Free-spirited Characters
One of my favorite writing tools is The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders. I find using the archetypes help me get to know my characters fairly quickly.
In my CAPA-nominated novella, LILY AND THE GAMBLER, the heroine, Lily Albright, is a Free Spirit. In an age (1860's) when most women obeyed the dictates of society, Lily marches to her own drummer, as we see in the blurb:
On the way to meet her groom-to-be, mail order bride Lily Albright can't resist one last fling with a sexy gambler. After one night with Lily, Creighton "King" Callaway knows he has found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince her to pass up a sober businessman for a foot-loose card sharp? Only Lady Luck knows for sure...
When other women of her time were looking for a husband and security, Lily was looking for adventure and romance. She was only eighteen when she ran off with a cavalry officer. They lived together for five years, but never married. After his death, she travels to California, intending to marry a man she has never met. But when she meets King, a quintessential Charmer, she reverts to type and indulges her passions.
The Free Spirit is a fun character to write because she flaunts the rules and does her own thing. Dharma Finkelstein Montgomery, a quintessential Free Spirit, is one of my favorite television characters. Another Free Spirit is Kaylee, the quirky female mechanic on the Firefly series.
Another Amber Quill book with a free-spirited heroine is Linda Prine's LADY REBEL. Amanda is a delightful heroine, who sees into the future and a tendency to bring home stray animals, including a pelican and a hedgehog.
Who are some of your favorite Free Spirits, from books, TV, movies, real life, whatever? On Wednesday (late, I'm on the West Coast), I'll draw a name from all the comments to win a free download of one of my AQP titles. And as Natalie said: "If you post under Anonymous, be sure to provide your name, at least, to be eligible for the prize. Also, one- or two-word comments don’t count; you have to say something meatier! And one entry per person."
Lyndi's titles: Painting Penelope, Lily and The Gambler, Prepare To Be Boarded, and Desperado. You can read excerpts from all of them at: http://www.lyndilamont.com
And books by my alter ego, Linda McLaughlin: Rogue's Hostage and Lady Elinor's Escape. Excerpts are available at: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com
Hope to hear from you.
Lyndi
posted by Lyndi Lamont at 9:52 PM
16 Comments:
I had to think hard about this one. Personally, I'm far, far from a Free Spirit, and that archetype tends to drive me nuts, when the Free Spirit part is very dominant. Like, I don't like Dharma. But I do love Kaylee, because she's a free spirit who can focus. When something's important--like the starship Serenity--nothing will deter her from doing what needs to be done.
Then one I recently read popped into my head: Nicki Paige from Penny Dawn's Measuring Up! She poses for artists, much to the total dissatisfaction of her hero, and doesn't hesitate to totally change her life when it becomes clear it needs to be changed. Yet she, like Kaylee, can focus and work hard when the occasion calls for it, like when Ty Carmichael needs her design expertise in the Custom Homebuilder of the Year competition.
Natalie,
I'm far from a Free Spirit, myself - definitely the archetype called the Librarian. I agree the Free Spirit can be annoying at times, esp. if she falls into the "too stupid to live" category.
:) I did love Dharma, though. She was just so funny, and so good-hearted and well-meaning. As with any personality trait, there are degrees of free-spiritedness, and for an author, knowing where to draw the line is important.
Penny's book sounds intersting. I'll have to check it out.
Lyndi
Hi, Ladies! I'm glad Nicki Paige intrigued you, Natalie. She was great fun to write! (And just for your mentioning her, I'll draw a name from all the contributors from the week and send a free copy of Measuring Up as a bonus prize.)
The first "free spirit" to pop into my head was Phoebe Buffet of Friends. She, too, is focused when it comes to her friends and family (and sometimes her job,) but she's so out-there you just have to love her.
I love characters with enormous hearts and unconventional life plans. Here's one coming in July: Jacki King's Marci Andersen of her currently untitled (but sure to be erotic and sassy) contribution to the Blue Silver Pax. Marci is extremely pleased with her life and has a heightened self-awareness you just gotta love. But because she doesn't think she'll be accepted as she is, she pretends to be conventional. Check her out...come July!
Penny Dawn
Available now from Amber Quill Press: Measuring Up
Coming Soon from Amber Quill Press:
May 2006: Salute (A Friendly Day in the Neighborhood AmberPAX)
May 2006: Rolling In Clover
July 2006: Making Noise (Blue Silver PAX)
In books, my favourite free spirited and unconventional heroine would be Lily Lawson in Lisa Kleypas's Then Came You. Scandalising polite society, she lives by her own rules, rubbing elbows with the infamous, lowly born owner of a gambling club and the male members of his club. Her outrageous actions are to some part motivated by the desperate secret she harbors. Outwardly strong and flippant, she's most in need of a protector.
