Ever fall in love with your male mc?

[KimberlyInMichigan]

I have made my current WIP's male MC my version of the perfect man, and am annoyed that my non-fictional husband isn't just like him. :roll:

I think I need therapy. :D

[seven41]

Every author falls in love with their main character. He or she is always the perfect significant other for the author.

I made the mistake of using someone I knew as the model for my heroine in my first book. During the course of writing the book, I fell madly in love with this perfect person. At the time, I had been married for 23 years and my marriage vows were sacred to me, so I could do nothing about the love I felt for this person. While I was agonizing about it, my sister stopped by my office one day because she had a strange feeling that I needed to see her. After I told her the story about my problem, she told me, "Well dumb ass. Get your head out of the book. You are not the hero and this woman is not the heroine. DETACH!!! In the book, the hero is supposed to fall in love with the heroine, but in real life you have nothing in common with this other woman."

Why she stopped by I don't know, but she gave me the resolution I needed. My wife and I have now been married for almost 46 years. The other woman remains a good friend of mine although she never really knew my wife or other members of my family. She was just a woman I worked with. I did learn not to use any one I knew as the model for my heroine and every time I write a story, I still fall in love with my heroine.

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

Of course! Perfectly normal. Happens all the time to actors, too - hence, IMHO, the high rate of turnover in Hollyweird marriages.

[KimberlyInMichigan]

Well you're making me feel better. :)

[Jersey Chick]

By the end of each of my book, I'm sighing because my heroine has the guy I want. :)

Damn, Seven, 46 years! That amazing! I thought Jersey Guy and I were doing well - we celebrate 10 years on Thursday. You got me waaaaaay beat! :D

[Sassee]

Actually, I found out something funny. I'm having issues trying to represent my MC's future boyfriend, and as such, I'm having trouble keeping myself interested in him (he's just not "right" for some reason, I can't put my finger on it) and it's starting to affect my WIP. My main character isn't really feeling the connection either, even though she's supposed to be falling for him. How weird is that? So I think that "falling in love with your MC" thing has to be there in one way or another or the story might not work...

Ninja Bunny, the ever confused one

[MDavis]

I agree, Sassee. A similar thing happening with my heroine. I really liked the hero, and figured she would, too, but the chemistry just wasn't working.

Seems she wanted the villain, which is funny, because while I liked the hero, I looooved my villain...

So, being the nice, accomodating author I am, I let her have the villain instead.

Four years later I'm still trying to iron out the kinks.

[Beware_of_Italics]

:tongue Nice topic and yep, I can relate I guess.

Okay... some of you will think me as nutty as a granola bar for saying this but my experience has been that I think the male MC's in my books are the same man. A man from one of my past lives. I've had several readings done by a friend... a friend that hasn't read even one word from my books... and she would mention something from that past life which I've actually written about in my books. Talk about freaky!

I'm writing a paranormal/past life story loosely based on him right now. (Long story I won't delve into here ;)).

Kristin

[PattiTheWicked]

I have to be attracted to a "leading man". After all, if I don't want to bang him, my heroine won't either.

[Jersey Chick]

Short. To the point. I like that.

And I totally agree.

[scarletpeaches]

I have to be attracted to a "leading man". After all, if I don't want to bang him, my heroine won't either.

All my leading men look like James Purefoy.

[Lisamer]

I created my male MC based on someone I was in danger of falling for. I purposely gave him flaws that I could examine on paper.

[Gillhoughly]

Dorothy L. Sayers provided Lord Peter Wimsey with a avatar of herself (Harriet Vane, successful mystery writer) as first love interest, then wife. They had three adorable children. Her own life wasn't all that cute.


I like my male MCs a LOT, but keep a professional distance.

It can get squicky when they're in the sack with their love interest.

It's best for me to think of them as actors in a film, and I'm directing everything. We're all great pals and very close, but at the end of the day go to our own homes.

Which I'm rather happy about--I don't ever wanna find out if my true blue hero has skid marked undies and leaves the seat up on the flusher.


http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Haggis]

I'd probably fall in love with my main characters, but they usually wind up getting disemboweled, or something.

