My heroine is the oldest of five, a member of the highest class of her society, was abused by her father as a child. Everything in her life is about protecting her sisters, and she's very bitter about men and her mother's obliviousness to what happened. Her father always told them little girls should never dress in colors because they attracted unwanted attention, which was immediately followed by said unwanted attention. As a kid her wardrobe was gray, brown, black, and very drab. As an adult she wears bright colors to make sure she isn't lost in a crowd and easy to dismiss if some man makes any kind of advance. With her mother's death she's now in the public eye as a High Lady, in a science fiction universe. She's torn between wanting to be left alone and not wanting to get lost in a crowd and becoming another statistic. I want to make sure her color choices make sense on a psychological level.
Lost in the Future
Dear Lost,
What happens between her childhood and adulthood will answer this question. If she does wear the bright colors, then she must have gone through a rebellious phase or an "I don't care" type phase. She would have to change her basic thinking about colors, and maybe come to the conclusion that brighter colors equals more protection (perhaps she saw this in action?). You don't specify when or how her mother dies, but an event such as that (especially if she was estranged with her) could prompt such drastic changes in her wardrobe. But this would need to be carefully thought out, because childhood trauma of abuse (I assume sexual in nature?) would be intricately tied to the need to dress drably an blend in. More info is needed about how she became a High Lady (and what that even is) for this to be fully fleshed out. Feel free to respond in the comment section below...but she sounds fascinating!
Dear Jeannie,
Reva has grown up in a demoralized martial-law state (following a failed coup). Her parents were big supporters of the put-down rebels, and she's grown up being fed a steady diet of bitter anger and frustration. Trouble is, she's fallen in love with (and married) a state sympathizer. He's fun, kind, solid--hard to resist. In an effort to start fresh, they've moved to a new frontier. My question is about the dynamics of their marriage. They had one child, who died right before the move, and Reva can't have any more children. What kind of grief/trauma is she going to face, especially cut off from the family and friends she grew up with? How is she going to react to other children they encounter in their new life?
Starting Over in Statesville
Dear Starting Over,
That is not where I thought you were going with this question (I thought it'd focus on the marriage itself between two people with opposite philosophies). Having a child die is considered one of the most traumatic experiences an adult can go through. It's unnatural in the life scheme of things, and will stay with her forever, made doubly traumatic by not being able to have any more children. She will experience grief, of course, and this can look as different as each individual is. I imagine she'd be more depressed without any of her regular support system around. She would have one of two prominent reactions to other children, which can and will change over time. 1) She can isolate away from them, not wanting to be reminded of her loss (which might be more likely in the beginning), or 2) She will want to be around children in any way possible, to take what joy she can have in them (more likely later on, I'd think). Best of luck writing her!
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Lost In The Future · 586 weeks ago
A High Lady in her society is like being a British duchess, but with actual tangible power. As the oldest she became High Lady at her mother's death. Still figuring out what all that means for her.
She's never had a boyfriend either and actively pushes interested men away. Until she meets the hero, her childhood nemesis who's all grown up and everything she secretly dreams of having.
Anon · 586 weeks ago
Oops! I wanted to ask about the marriage. The loss of the child and grieving process is important, but I feel like Reva's bringing a lot of emotional baggage with her into their new life that I might not be equipped to write. I love how opposite the couple is, because they have an intense chemistry that appreciates differences when they aren't trying to kill each other (more her end than his). She is the much younger baby of her family, with enough of a gap that she was raised very much as an only child. Her husband is eldest of a good-sized family. His family was much more supportive of the match, the child, and the move. But the child died in the care of his family, and it seems this would alter a lot of their relationship. (So many details...)
Thank you so much for your wisdom. I would *love* insight into how they handle her grief as a couple, as well!
Starting Over
Georgina · 586 weeks ago
My character is a young woman named Phoenix living in a dystopian sci-fi. She was raised in a cult of assassins and trained to be a killer. Despite the violence and death worship around her, Phoenix somehow maintained a conscience and a horror for what she was a part of. As a teenager she escaped the cult, a crime that would be unforgivable should she ever be found by them.
She now lives on the opposite side of the law and works with a team of CAPES (an occupation similar to a bounty hunter or U. S. Marshall). Phoenix believes someone like her cannot be forgiven or redeemed, but even if she'll always be "fallen" she's determined to fight on the side of the angels. She has come to care deeply for the team, though she keeps everyone at a distance, and she would do almost anything to protect them. Her childhood training made her cautious and calculating but also violent with a will of steel. She is quick tempered, isolated, intensely reserved, and self hating. The team knows she has "a past" but have no idea what that past is, and she fully intends to keep it that way.
And here is where my question comes in.
It soon becomes clear to Phoenix that the cult is involved in the case the team is investigating. She would never want her teammates to know her past but to not speak up will put them in danger. Fear makes her want to run from ever again confronting the cult but she also can't abandon her friends.
Is it feasible for her to keep this knowledge to herself even as the team is drawn deeper into the web of violence? To believe she could convince the team to back off would be foolishness and she is no fool. When the situation comes to head and they're all forced to run or fight, will she be able to spill her guts and fess up to her friends? The way she sees it, telling the truth means absolute rejection and facing the cult means a long but certain death. She's a very strong person but she can see know hope. How can she possibly cope and face this situation? She is definitely not used to getting help from others.
I'm sorry this is so long. I tried to be clear and give you the info you need. I hope you can help my character - SHE NEEDS IT!
Against a Wall, Somewhere in the Future
Anon · 585 weeks ago
Monet is a teenage girl forced to relocate to a new high school after she was expelled. She does have kleptomania and a bit of a juvenile delinquent, which was an important factor in her expulsion. Because of this, her entire family moved towns and she and her parents have regular fights. How would this affect her in a new school and how would the regular conflicts affect her family life?
Relocating