've noticed how important triangles are in their plots. The heroine is either picking between two guys (Mr Wickham & Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice) until one is exposed as a jerk, or she's competing with her Rival (Maria and the Baroness in Sound of Music) until the due comes to his senses. In real life, I doubt many people have to pick between options for a relationship. There's only one in front of them and the choice is to pursue it or not. But the idea of having a choice is lovely fun. Running off with the worthy rival sounds like the best idea to me! (I always thought Baroness Schrader was elegant)Kathleen Bradeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06347913255760493335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-37276052008969991252012-10-01T09:33:31.194-04:002012-10-01T09:33:31.194-04:00Garce - the villian is always the key. S/he has to...Garce - the villian is always the key. S/he has to be equal to the MC and in many ways a twin or mirror image. You're so right about nuance being important to fleshing them out. Kathleen Bradeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06347913255760493335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-90860454519728190032012-10-01T08:25:51.347-04:002012-10-01T08:25:51.347-04:00"boiled bunnies"! That's great!
I&#..."boiled bunnies"! That's great!<br /><br />I'd like to write a story where The Rival is not only a reasonable, three-dimensional person, but also has enough appeal that the heroine can really understand why her man might be tempted. The Rival would simultaneously elicit admiration and envy.<br /><br />Of course, in my story, the heroine would probably end up in bed with the Rival - with or without the hero. I like that conclusion considerably more than the alternatives!Lisabet Saraihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05162514190572269660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-45878289393585525482012-10-01T05:58:27.367-04:002012-10-01T05:58:27.367-04:00Hi Kathleen!
Lisabet and I used to discuss this a...Hi Kathleen!<br /><br />Lisabet and I used to discuss this a lot back and forth, how to write about effective bad guys/gals. What you say about making them complicated is the key, and the key to making them complex is they can;t just be evil.<br /><br />Shakespeare in his early plays - like Titus Andronicus - didn;t know seem to know how to make good villians. He had lady villians too. But they tended to be thorughly evil with no redeeming qualities. Later on his best villians like Iago and Macbeth were wonderfully complicated with so many sides to them. Lady Macbeth with her guilty hand wringing is the ultimate bitch and yet you can feel sorry for her too.<br />Those are good villians.<br /><br />GArce<br />Garceushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11160407485298015371noreply@blogger.com