tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post115691478963987933..comments2023-11-03T05:49:10.841-04:00Comments on Storytelling Rules: I just don’t get: Romance Heroines (and why Tyler is still on Canadian Idol)Maureen McGowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-1157038071238251622006-08-31T11:27:00.000-04:002006-08-31T11:27:00.000-04:00I like spine and fire, too... but still contend th...I like spine and fire, too... but still contend those aren't traits that make a heroine stand out. They help us like and admire her, but don't necessarily make her interesting... Spine and fire, to me, are still traits I'd put in the standard romance heroine character trait bucket... <BR/><BR/>Don't know... Romance obviously isn't my genre. Too bad. It's such a huge genre and the ambitious side of me wishes I "got it". Maybe some day...Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-1156974551572109432006-08-30T17:49:00.000-04:002006-08-30T17:49:00.000-04:00I hate it when the heroine is only a conduit for a...I hate it when the heroine is only a conduit for a strongly written hero. I like the herione to have a spine and a fire. As long as I know they are good at heart, they can have their bitchy moments. That can even be a lot of fun :).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12777733587200293442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-1156958803903718182006-08-30T13:26:00.000-04:002006-08-30T13:26:00.000-04:00Thinking about this some more... Sure, it's always...Thinking about this some more... Sure, it's always about motivation, as Margaret says, but it seems like romance readers want to know the motivation right away rather than wondering... why did she do that? or why is she so angry? (or whatever) and waiting several chapters or until some big reveal to find out...<BR/><BR/>Wondering if it's partly because of why we read romance... Do we read romance to live vicariously through the heroine? To experience some of those romantic feelings with her? If yes, then it makes sense that readers aren't willing to have too many character traits or behaviours they can't relate to. Keeping the heroines relatively benign means most readers will identify with her and project some of themselves onto her....<BR/><BR/>I think maybe Molly hit the nail on the head... The heroine in many romance novels is just the bland cracker to go with the sharp cheese. Maybe we read romance for the heros?Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-1156948298548528432006-08-30T10:31:00.000-04:002006-08-30T10:31:00.000-04:00You know - I agree too. WIth you Maureen and with ...You know - I agree too. WIth you Maureen and with Sinead - I think in most romances the heroine is simply the conduit for the hero. The bland water cracker that the sharp aged chedder sits on.<BR/><BR/>Margaret's right too -- I think motivation is key and it's a hard thing to do to make someone behaving badly seem reasonable in some way.<BR/><BR/>I think there are some great heroines out there Ain't She Sweet is at the top of the list. I'd like to read more of them for sure.Molly O'Keefehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15171236688541657736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-1156943096036208632006-08-30T09:04:00.000-04:002006-08-30T09:04:00.000-04:00For me, it's all about the motivation. If a perso...For me, it's all about the motivation. If a person's been hurt/upset by somebody else and they lash out, that makes them human, not evil. But if they lash out just because they can? Because the other person's in a weaker position or they're just plain in a bad mood and don't give a damn if they hurt somebody? <BR/>That's not somebody I want to spend a lot of time with, either in real life or when I'm reading.<BR/><BR/>In other words, it's not the what, it's the why that makes the difference for me.Margaret Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11556769462995493735noreply@blogger.com