SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY!
October 6th, 2006 by LaDonna
You mean these people have to work? When the realization hit me, a few novels into the game, I realized I’d run out of careers. Or at least to me, it felt that way. I was going on the assumption I couldn’t repeat. You can imagine, I hit the end of the road by book three, four. 
We’re talking all characters accounted for and WORKING.
I discovered during the process, it’s always nice to stick to what you know. Okay, confession time. My second novel–many years ago– had an international diamond buyer in it. 
Hey, I was inspired. I’d read a Sidney Sheldon book about the mining business. Sheesh, I love the guy, can’t remember what the title was now. I’d love to read it again. Anyway, I did finish my novel. This was before internet, and yes it was after WWII. This novel will never see the light of day…without a serious rewrite. I never say never.
It didn’t take me long to realize, about the time I discovered my voice, that my novels had common threads. They take place in small southern towns, on the lake. Or at least close to one. I know this place. I know these people. I talk to them, and do business with them on a regualar basis.
It helps that I actually play on the lake, and love boating. Makes for believable storytelling I hope. There are many authors that specialize in one profession, and extend from that. FBI guys, hot cops, forensic science, lawyers, doctors, etc. It would be pretty unappealing if characters didn’t DO anything. No one would fall in love with them. End of story.
So, in keeping with my theme here, I thought you could share your career blues with me. Do your main characters specialize in a certain field, something you’re very familiar with? And do you ever get stuck on the career question? Or, do they come fully qualified and ready to roll?
21 Responses to “SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY!”
Nice post, LaDonna! In my urban fantasy stories, my characters are computer programmers, engineers, lawyers, and administrative assistants. I think maybe I’m lazy and don’t want to research other career fields, because those are the four careers I know most about from my day jobs.
In my epic fantasy stuff, though, the careers are all over the map — dressmakers, cat burglars, noblewomen, church warriors, priests, municipal court judges. I guess maybe I felt more at liberty to just make stuff up!
Great questions, LaDonna! In my wip, I have 3 women portagonists, and their careeers are easier than the men’s. Hair stylist, lawyer, and 7th grade teacher (and part time erotic writer). For the teacher, I have teacher friends and relatives, but it doesn’t matter because in my book IT’S SUMMER! (A friend told me she went into teaching for 3 reasons: June, July and August.) My CP Jan Kenny is a hair stylist, and I’ve asked her questions. Besides, I’ve spent time–and money–in hair salons. For the last, I have lawyer friends, but my biggest advisor is Liz, who works in a law firm.
The men are a little harder. I was forced to go to a comedy club and drink Sex on the Beach drinks as research for one who’s an emcee and another who owns the club. I also went to an AME (African Methodist Church) service for research.
This comment got a little long. I have a lot of characters, lol.
I’m never stumped on the job question. In fact, I usually have a job for the character before I have a name.
But I like characters who kill for a living–I think I have Repressed Aggression, which you can blame on characters who drive me crazy. I count at least 2 assassins in my small number of WIPs–and they are lead characters too.
Great post! I’m always a little stumped on the job question, because I fear my characters jobs are a little boring — they aren’t FBI agents or international smugglers — they’re usually administrative assistants, webmasters, teachers, stay-at-home moms, etc. (Probably because they’re easier for me to write – been there, done that.)
And, LaDonna, as for sticking to southern towns by water, hey, Ann Rivers Siddons does it, and look how well it worked for her!
Hey, Lynne! You do have quite a box of goodies in the career department. And your epic fantasy stuff rocks, so you know your made-up world is working for you there too.
Edie, poor baby having drink Sex on the Beach and laugh at a comedy club. Ah, can I tag along on your next research trip?
And I can help on the hairdresser thing too. I grew up in that environment. It’s what my mom did. My brother was diagnosed with adult asthma, and I get sinus thingys. Those proucts in the 60′s could burn your nose hairs at 20 paces. 
I don’t think they did much “testing” back then.
May, lucky you! And I love your style btw. Kill ‘em off! Ah, are there any characters left at the end, or does the town blow up? LOL
Rebecca, you have seriously made my day, just by mentioning her. I LOVE Miss Siddons, and wouldn’t mind having a style along those lines. I also read Luanne Rice, who has beach-side locations. There’s a slew of them out there, and I wanna be one! I think it’s wonderful you write characters that are comfortable to you. Me too. A good place to work from. I bet yours are great!