I write horror.

:Shrug:

[Sandy J]

I always love my heroes!! My hubby and I will hit 24 years on Monday. Some of my heroes have hubby's characteristics, especially his sarcasm.

I agree that the male mc has to be delicious. I want every woman reading my book to fall in love with him, so I have to fall in love with him first. :e2kissy: And I do!

[Sonarbabe]

I absolutley fell in love with the hero from my last novel. Adam was tall, dark and handsome. Not to mention filthy stinking rich. What I loved most about him--other than his blue-green eyes--was watching him turn into a total sweetheart with a sarcastic sense of humor. I swear, if my heroine hadn't already been in love with him, I would have gone out looking for him myself.

Boy, I think I should take my meds now. :tongue

[JulesJones]

Of course, this gets really interesting when you write m/m and thus have two heroes to fall in love with (which is half the point of m/m romance for straight women, really...). :-)

[Cathy C]

When I'm writing, I BECOME the heroine--so of course I fall for the hero. ;) Really, I'm not me at all. I'm Cara or Becky or Tahira. I think like them, plan my life on their past history. It's sort of freaky. But when the book's done, I'm Cathy again. No lost love syndrome. I just step out of the other person's skin and the desire is gone.

[Little Red Barn]

:tongue Nice topic and yep, I can relate I guess.

Okay... some of you will think me as nutty as a granola bar for saying this but my experience has been that I think the male MC's in my books are the same man. A man from one of my past lives. I've had several readings done by a friend... a friend that hasn't read even one word from my books... and she would mention something from that past life which I've actually written about in my books. Talk about freaky!

I'm writing a paranormal/past life story loosely based on him right now. (Long story I won't delve into here ;)).

Kristin
Now this is interesting, you need to see Saratim on this. She knows all about past lives--and although not in my book I've had same experience. Of course, when the reader told me out of the blue, not relating to your reading..but you should know this... you and this person will have to cross paths again. Anyways...Saratim says it could be a boss, father figure, or even in come in the form of female.
But I know we crossed recently and it took a lot to rid myself of this past...ok I'll be nuts with you ;)

[dragonjax]

I'm totally crushing on my bad-boy anti-hero.

[Beware_of_Italics]

Now this is interesting, you need to see Saratim on this. She knows all about past lives--and although not in my book I've had same experience. Of course, when the reader told me out of the blue, not relating to your reading..but you should know this... you and this person will have to cross paths again. Anyways...Saratim says it could be a boss, father figure, or even in come in the form of female.
But I know we crossed recently and it took a lot to rid myself of this past...ok I'll be nuts with you ;)

Well it's nice to know I'm not alone. :tongue Not to get OT, but it began when I was 6 or 7. I saw his spirit at the end of the bed, smoothing the covers at my feet. It scared me to death, of course, but I was also largely confused b/c of his strange hairstyle and weird clothes. Now I know he's from the Renaissance. (Or Medieval I suppose). He wore VERY fancy clothing. I've even created a pretty extensive website all about trying to solve the 27-year-old mystery. It's REALLY opened my eyes to things I used to be very close minded about. Even after seeing him, I still didn't believe in past lives until decades later. :tongue

Hopefully he's helping me write my most recent book. If he is I sure wish he'd help me with one of the male leads! "Iain" is talking my head off, but the other is quiet as a mouse.

[Sandy J]

When I'm writing, I BECOME the heroine--so of course I fall for the hero. ;) Really, I'm not me at all. I'm Cara or Becky or Tahira. I think like them, plan my life on their past history. It's sort of freaky. But when the book's done, I'm Cathy again. No lost love syndrome. I just step out of the other person's skin and the desire is gone.

I always think about some of the psych theories on personality formation I teach my students. Some revolve around "masks" that we wear to show people what we think they want to see. I think of my heroines that way. They are a each mask I can wear for a while, then I can be me again. :D

[KimberlyInMichigan]

I have to be attracted to a "leading man". After all, if I don't want to bang him, my heroine won't either.


