Captain's Log, Stardate 03.23.2009
Hey guys, I could use some help.
In my current manuscript, The Year of the Dog, which is a humorous contemporary romance, I have a minor character, Eddie. He’s my heroine’s ex-boyfriend, and they’re on good terms with each other.
He’s a bit irresponsible, but not so much so that he’s a complete loser. He’s got a very easy going attitude, he forgets to pay his bills sometimes, he’s friendly and charming. He’s adventurous and fun to be around, but he’s a little forgetful sometimes, and he tends to spend a little outside his income.
I need an occupation for him. What would a charming, easy going, slightly irresponsible guy do for a living?
He’s not too irresponsible, because otherwise readers will wonder what in the world my heroine saw in him to date him in the first place. She was attracted to his charm, his easy going attitude (her family’s uptight, and he was a nice contrast), and his adventurousness. But his forgetfulness and irresponsibility eventually annoyed her too much (she discovered she’s a bit more uptight herself than she realized).
So please comment and throw out ideas! No idea is too dumb or too silly or too improbable. I want any and all ideas you can come up with! If I use your idea, I will list your name in my acknowledgements section of the book.
Thanks!
Hey guys, I could use some help.
In my current manuscript, The Year of the Dog, which is a humorous contemporary romance, I have a minor character, Eddie. He’s my heroine’s ex-boyfriend, and they’re on good terms with each other.
He’s a bit irresponsible, but not so much so that he’s a complete loser. He’s got a very easy going attitude, he forgets to pay his bills sometimes, he’s friendly and charming. He’s adventurous and fun to be around, but he’s a little forgetful sometimes, and he tends to spend a little outside his income.
I need an occupation for him. What would a charming, easy going, slightly irresponsible guy do for a living?
He’s not too irresponsible, because otherwise readers will wonder what in the world my heroine saw in him to date him in the first place. She was attracted to his charm, his easy going attitude (her family’s uptight, and he was a nice contrast), and his adventurousness. But his forgetfulness and irresponsibility eventually annoyed her too much (she discovered she’s a bit more uptight herself than she realized).
So please comment and throw out ideas! No idea is too dumb or too silly or too improbable. I want any and all ideas you can come up with! If I use your idea, I will list your name in my acknowledgements section of the book.
Thanks!
Comments
Retail work is a perfect fit for someone who's easy going and friendly, because customers like him.
Since he is adventuresome, he could sell anything from sailboats to hot air balloon rides!
--Jen
Ok.. I didn't name names, but anyone in my family reading this knows exactly who I'm talking about. A little too much information. Obviously, I can't use him as a character in one of my books, so maybe you can have fun with him.
Judy Vandiver
most of my "deadend" boyfriends were IT or Tech-Support.
a zoo employee
operates a lottery booth in a mall
gives trail hikes to school groups
operates a bowling alley
handyman
Can't wait to read the book!
Two ideas:
1) Actor/Waiter. Always goes on auditions for different plays, films, movies etc.. Continuously taking acting classes. But also waits tables to earn cash until he hits it big.
2) Freelance Graphic designer: Really talented with creating logos and designs for others. He wants to have his own company or do something in film animation but he doesn't have the discipline to follow through with his dream.
Something to do with kids---teacher, camp counselor (not the counselor maybe, but someone who works at a kids' camp), coach
Musician
Mascot for a professional sporting team (Wouldn't that be a fun job.)
Photographer
He's a bit irresponsible, so he doesn't hold a job very long. He's likeable, so he finds it easy to get a job--but will run into trouble eventually because his resume will be too long.
It also means he's stuck in low-paying jobs--easy to spend outside his income.
So...messenger/courier of some sort, UPS/FedEx driver, retail, team mascot, landscape company, outdoor retail company, river guide/mountain climber guide--probably not so good if he's forgetful at times--camp counselor, etc.
Maybe he works in a nursing home, charming the older patients and their families. Nursing homes can be sad places, at times, so this guy's easy going attitude helps cheer up the place.
Or maybe he works with teenagers who suffer from low self-esteem. His charming attitude helps encourage them to have confidence in themselves.
Perhaps he's the director for the local community theater. Deep down, he'd like to make it big, but is afraid of failure because his father said he'd never amount to anything.
I love brainstorming! It's the actual writing that's hard. :)
Interesting guy!
