A character challenge

One thing you can say about what kinds of books I write: There is something for everyone. When I decided to start writing chick lit, I asked myself if I was doing this because I wanted to, or because I wanted to have something in THAT genre, for THAT audience.

My answer: Because I wanted to.

Now, however, I’m not so sure.

Got through the first two chapters okay, even as my stomach turned while I wrote them. But here I am at chapter three, and guess what? I don’t like my character. I just! Don’t! Like! Her! AAH!!!

I was chatting with another deaf writer online today. She knows I’m doing NaNo. I told her, “Every chapter I write makes me want to puke.”

“Why?” she asked.

So I told her. My character is EVIL! I don’t LIKE her. She’s…mean. Yes, a real meanie. So shallow and self-absorbed and snobbish and deceitful. My words: “I don't like my character. I don't like the way she is and what she does.”

My character is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of everything I am. My “evil twin,” so to speak, although she is younger than me.

My friend replied, "You don't have to like the character. Just let her evolve."

While I agreed, I had to wonder if my character WILL evolve. If she will change. Stop being so shallow and all “me-me-me.”

In any event, I’m still writing her story. I set out to do this book, and I am going to do it! Even though my protagonist is the most undesirable character to write through her POV, I must plod on. With any luck, “living” as my character for the next 28 days will serve as a reminder that at least I’m not like that.

Wow, and I thought I had a character challenge with my last book, writing in the POV of my delusional antagonist. This one really beats that challenge.