That's hilarious. If my male MC were real, I'd totally want to "bang" him, too.:D

[KimberlyInMichigan]

I absolutley fell in love with the hero from my last novel. Adam was tall, dark and handsome. Not to mention filthy stinking rich. What I loved most about him--other than his blue-green eyes--was watching him turn into a total sweetheart with a sarcastic sense of humor. I swear, if my heroine hadn't already been in love with him, I would have gone out looking for him myself.

Boy, I think I should take my meds now. :tongue


I hear ya! If I ever got divorced, I'd be searching the earth for my current MC. Save some of those meds for me!

[KimberlyInMichigan]

Well it's nice to know I'm not alone. :tongue Not to get OT, but it began when I was 6 or 7. I saw his spirit at the end of the bed, smoothing the covers at my feet. It scared me to death, of course, but I was also largely confused b/c of his strange hairstyle and weird clothes. Now I know he's from the Renaissance. (Or Medieval I suppose). He wore VERY fancy clothing. I've even created a pretty extensive website all about trying to solve the 27-year-old mystery. It's REALLY opened my eyes to things I used to be very close minded about. Even after seeing him, I still didn't believe in past lives until decades later. :tongue

Hopefully he's helping me write my most recent book. If he is I sure wish he'd help me with one of the male leads! "Iain" is talking my head off, but the other is quiet as a mouse.


That is freaky and cool. I wish I'd have an experience like that. Have you seen him since you were a kid? They say that children are more prone to see those sort of things than adults.

[Beware_of_Italics]

That is freaky and cool. I wish I'd have an experience like that. Have you seen him since you were a kid? They say that children are more prone to see those sort of things than adults.

No, I haven't as I've asked him not to. :tongue I have heard his voice at least twice though, and he does visit me in dreamstate sometimes. I think he mainly communicates to me these days via coincidences and synchronicities related to him. His name is Patrick, by the way. I need to update my website about him and provide the link in my profile here sometime.

Kristin

[KimberlyInMichigan]

I need to update my website about him and provide the link in my profile here sometime.

Kristin

That would be cool, I'd love to read about it.

[Cathy C]

:tongue Nice topic and yep, I can relate I guess.

Okay... some of you will think me as nutty as a granola bar for saying this but my experience has been that I think the male MC's in my books are the same man. A man from one of my past lives. I've had several readings done by a friend... a friend that hasn't read even one word from my books... and she would mention something from that past life which I've actually written about in my books. Talk about freaky!

I'm writing a paranormal/past life story loosely based on him right now. (Long story I won't delve into here ;)).

Kristin

If this sort of thing interests you, watch for a book called "The Reincarnationist" by thriller author MJ Rose that'll be on the shelves in September. I'm reading the ARC of it now, and will be working to help her promote it. MIRA thinks it's going to be her "breakout" book and so far I agree. :)

[Little Red Barn]

Well it's nice to know I'm not alone. :tongue Not to get OT, but it began when I was 6 or 7. I saw his spirit at the end of the bed, smoothing the covers at my feet. It scared me to death, of course, but I was also largely confused b/c of his strange hairstyle and weird clothes. Now I know he's from the Renaissance. (Or Medieval I suppose). He wore VERY fancy clothing. I've even created a pretty extensive website all about trying to solve the 27-year-old mystery. It's REALLY opened my eyes to things I used to be very close minded about. Even after seeing him, I still didn't believe in past lives until decades later. :tongue

Hopefully he's helping me write my most recent book. If he is I sure wish he'd help me with one of the male leads! "Iain" is talking my head off, but the other is quiet as a mouse.
Well no seeing my person at the end of bed ;)...however reader said the last life for me, before now, was Victorian, very restrained -- very reserved and then Victorian father refused to let me marry the man I loved--the man he considered beneath my class...
But nuts as it is--you know somehow when you've crossed a path of one you've previously crossed in 'another time' some say dejuvu...

