Disappointments

The lot of a writer is often interspersed pretty frequently with disappointments. Today was one of those days.

Today was Shortlist Announcement Day for publishers, Choc Lit and their 'Search For A Star' competition. Sadly I wasn't on it.

Of course I know I need to just take it on the chin and move on to the next door and give that one a knock. And I will. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to flail around down here on the mat for half an hour. I really like my book and someone else didn't. Not a new concept for any author, successful or not. You can't please everyone. I know that. But it doesn't make it any easier. Not right now anyway.

Going back to that previous paragraph, what I pick up from that is that I like my book. And I do. Getting it prepared for that submission meant, as we all know, reading it through many times. And I still enjoyed it. I like my characters and wouldn't kick my hero out of bed. I think that's a pretty good start. It might not have been right for Choc Lit but that doesn't mean it's not right for someone else.

But I will get up, brush myself, and my book off and try again. Just not tonight.

Writing A Good Baddie

It's often said that 'baddies' can be the most fun to write, and if the latest offering from the James Bond stable, 'Skyfall' is anything to go by, the writers must have had an absolute ball!

And don't worry, there are no spoilers here!

Silva has the required sinister undertones (and shockingly bad hair) for a satisfying baddie but he also had a personality. Albeit one with a rather warped view of things but it's still there for all to see. He isn't just nasty for nasty's sake. He isn't a caricature of a baddie as some have been - Jonathan Pryce's media mogul in 'Tomorrow Never Dies', springs to mind for that one. Unlike that film, Skyfall's writers have actually managed to create a likeable baddie. It's fun when he's on screen, even though he's doing terrible things - we want to see what he's going to get up to next - and how he's going to react to the attempts to thwart him. Of course, credit must go to Javier Bardem for making those writers' words come to life so well.

Of course, we have to be careful not to make the badddie TOO likeable. We don't want him to succeed in his dastardly plan after all! But we do want him (or her!) to be interesting, and we do want him to be an admirable and worthy opponent for our hero (or heroine). If our hero is a genius and the baddie can barely remember his own name, it's hardly a challenge. Of course we want things to end well, but a bit of struggle, whether that be mental, physical or both, to get to that point is required to make us want to keep turning the page (or watching the film).

I'd highly recommend taking a trip to see 'Skyfall' if you haven't already for a chance to see a really 'good' baddie!

So, any favourite baddies spring to mind for you?