An Iditarod winner and a nature magazine writer.
A cursed Celtic warrior and a teacher.
A firefighter and a photographer.
A corporate pilot and a graphic designer.
These are just some of the hero/heroine combinations I've written about so far. The possibilities for characters are endless. There are an infinite number of pairings, and I discover new ideas on a daily basis.
These possibilities can get overwhelming. A writer can spends gobs of time just trying to determine what jobs her characters will have. The jobs are really critical too. I find that the occupations help define who the character is and how she/he will react to certain events in the story. Jobs often influence how the characters will meet. Is he the landlord at the apartment she just rented? Is she the caterer hired by the corporation he works for? Is he the reporter who just uncovered the scandal at her law office? Is she the doctor who stitched his finger back on after his construction accident?
You get the idea.
I'm currently at a place where a hero is "speaking" to me. He's a voice in my head at the moment. A faint "Write about me" is growing in strength in my mind. He's a chainsaw artist and modeled after someone I've actually met and plan to interview. I think the character's name is Orion Finley. The heroine, however, has not revealed herself just yet. This is usually the way it is with me. The male character almost always makes himself known first, then the female follows.
Maybe you could give me some help. First, picture a lumberjack-ish dude who rocks flannel and is Picasso with a chainsaw. He's tall, has dark, chin-length hair that he wears back when he's working, has ripped arms that are muscled from years of chainsaw wielding. He fills a pair of faded jeans like he was born to do that very thing. Next, comment below with who you think would be a good match for a chainsaw artist. Give me an occupation and physical features if you'd like. Hell, I'll even take name suggestions.
Check me out on Amazon to read about any of the character pairings at the top of this post or my other heroes and heroines.
Toodles,
Chris
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
4 comments:
Your chainsaw artist sounds like a hot hero! I can visualize him, and can't wait to read his story. Your heroine could be a singer, petite blonde, big city girl, traveling back to the country where she grew up. She stops when she sees a chainsaw sculpture that she can't live without - but he doesn't want to sell it. Hahaha, sorry, didn't mean to write your whole plot for you!
The current hero in my WIP is a chainsaw artist. How strange is that? His name is Cole Matheson, and he looks amazing in jeans and boots. Dark hair, chocolate brown eyes... My heroine owns a daycare center, so no going there! LOL Miranda has long, auburn hair and a take charge attitude. I'm liking Laura's petite blonde as a foil for your hero. But for some reason I'm thinking birds. Maybe a hobby? Where will your story take place?
Somehow I see him needing a strong female lead that could be a bit of a handful. Strong, independent, motorcycle mechanic (since female techs are underrepresented and misunderstood) Heck she could know small engine repair and has to help him with fixing his chainsaw. She has trouble knowing her place. She's used to putting up a front and being tough for her profession so femininity is not her strong suit, more t-shirt and jeans than skirt and heels, can't even walk in them! She see the beauty in each cut, not just the whole piece of his art. Physically, she's shorter, but strong since her job requires upper body strength to break torque. She keeps her hair back in a pony or under a hat while she works and when she does clean up to go out it surprises everyone since they're used to grease under her nails rather than polish on them.
Hmmmm. All good suggestions. I'm thinking exact opposite. I see small, but dark hair and glasses. Maybe she's very interested in preserving the environment and she see's his 'art' as destroying trees that don't necessarily need to be destroyed. Love your description of him, however. A hero we cannot live without!
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