I don't know---

[Sonarbabe]

I like to think there is something to past lives. (Maybe, I'm weird, but hear me out) I can't help but think I at one time I once lived in Texas. Most of my stories take place in either a made up town in Texas or in North Carolina, where I used to live. I've never been to Texas except to stop at an airport, but I'm extremely comfortable writing about it.

Or I'm just plain nuts. Not sure. :D

[kimb68]

Um, my hero sort of IS my husband. Is that weird?

[Sandy J]

Um, my hero sort of IS my husband. Is that weird?

I sure don't think so!! I use many, many of my dh trait's in my heroes!
As an aside, this is our 24th anniversary. :snoopy: And we've been together that long without mayhem or homicide!

[larocca]

Nah, I can't say that I ever have fallen in love with my male MC. :roll:

More seriously, I based one of my male MCs on my little brother, who died in 1985. And even though I thought I was writing cop/action/adventure/testosterone shit, most of my readers are women, and they fell in love with my male MC. I'll be damned. Even dead, my little brother gets all the girls! :ROFL:

[HoosierCowgirl]

All of the MCs I have written about have some aspect of DH's character. A lot of it is a quirky sense of humor and able to talk to anybody about anything. Some of my MCs still have blond hair and blue eyes but more and more they are tall, dark and handsome like someone else I know ;) (We've been married 16 years. It was a lot easier to write male characters after getting married)

However, none of my heroes, being romantic leads, do dumb stuff like real-life main characters do -- unless it's a plot point.

Ann

[ccarver30]

<< He's my Male MC. Need I say more? ;)

[bylinebree]

All my leading men look like James Purefoy.

At risk of sounding like a love-struck teenage fan: YES!
He could play several of my MC-heroes, any time.

[Anita M Shaw]

I''ll have been married for 24 years this coming Dec. 3. Only one of my lead guys is a thing like him. Don't know yet how that's going to end.

Like Cathy C, I become the heroine for the life of whatever story I'm into. They may have one or two of my flaws or characteristics, desires--something . . . usually my lefthandedness . . . but there the similarities end.

Actually, I'm probably most in love with the father of the 23 year old triplets I'm doing a series on. Mom even has a variation of my first name . . . but even she has more confidence in herself than I do. Kids who actually help out around the place, cleaner house . . . a husband who's actually interested in her fictional worlds--is attuned to her feelings and generally knows how to handle her more difficult moods . . . a few daughters as well as sons, with whom she has a fairly good relationship with . . . horses . . . remarkable blue green eyes . . . more success with her writing career . . . :)

I've formed so much of an attachment to this pair, that I have planned for them to have their own book in the series. Expanded that to include the stories of their brothers . . . heck, I just fell in love with this whole family! Was supposed to be a one book deal. But it's looking more like a half dozen or so.

Anita
:e2BIC:

[auntybug]

Yes, I am. And its sick & wrong. I write 4th grade fantasy!!! I'm in love w/ cartoon people:Shrug: .

But....if you were to drift to my my space the "person you would like to meet" space is filled in with Eric from Little Mermaid. Hey - he has a really cute butt in #2!

Anyone have the number of a good therapist?

[Beware_of_Italics]

All my leading men look like James Purefoy.

I loved him in A Knight's Tale! There was some dragon movie with him on tv once, too. He was adorable. Very handsome.

Yes, I am. And its sick & wrong. I write 4th grade fantasy!!! I'm in love w/ cartoon people:Shrug: .

But....if you were to drift to my my space the "person you would like to meet" space is filled in with Eric from Little Mermaid. Hey - he has a really cute butt in #2!

Anyone have the number of a good therapist?

I've always loved Belle's "Beast" myself. ;)

I like him as the beast more than the prince! :tongue

[Manat]

I fall in love with them. Three so far. I think about them and dream about them and I make it all better. I think I write my stories in part so I can have a vicarious relationship with them. My problem is being faithful. I demand it of them, but I keep bouncing from one to another.

[Stlight]

I wonder if the writer falling in love with the MC makes a difference in the romantic depth of the book or not. (except perhaps in auntybug's case.)

