A lot of writing guides say to ‘write what you know.’ In my case, my heroines tend to be insecure, slightly neurotic, smart, witty and acerbic. So? What’s your point?
But one way, I’ve realized, that I don’t write what I know is in my heroine’s appearance. Namely, her boobs. See, I’m not so busty. I used to be, about twenty years ago, then I lost a bunch of weight and realized I wasn’t really all that much. But my heroines? They are stacked. Their breasts are gorgeous. My heroes notice their bosoms, too, which is fun to write about–a female fantasy, if you will.
But oddly enough, in my contemporaries, my heroines are built a lot more like me (but cuter). They’ve got some junk in their trunk, and not so much on top. I hadn’t really thought about it much, but when I figured it out, I think I decided it’s because my historical books are way more fantastic world-building, whereas the contemporaries mirror my own life much more. Because, see, I haven’t been to Almack’s in forever.
Anyway, it’s fun to create a person who is who you’d like to be, in appearance at least. I guess that’s why most of those ’80s sturm und drang romances had impossibly beautiful heroines, which rings so false to current readers–those authors were creating a total fantasy, writing a heroine who was perfect–too perfect–in many ways. We’re a lot more realistic now, but I’m still going to write a heroine whose cups runneth over.
Which heroine would you most like to look like? If you were writing a super-heroic you, what feature(s) would you change?
I loved this post!!
As someone whose cups runneth over, I find it interesting that I always write heroines with smaller chests. I guess that’s my fantasy. For one breast to fit perfectly into my hero’s hand is apparently something I was subconsciously desiring. 🙂
Anyway, great post. Got me thinking in the morning, which is always good!
This will sound very conceited, but no matter what book I’m reading or how the heroine is described I always picture myself as the heroine even if she is short, small chested and blonde. (I’m none of those things). But the hero is rarely someone I know….I take his description and imagine a man like him although sometimes the hero is Anthony Howell (I know this is blasphemy, but I prefer him to Richard Armitage) or Harry Connick Jr. I’ve always wanted Go-Go Gadget boobs. Boobs that could go big or flat depending on what you were doing (need to fill out an evening gown? Go-Go Gadget boobs! Going running? Well then keep them flat). One thing I will say about big breasts (and I could easily work at a topless bar called DD’s) they sure as hell ruin your golf game.
Rebecca Lynn:
I always write how the breast fills the hero’s hand to capacity! Cool point.
Jane Austen:
I love your idea of Go-Go Gadget boobs–perfect for exercising (lowering the size) or wearing a new sweater (upping the ante).
A superheroic me would be 35 lbs thinner and three inches taller! And 30 years younger, too.
Luckily, I can be all of those in fantasy! And, come to think of it, I don’t think I do much description of breast sizes in my books.
Just gotta say, I admire Keira Knightley for not getting breast augmentation! All body types can be beautiful.
I do not want to know the heroine’s breast size, period. If she is described as voluptuous, then I get the sense that she is generously endowed. If she is described as willowy, I know she is probably less so. More than that (meaning anything more specific), I don’t want to know. I’ve read too many books where the description felt gratuitous and didn’t have a real point, although occasionally it’s there for a reason. I realize that some people want far more detail than I do, but the more general description works for me as far as body parts are concerned.
I’m with Jane Austen. No matter the description of the heroine in the book, I always picture her as me. Although I have noticed that I write a lot of redheads and blondes in my books. Only one heroine has had dark hair. And they’ve had boobs of various sizes. Personally, I like the way I look. It’s taken me a while to appreciate myself but now I wouldn’t change a thing. If I want to be taller, I wear heels. I can make my curly hair straight. And I can take off my glasses.
Thanks for an interesting post!
I love Risky Regency! I nominated this blog for a Kreativ Blogger Award: http://amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com/2010/02/kreativ-blogger-award.html
I just love the word ‘stacked’ – it is such a nice way of describing ‘huge’. Some Regency bosoms in those flimsy muslins must have been truly terrifying.
In my novels my heroines are all willowy – not at all like me [sigh] but a gal can dream. Now i’m wondering if that’s why i write the books….Hmm.
What a fantasy, Megan. Taller, skinnier, flatter (mosquito bites, as described in Bend it Like Beckham)…that would be my fantasy.
Interesting to think about. I guess I always write my heroines as looking something similar to me (at least in build, not necessarily looks) because it’s what I know. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a voluptuous figure!
LOL! I do like to write tall heroines–I guess that’s the one thing I always wished was different, and the one thing I really can’t change (except with shoes, of course). 🙂 I never really wanted a bigger bosom–clothes just hang better without ’em, especially strapless party dresses…
Amanda, you remind of the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie where Millie says “I wish my fronts weren’t so full. They sure ruin the line of my beads.” (It takes place in the 1920s so those long flapper beads). Too funny.