A Writer on Reading II

So, a bit more thought on reading writing in order to better understand my writing as a writer.

Brunettes

I’ve yet to read a story . . . wait . . . I just remembered one that had a blond female lead! I’ve read ONE story in a thousand with a blond female lead.

The kind of woman guys gravitate toward for all the wrong reasons, I think was how the author described her. Which is just as stereotypical and wrong as the author who refuses to create a blond female lead for whatever stereotypical reason they deem justifiable. Like, they believe that blonds are airheads and useless outside the bedroom or Playboy mansion.

This is actually opinion on hearsay, stereotypical bullshit, and whatever some GUY back in 1953 spouted off about them with the first joke of that nature.

OR, maybe they’re just jealous 😉

I have met and befriended as many classy blonds as I have brunettes, and as many dumb blonds as dumber brunettes. As for males, I know a few dumb blonde’s, but loads and LOADS of stupid brunette males.

Every blond (natural) woman I know are doctors, lawyers, business savvy millionaires, educators, and one with platinum hair who is a physicist. They’re all successful housewives who did the soccer mom routine with pizzazz and enthusiasm. Their children grew up to become upstanding citizens, too. Not so much with the brunette set.

I also know a few success stories of the pulled-together brunette variety, but more are African American, Asian, and Indian true-black-hair than just brunette. And, yes, I know some AA, Asian, and Indian women who put the dumb blond stereotype to shame.

Lastly on hair color and brain power, if you truly believe ALL redheads are crazy, wild, and demons at sex, then you need to go back to the anti-stereotype factory and get a refund.

So, with that said, having a blond lead makes the story that much more interesting right out of the gate, doesn’t it?

PC Banner Wavers

It just isn’t in my nature to let the dictates of another rule my life.

I’m not and never have been a feminist, either.

Common sense keeps me from writing anything overtly or outright offensive. I don’t need a bike helmet, knee pads, and anti-lock brakes to get through life, and good and bad points to both issues, yes, but that I’m apt to come to logical conclusions about without the need of having the PC/Feminist gods hand me another set of commandments to abide by in order to be just like them.

Awhile back, I posted at Goodreads and then scrolled down to view the other comments. The book itself was nothing memorable, but I did give the author 3 stars for effort. Anyway, as I was reading these comments, one of them shouted (all caps) about the author of this Vampire novel being “careless” for not using protective methods in the sex scenes.

Um . . . he’s a vampire. He can’t die; therefore, he can’t contract any diseases, which means he is incapable of spreading them as well.

So, I’m led to believe this comment-er not only believes that vampires are real, but that immortals possess the same DNA and substance as a human, because she also believes in things like immortals.

This has led me to decide on adding a disclaimer to the beginning of each of my novels. It will state to the effect that anyone wishing to wave the PC banner must do so at their own risk when reading my work.

Guys vs Men (or, all things sexist to a PC’er/fem-bot)

Guys are guys and men are men, and there are massive differences between the two.

Guys spit in public, cuss in front of women, barge through doors ahead of a woman, cut them off in traffic and flip them off as well, they under-dress and wear baseball caps indoors, laugh and videotape struggling women instead of offering to help, and they do dangerous, jackass things for shits & giggles.

Men DON’T do any of those things and are decent, respectful, have manners, and know just the right things to say and do in order to attract the opposite sex. They’ll open doors, pull out restaurant chairs, refrain from vulgarities in her presence, and work damn hard to win her heart. It’s his job to do the right thing without being fake, and it’s her job to know the difference between a man and a guy.

My male protagonists are chivalrous, no-nonsense or bullshit about them MEN. Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant meet the twenty-first century with their suave still intact kind of men, and my reader will be fine with that or they won’t.

Name Dropping

Speaking of Hollywood stars, have you ever read a novel that uses real personality names to describe their fictional heroes? He looks like so-and-so’s twin, or With the face of . . . and the body of . . . kind of descriptions. Am I the only one who finds this annoying and unimaginative? Why not just come right out and say it? I’m in love with . . . so I’m writing a fictional novel with . . . in mind.

Worse, it gives the impressing that the author believes I, and everyone who reads the novel, agree with her personal taste in men. And, most of the time, I don’t even know who they’re referencing, so it falls on deaf ears with me.

Over-Under Use of Description

Personally, I’d like to know what the characters in any novel are wearing and how they appear so I have a better understanding of who they are and why they’re so appealing to the opposite sex.

The key might be in how the author conveys such images. Instead of describing the garment, they would do better to explain him in those low-rise jeans or her in that little black cocktail dress. This will no-doubt invoke the rigid view of POV guru’s, though. It’s a tricky issue and something an author needs to think about while they’re writing.

And, while others have read works that go overboard with this, I haven’t. I’ve read works where the author is excessive in her knowledge of a key subject, but maybe because I like to know the intricate details of appearance and surroundings, I don’t see it as being excessive the way others might do.

Still, if readers are complaining, then it’s up to the author to take the time to make sure they’re not being overly descriptive in their work. I do try, and it’s difficult to see that excess in my work when as I already said, I happen to like knowing such things. I get the idea of excessive, though, so hopefully it won’t be a problem in my own work.

Honestly, these two posts offer a limited amount of dislike with regard to please-the-masses novel writing, I think. This is actually a good sign, but still, these few irritating facts needed to be addressed for my own sake. I can’t let myself slip into any of these bad habits, and with any luck, I won’t!