Stlight

[Ms. Jem]

The creative process can really take your breath away - when I think of the way ideas form, it's a humbling experience. I had this 'hot guy' in my mind. I'd be driving to work and hear him say something sexy to me in his British baritone. I'd see a couple kissing and hot guy would be superimposed over the man. I knew exactly where and how he lived. I'd be at work (where I was supposed to be working) thinking about what would make hot guy mad, even the way he moved. After a few months, I realized he was my MC - so I wrote my first book about him!

The very day after I finished the book, I was in a salon flipping through magazines while I waited - hot guy was in one, an unknown (to me) model. I could neither breathe nor leave him there. When I recovered, I swiped the page out of the magazine and now I have a picture of my MC. :D

[JoNightshade]

I definitely fall in love with my male MCs. But the way I think of it is this: when I sit down to write, I take a look at myself in all my complexities, insecurities, strengths, etc. Then I rip myself in half. One half becomes the male, the other the female. I have no clue if that makes sense, but they both come from inside of me. So sometimes one character will end up with all of my difficult qualities, while the other has my best qualities... or some combination thereof.

[Hollan]

I've never fallien in love with my MC since I write YA, but I tend to fall in love with my older secondary characters. Problem is the last one I fell in love with was gay and a little insane. Oh, and fictional. I guess that's a problem too ^_^

[WittyandorIronic]

Oh, and fictional. I guess that's a problem too ^_^

lol.

[Ms. Jem]

I definitely fall in love with my male MCs. But the way I think of it is this: when I sit down to write, I take a look at myself in all my complexities, insecurities, strengths, etc. Then I rip myself in half. One half becomes the male, the other the female. I have no clue if that makes sense, but they both come from inside of me. So sometimes one character will end up with all of my difficult qualities, while the other has my best qualities... or some combination thereof.

I can definitely relate to this. I have a tendency to flesh out my male characters more strongly than my female characters. I have to go back and make sure the girls are up to par. I have no idea why this is - I'm a girl! But on the first go round, the guys are always spanking good.

[JoNightshade]

I can definitely relate to this. I have a tendency to flesh out my male characters more strongly than my female characters. I have to go back and make sure the girls are up to par. I have no idea why this is - I'm a girl! But on the first go round, the guys are always spanking good.

To quote you back, I often have this problem as well. I think for me, it's because I actually have to put myself in the guy's place and think, "Okay, how would this dude think about this?" Whereas my feeling for the women is so intuitive that most of how I feel about them doesn't end up on the page. I really have to work hard to pull those thoughts out of my own psyche. So in a sense, it's easier for me to write men because it's harder to understand them, and the process of coming to that understanding is what ends up on the page.

[Melenka]

Oh, I'm in love with my MC. I just really hope I don't ever meet him. He's a construct of some of the best and worst things about all the men I dated when I was truly self-destructive. The beauty of this is that I can relive the thrills without actually having to put my life in danger. That's what the heroine is for.

I have a tendency to flesh out my male characters more strongly than my female characters. I have to go back and make sure the girls are up to par.

Me, too. I lived with groups of guys, in non-romantic situations, for years. So the way they talk, move, act, think were things I got to examine close up and even ask questions about. I will always be grateful to those men for their insights. They make it a lot more comfortable to write from a male perspective.

Sometimes, I think it's harder for me to write the woman's POV because my own personality gets in the way of creating hers. Since I don't want to write women who are like me, it can provide a real stumbling block.

[Ms. Jem]

Thanks Jonightshade and Melenka - glad to hear I'm not the only one that does this! Guess I've spent a lot of years scrutinizing males (I know exactly what makes them hot and can put it on a page), but I've never given any thought to women! :)

[ccarver30]

My MC's best friend is the MC for my second novel... when I started writing it I began to fall for him too... LOL

[Ms. Jem]

Hi ccarver30,
It's something; the imagination. That's how worlds are created (and sequels!) My first and second novels are tied together in a similar way. :)