Are You Man Enough?

Or in my case, woman enough?

Today I read an article that quoted author Douglas Preston. He said this regarding what to do if you are stumped about what should happen next in your novel:

“Wow, what's the worst possible thing—and do I have enough courage to go there?”

I admit, much of the time I lack that courage. It can take me quite a while to decide that I can indeed torture my characters with the worst I think up. And I'm not even that mean.

How am I supposed to feel about getting meaner? Really, this sort of thing isn't exactly encouraged. At least not in my family. Growing up, if Mom heard anyone utter the words “shut-up” there were very, very serious consequences. Anything meaner and you may as well give up your life as you knew it. Tolerance, kindness and respect was the code at home—enforced by my mother's iron fist.

And now I need to be mean to people? I'm not only supposed to shatter every dream they've ever held dear, but also kill the ones they love, take away any respite they may find, have their friends betray them and perhaps harm their cute, fluffy pets?

Wow, I'm a monster.

“He's like a monster.”
“I'm not a monster!”

Brownie points if anyone can tell me where those two lines are from.

I guess it's time to let the Ninjas in my Kempo class beat me a bit. Toughen me up so I can do horrible things to innocent characters.

Being a writer is hard!