A Review: "Heroes and Heroines"

I normally write all my reviews for Wantzuponatime.com. I receive books from the owner of the site, read them when I have time, then write the review and send it it and from there, it is posted to the site as well as Amazon. I don't post any reviews anywhere else until they appear on the site.

Today, I am breaking protocol. First of all, the book I am going to tell you about isn't one that was sent me for review. It was recommended by a friend - actually, several friends - and I picked up a copy and read it. Thank goodness for friends.

The book is: "The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes" by Tami Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders.

Were I rating this book, it would receive a 5 out of 5. It belongs in every fiction writer's library.

So, what is it about? Creating believable characters. The writers take sixteen master archetypes - eight male, eight female - and give you the basics about each one. Okay, that's nothing new. There are a lot of books out there that do that.

But then the writers go on to layer these archetypes. What if you have a PROFESSOR who is also a little bit of a CHARMER, or a FREE SPIRIT who is also a SEDUCTRESS? And how do they relate to each other? The first half of the book gives you the basics, but it is the second half of the book where you learn how to use the basics.

And it's not all dry reading. They pick recognizable characters from popular movies and point out where and how they fit into the archetype. As you're reading through the book, you sit there and say "Oh, yeah. I can see that."

This is an informative, entertaining look at what can be a dry subject. I urge all genre fiction writers to pick up a copy and read. Your characters will be glad you did.

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Progress - 7 pages hand written
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Birthdays: Jim Thompson, Miklós Jancsó, Grazia Deledda, Louis Auchincloss, Mark Vinz

Tips and Teasers: If you’re having trouble with the blank screen in front of you, change your manner – get away from the computer and use pencil (or pen) and paper. Use crayon. Use funny paper – or serious paper. Use something different from what you usually use and see if this helps the flow of words.

Thought for the day: "The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination." - Tommy Lasorda