help on my novel

mysteryscribe · Feb 7, 2006

Okay, if you were writing a novel, and your hero was a guy in his thirties. A photographer, of course, former policeman but a deeply flawed hero. What would be his flaw. Im seriously interested in what people find appealing.

It is early in the novel and all my heros are flawed, so what should this one be. Why did he stop being a cop and become a photographer instead. No you dont get a cut..... no wait I have never sold anything so Ill give you each 50%. That would be about 700 percent with a little luck.

photogoddess · Feb 7, 2006

He drinks to forget all the horrible things he saw on the job. ???

mysteryscribe · Feb 7, 2006

a tried and proven one lol... Now drinks to hide what he did on the job is more my style lol

Okay we now have one drunk... the more the merrier. If you think drunk say it Im open to suggestions. If drunk gets the most votes its jack daniels all the way

terri · Feb 7, 2006

He quit being a cop and turned to photography because of a deep sense of hopelessness over the human condition....he realized as a cop he was fighting a losing battle against the overwhelming stupidity and mean spiritedness of man. He struggles to go on, bound to his tired sense of duty..... Finally, his partner is shot to death during a routine call for domestic disturbance, and while he is shocked and grieved over the sudden death, he is also haunted by the images of the family they were called to investigate.....the desolate woman, the enraged man....the children's eyes were sunken, round, staring out with apathy from the squalid rooms of the dirty apartment...he suddenly sees that if he could bring their desperate plight to the attention of the world, maybe he could effect some change. How best to do this? No one listens to a cop on a beat....so he turns to his trusty old camera......starts wandering the streets, photographing people, places, things he's always seen and hated, but accepted.....you get the drift.

And make it a film camera. Have darkroom scenes, describe the glow of the red light as he watches some profound image coming slowly into view....

Okay, so it's crap. :mrgreen:

photogoddess · Feb 7, 2006

Ok - One foggy night he killed a kid that he thought was drawing a gun on him. He saw a flash of metal and opened fire only to discover that the kid had been reaching for an mp3 player. He covered it up with a planted gun from the evidence locker and was consequently cleared of any wrong doing but everytime he closes his eyes, he sees the kid holding the mp3 player asking why. His fellow officers suspect the truth but have no proof. Honoring the brotherhood of the force, they all stay silent but your hero is shuned by his peers. He's such a mess, his wife left him so now he drinks to forget the pain. Any better or too cliche?

Calliope · Feb 7, 2006

photogoddess said:
Ok - One foggy night he killed a kid that he thought was drawing a gun on him. He saw a flash of metal and opened fire only to discover that the kid had been reaching for an mp3 player. He covered it up with a planted gun from the evidence locker and was consequently cleared of any wrong doing but everytime he closes his eyes, he sees the kid holding the mp3 player asking why. His fellow officers suspect the truth but have no proof. Honoring the brotherhood of the force, they all stay silent but your hero is shuned by his peers. He's such a mess, his wife left him so now he drinks to forget the pain. Any better or too cliche?

I was thinking along the same lines... he committed some kind of crime and feels so guilty, he had to leave the force.

mysteryscribe · Feb 7, 2006

My god yall write it and just send me the manuscript lol I love them all... Okay can you switch gears and go this way a second this is just a thought.... early retirement, so he doesn't have to make a lot of money. Given any senario you like flawed hero retired why.

JohnMF · Feb 7, 2006

Maybe he has always felt he was a woman trapped inside a mans body, and knows he would never be accepted within the macho world of law enforcement if he was to persue his dream of complete gender transformative surgery. Hence he decides to retire and live his new life, post op, as 'Barbara, Private Investigator'.

Failing that, maybe he just takes early retirement due to a bad hip

mysteryscribe · Feb 7, 2006

Well since I am already several hundred words into it I think I will make him out on a mental breakdown. Not monk probably alcohol related. There is a rape happening now I thnk break down cause by inability to save a rape victim probably hesitated to shoot and she died. He couldn't stop crying for weeks so out he goes on a mental shameful

how does that sound? would you buy that... crisis is brought on now by the rape victim that wanders into his campsite. I think it will work

JohnMF · Feb 8, 2006

maybe the rapist was his friend or brother or something, so he has divided loyalties?

I take it you going to pass on the gender confusion issue then?

photogoddess · Feb 8, 2006

Early retirement??? He got on the force young and had a background in computers. During his off time, instead of moonlighting as a security guard or PI, he designed a software system to track the dna of convicted felons that would share the info between agencies. He sold it for a bundle of dough to law enforcement agencies world wide and made so much money selling his software, he was able to retire early when he had his tramatizing incident (pick one) on the force. Now he comes in as a consultant on specific jobs for the chief of police. Work for ya?

Flawed hero works because it shows his humas side.

mysteryscribe · Feb 8, 2006

Since my gay insurance detective did so poorly I think so, but thanks anyway.

I think Im going to go with terri on the already sick of the world then sick of himself when he couldnt save even the one woman. Lost his trust in himself i think.

but the gender switch as a X dresser might have been interesting to....lol too far along this time.

bace · Feb 8, 2006

He took early retirement because his wife died, suddenly, in a tragic car accident. She was a photographer, and instead of selling all her equipment he decided to keep it and learn the trade. Photography was such a big part of her life and he never understood why, understanding it now, made him feel like she was still there. Probably not good for him in the long run and over the years has driven him to find comfort at the bottom of southern. Until one day he finds an undeveloped film. After processing it he realizes why he'd never found it before. Some pictures on the roll put someone very important at the scene of a brutal murder. He begins to think his wifes death might not have been an accident.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN!!
I know, I should be a writer.

mysteryscribe · Feb 8, 2006

You do need to write that nice story

bace · Feb 8, 2006

I wrote a really long story once about an immortal. Then I realized the only reason I was writing it was because I wanted to be a vampire.

...I read Anne Rices Vampire Chronicles. Doesn't everyone want to be a Vampire after those?