Ideas?
I've been playing around with some "what if" ideas and have hit upon a premise for a new historical that I might start on after my contemporary is finished. I'm stuck in a few places, however, and wondered if any of you might have any suggestions.
I've always loved the story "Oliver Twist" and thought I would like to do some kind of variation, but I could never figure out how the characters would fit into it. I've finally decided that I would start out with a young girl, about 14 or 15, who would run away from her guardian--her older brother--and hide out on the streets of London. She would fall in with a group of young pickpockets, who would give her shelter. The brother would be the hero and he would come looking for her. This is how he would meet the heroine. There would be an evil, Bill Sikes-like character who would cause all sorts of trouble.
Now, here are my problems, and I would appreciate suggestions about any or all of them.
1. Why would the girl run away from home? She's too young to be forced into a marriage she doesn't want, so this eliminates this as a possibility. (Keep in mind, her brother is the hero, so it can't be anything horrible he's done or we would lose sympathy for him as a character.)
2. How would the heroine come into the story? A philanthropic widow who is trying to help the group of pickpockets? The leader of the pickpockets herself? (This is where I am hitting a major snag!)
For problem number 1. Does a teenage girl really need a reason? Maybe she has a crush on the local bad boy and her bro has forbidden her to talk to him. Or maybe she thinks her bro is treating her like a baby and wants to show him up.
2. I think it depends on what your heroine's personality is like. I would stir away from her being a pickpocket. It would take alot of work to explain her criminal behavior then turn her into a gentlewoman for the hero. I would go with her being an employee of a charitable institution, impoverished gentlewoman.
Keep in mind your setting. I would set it in a period after the Regency. Although many romance novels love to have their characters act charitably towards the less fortunate, there really wasn't any organized effort until the Victorian age.
pickpockets
I always did love a romance with a good pickpocket in it. They are hard to find.
I've been told, also, that it is too difficult to make a pickpocket into a 'good' or sympathic character. I disagree. If they have a valid reason, I think you can do it. I've seen it done before. I can't remember which novel it was i read, but the heroine was a highwayman - because she was trying to save the estate for her brother..yada, yada, yada. i've written a skit with a female pickpocket. there is something just so spicy, and blunt, and devil-may-care about a woman who can fleese a man without him even knowing it.
I like this idea too
I think it gives you the best of both worlds.
Rene
karebare
Unregistered User
(5/13/02 7:15 pm) Reply
idea
I have an idea for #1. How about the brother is getting engaged to a horrable female (but he doesn't know it of course). The girl brings it to his attention and they argue because he assumes that she just is jealouse and she will lose him....you know......that kind of thing. She cant see him being hurt so she runs away. The brother realizes how his fience is and goes after her. I dunno.....just my idea ....
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