Ha! Great stuff, Richard. I will put this to work immediately!
I have several members of my "ensemble cast" who grow and move from cads and bounders to truly lovable characters. (I think/hope.) But I've got a couple of one-off bad guys who can definitely use some work. You've given a good challenge here, and challenge accepted!
Keep it up, Richard! Always loving and appreciating your wisdom.
BTW: My earliest author hero was Fritz Leiber. I remember in junior high, underlining some lines from Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. I distinctly remember that was the very first time I ever did such. Thinking, "someday I'd like to write like this." I'm pretty sure I recall that you worked with him. Maybe you can share a little about him sometime!
Thanks, Dave. Casting bad guys in a positive light calls for stretched imagination!
I came to represent Fritz Leiber long after most of his great work was written and published, but I can certainly say my dealings with him revealed a businesslike professional writer to the core.
This post sort of reminded me of an discussion/argument I had with my wife Melissa some years ago when she expressed (rightly) a certain amount of disgust with the James Bond-type of hero, dismissing them as not heroes for grown men, only heroes for little boys.
I agreed, but pointed out all the Gothic romance trappings around contemporary Draculaesque vampire characters, with females swooning to be bitten and do their bidding.
And I added, at least the James Bond-types weren't walking corpses who slept in dirt.
This is giving me so much to think about! Thanks for the reminder that we need to make the bad guys just a little likable.
Or even lovable!
God that’s gonna take some effort 🤣
Just imagine you were evil!
"Lovable" ... THAT is a challenge!
Ha! Great stuff, Richard. I will put this to work immediately!
I have several members of my "ensemble cast" who grow and move from cads and bounders to truly lovable characters. (I think/hope.) But I've got a couple of one-off bad guys who can definitely use some work. You've given a good challenge here, and challenge accepted!
Keep it up, Richard! Always loving and appreciating your wisdom.
BTW: My earliest author hero was Fritz Leiber. I remember in junior high, underlining some lines from Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. I distinctly remember that was the very first time I ever did such. Thinking, "someday I'd like to write like this." I'm pretty sure I recall that you worked with him. Maybe you can share a little about him sometime!
Thanks, Dave. Casting bad guys in a positive light calls for stretched imagination!
I came to represent Fritz Leiber long after most of his great work was written and published, but I can certainly say my dealings with him revealed a businesslike professional writer to the core.
So cool!
This post sort of reminded me of an discussion/argument I had with my wife Melissa some years ago when she expressed (rightly) a certain amount of disgust with the James Bond-type of hero, dismissing them as not heroes for grown men, only heroes for little boys.
I agreed, but pointed out all the Gothic romance trappings around contemporary Draculaesque vampire characters, with females swooning to be bitten and do their bidding.
And I added, at least the James Bond-types weren't walking corpses who slept in dirt.
...OR DISPLAYED THE HEADS OF THE DAY'S VICTIMS ON PIKES....
Good point!
(see what I did there?)