OR

A HERO WITHOUT A VENUE

            We’ve all heard about the man without a country, and what a horrid situation that must be. To have no place to go, to lay your head at night that is secure and familiar. To, I imagine, constantly change your address and perhaps also run from authorities, would be awful.

            My hero, unwritten as yet, is like that man. I have a complete image of him, what he’s like and who he is, but I have no story for him yet. Sure, I have a lot of ideas flashing around in my brain, but non strong enough for this man.

            What I’m imagining is a compelling hero, one who is irresistible but has a hidden side. Definitely not an ordinary hero. Sometime ago, years in fact, I read a book about just such a character. He was mysterious. Now, that is not unusual, but the author created him in such a way that demanded the reader’s attention. Another book with such a hero is Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity.

            That’s what I want, and I believe that no matter how strong a character I create, the story line, venue, everything, has to be equally as good.

            As I write this, part of the answer has come to me. I think it would work if the character has, for some reason, to hide from the authorities and from another faction, possibly a criminal one. This would, in effect, make him like the man without a country.

            But, I still don’t have the venue and that is the aspect of the story the article is about, i.e., The Man without a Country. I suspect that, once I figure that out, everything else will fall into place.

            This character has dominated my thoughts for more than two years, so much so that I know I have to write this gook soon. I don’t understand why so much is eluding me—this has never happened to me before—but I do know I can’t dismiss it. I’ve started books that simply didn’t work and was able to put them away. Not so with this one. I’d like to be able to think that means this will be a blockbuster, but it could also be just the opposite. But it won’t be anything at all if I don’t tackle it soon.

            Have any of you ever had anything similar to contend with, and what did you do about it?

Joan K. Maze

Writing as J. K. Maze

http://sleuthingwithmollie.wordpress.com