Hey, ‘hot cops’, I resemble that remark. I write what I know. And if hubby wasn’t a cop? I’d be so damn lost in the fog. He reminds me regulalry if it weren’t for him…
funny about repressed aggression, May. I think I have some of that too,and it definitely comes out in my stories.
My characters are administrative rulers, sorcerers, servants and members of royalty in my fantasies, ship’s captains and doctors (one of my best friends is a doctor, so I have a great source there) in my historicals. Because I spent a long time at university and worked in the academic publishing field before going into IT, my contempary characters are academics. My Mom used to be an academic until five years ago, too, so I have my childhood to draw on there
Funnily enough, my most recent and current occupations have never made it into my books. Too close to home, maybe?
Karin, you probably resemble the remark cause I was thinking of you when I wrote it. Too funny about hubby reminding you of the fact. Hey, just think if he were a couch potato with a spare tire, you might not be as inspired. And then where would we be? It’s all good.
Michelle, wow! You do have a background to draw from. Interesting you mentioned not including your current occupations. Great point, and something we can ponder here.
One of the protagonists in my stories always has some kind of scientific-based job – which makes sense because I was a science teacher for 9 yrs. The one job I tend to shy away from is anything police-related because I feel like I know very little about the profession as a whole. One of my CPs is married to an ex-cop so I have “resources” but sometimes that makes me feel like I know even less than others. Hard to explain, but true. If I put crime-fighters in my books, it’s usually in a secondary character capacity.
Having said that, what am I working on now? A story about an ex cop. He was a secondary character in my last book and is now the hero in this one. And I’m now left asking why I’m torturing myself like this. Believe me, for the next few weeks I’ll probably be hounding Officer Friendly and hanging out at Karin’s blog.
Elisabeth, Officer Friendly loves talking cop. Keep sending the questions. He’ll answer.
ps, go over to http://www.murdershewrites.com we’re ranting about the accuracy or lack there of of cop research.
Eli, a Science teacher? Wow, I didn’t know that. And I know what you mean about feeling unknowledgeable when it comes to cops. Officer Friendly should help ya out on that. Good idea. I love doing stories on secondary characters too. It’s like visiting an old friend. And Karin, sounds like fun at the rant-fest!
Write about what you know? Hmmm. I’ve worked in fast food restaurants, nursing homes, an insurance company and lastly law firms as chief bottle washer and peon. This is where I point out that I write paranormal and fantasy. Would much rather make stuff up as I go. Far more interesting than civil litigation.
Liz, I think that’s why I love my paranormal elements. It’s fun to let the imagination take flight, aka make things up! My life might appear boring to the casual eye. But, we know different.
LaDonna, I mostly only want to blow up the town at the end. Haven’t actually done it, though there’s one book where the ending appears to be The World Ends (I write fantasy mostly).
LaDonna,
My heroes are always homocide detectives. And at this point, I can’t think of any stories I have where they aren’t.
My heroines, though. What a pain in the butt it is to come up with jobs for them. Deborah, in Yesterday’s Child was an illustrator. Children’s books. But when she loses her son this line of work becomes too painful for her, and she quits. Since she is rich beyond belief, she doesn’t need to work and basically makes finding her son into a full time job.
In the WIP, Bree owns a pet cafe, in this touristy little section of Seattle. They also do a pretty booming business of homemade, mail order pet treats.
LaDonna, you mentioned one of my favorite authors, and my favorite novel of his. It was called “Master Of The Game.” I still have it, and now I have a hankerin’ to dig it out and re-read.
As far as occupations, I’ve had photojournalists, surgeons, detectives, vetrinarians and rodeo stars. WHEW! The current WIP has an old hockey player and financial expert.
The common denominator in all my books, so far, has been the older man/younger female relationship. Not always the main thrust (oh, I love that pun!), but, in each one, the May/December seems to surface.
Kath, Smooooocccch! Now that I have the title, I can order it. I need to read this book again! Also, I love your occupations. Verra, verra interesting! And nothing wrong with May/December thing.
May, your novel where the world ends sounds fascinating.
Can’t wait to read it. My favorite show now is Jericho. Go, figure.
Theresa, brilliant making all your heroes homicide detectives. You only have to worry about the gals. And I love it when characters have money and can have more “free” time.