I also like Keira Knightly's portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the new Pride and Prejudice movie as a free spirit although she doesn't exactly throw decorum to the winds. I think there's much to admire about a free spirit and I could relate to the desire to be free of suffocating rules but it should be tempered to some degree by common sense and resourcefulness or things could easily end in tragedy.
Penny,
Phoebe Buffet is a great example of a free spirit. :)
Lyndi
Been meaning to get that The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes. I read Christopher Vogler's book and though that would be a great compliment. Saw your post in the readers group and just thought I'd say hi.
Tami Cowden is a fantastic teacher! I had the privilege of taking an online course in which she taught her archetype theory, and it was worth every penny. :)
As for free spirits, I thought of Phoebe from Friends as well. Allie in Allie McBeal... and, believe it or not, I consider Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Titanic to be the ultimate Free Spirit. Not tied down to anything, acts on a whim, and follows his head, not his heart.
Lacey
http://www.laceysavage.com
Jenny (Hi, kid, how you doing?) mentioned Keira Knightly's performance in Pride and Prejudice, which I enjoyed immensely. But of the five Bennet girls, Lydia was the free spirit, running off with Wickham and not ever thinking she did anything wrong. Keira Knightly's character in Pirates of the Caribbean (did I spell that right) was a free spirit. I loved the way she fought to avoid wearing a corset!
Annalee, I think you'll enjoy the archetype book. I find it very useful, and just plain fun to read. I found myself in there and lots of other people I know. :)
Lacey, Allie McBeal is a great example. According to Tami and company, Jack in Titanic was a Chamer. Or like Robert McKee said, (I'm paraphrasing): "Didn't you think there was room for two on that piece of driftwood? She knew what she was doing. That guy was good for three months, tops." In other words, the Charmer isn't know for his staying power. But in fiction, anything is possible, which is why I love it so much.
Lyndi
I loved Kaylee from Serenity also. My favorite Kaylee moment was when she insisted on buying the frothy pink dress so Mal coudl escort her to the fancy ball. Everyone made fun of her, but she didn't care. She thought the dress was beautiful and she was beautiful in it. At the end of the episode it's hanging up in her bunk where she can gaze at it and remember her adventure as a society girl.
Well I'm weird - I actually prefer characters who are bits and pieces of 2 or 3 different archetypes. I love the really unique heros and heroines.
Lyndi, you're right about Lydia of course but I'm afraid I don't like her character. LOL I only mentioned Keira because I felt that her interpretation is freer compared to the one in the book. I know she doesn't exactly fit the archetype.
Jenny,
I don't like Lydia either, who could? I guess that shows that archetypes aren't always positive. I liked Keira Knightly's performance, too. She is always delightful.
Lyndi
Wasn't that a great episode? I loved Kaylee at the ball in her frilly pink gown talking about engines with all the guys. She's great.
Lyndi
Bernadette Gardner said:
"I loved Kaylee from Serenity also. My favorite Kaylee moment was when she insisted on buying the frothy pink dress so Mal coudl escort her to the fancy ball. Everyone made fun of her, but she didn't care. She thought the dress was beautiful and she was beautiful in it. At the end of the episode it's hanging up in her bunk where she can gaze at it and remember her adventure as a society girl."
Jaynie, there's nothing weird about preferring complex characters. I think that's what made Malcolm Reynolds such a great character. At first you think he's just a swashbuckler, a guy who gets high on the action and isn't above breaking the law. After all, his idea of a good time is a bar fight. :)
Then he'll turn all noble and try to help out the underdog, showing his Warrior traits. He's also fiercely protective of "his" people. Like Inara said in one episode, he has "an odd streak of nobility" or words to that effect. He's one of my fave unique characters.
Lyndi
Jaynie R. said:
"Well I'm weird - I actually prefer characters who are bits and pieces of 2 or 3 different archetypes. I love the really unique heros and heroines."
Thanks to everyone for your comments. This has been fun.
The winner of the download is Jenny. Email me at lyndilamont@sbcglobal.net and let me know which story you want and what format.
Lyndi.
A professional London Escorts agency booking service with more than 50 girls available 24/7 for high class elite girls for in call and out call availability. Escort London For professional dating of London Escort girls. Escorts London
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home