Jerri
I think he's a lawn care specialist. He throws his billing tickets in the front seat of his trash-filled truck, along with McDonald's wrappers, and petrified Twinkies.
He is creative and gifted, but his habits are drowning him, and fortunately, he doesn't care. He is, however, passionate about lawns. He sounds like a doctor describing whatever ailment your sick lawn has. He often leaves his wallet on the front seat, never locks his doors.
If you want him to have degrees, he could have a landscape management degree.
There are such things as restaurant management degrees.
I pictured Eddie as a manager of one of those cell-phone booths at the mall. (You know the kind of guy that leans on the counter and flirts with the ladies that walk by.)
He enjoys suckering new clients into exorbant payment plans in between meals at the food court, and he gets his fill of commitment by enticing unsuspecting young women to sign two-year phone contracts. (Maybe he sold your heroine her first touch-screen cell phone and she liked him so much she purchased the GPS option)
Just a thought :)
Rachel
Plumber
Utility meter reader
Bike messenger
Cell phone salesman
Good luck with your ideas!
Maybe he does concert security for a local event venue, so he gets backstage access to all the hottest shows for free.
Or he dresses as a character for an amusement park, so he is able to ride the roller coasters whenever he wants and eat fried dough and hot dogs for free.
This is fun! I want to do more. :)
dog walker
kids birthday party clown
sales associate at Target
hot dog vendor
eBay seller; sells trading cards & comic books
How 'bout a tour guide? I worked in a Cavern and the guys like that got THE BEST tips. They worked in the gift shop on slow days.
Irresponsible: He misses deadlines, doesn't remember to return calls to publishers, etc.
But he loves what he does. He is curious and knowledge seeking driven. So when he's out researching/ interviewing people (where he is charming), he misses dates with the heroin, forgets to call, etc. In a way, the heroin got sick of him putting his passion before her.
He is trying to get a book deal and so in the meantime doesn't get paid too well for his work but he is rewarded with perks (eg. free stuff, free trial samples, invitations to events, etc).
This man already exists as I'm typing it all! Haha ... I'd love to develop this character some more.
He's a self-made man, border-line genius. Uncanny talent with electronics--not IT. Can take a camera apart and put it together in nothing flat. Loves photography. Hires himself out for weddings, etc. He's a self-employed freelancer. Innovative when it suits him. Has a small repair shop where he tinkers. He's a sub-contractor for installing cable and satellite systems, which is basically his only income. Aside from that he'd rather trade his expertise for something instead of getting paid with cash.
Yeah, charming to a fault, very likeable but a bit of a braggart and tends to come off as obnoxious. He's one of those guys you either love or hate. Nothing in-between. LOL
If you like this character, let me know. I can give you a whole lot more!
Linda Beed
I see that mine is not the first response with this answer. (They copied!)
I have 2 ideas: 1-He has his own plumbing and heating/air conditioning business. Somewhat responsible and cababple, but clueless about everything else around him. 2-He could be a small business consultant (every University has a Small Business Development Center) where he meets with clients on a daily basis that want to start small businesses, but this gives him a very flexible schedule and lots of time to play golf in the afternoon, he is basically clueless too- I think most guys are when it comes to girls! (and, unfortunately, life in general at times!!!) Good luck Camy!
Chrissey
Or, he's a clerk at the local PetSmart and enjoys talking with the customers and their pets as he stocks shelves or runs the register...
He does sales calls from home very part-time; this would fit in with your guy: he can be charming on the phone, and strikes up long conversations with the people he calls/who call him until they like him so much they can't not buy! And who doesn't just love a salesman who's not pushy at all?
In his free time, this guy offers rides on his sailboat, maybe even sailing classes. It gets him outdoors, he can hang with cool people, and he makes a couple hundred a pop for playing around on the lake (or other body of water).
Both of his jobs add up to irregular income, a disregard for deadlines, and high flexibility :-D
Could be a photograher a magazine that publishes travel or advenure magazines.
Teacher/professor of sorts.
photographer
teacher
video store manager
Pat Cochran
I think I dated a couple of these types too.
One in particular stands out.
He was going to college to be a lawyer and changed his mind after meeting me. Outdoorsie kind of guy. Worked at Calaway Gardens and as a lifeguard during summers. Decided he was going to become a teacher. Drove a Yugo! It broke down on a date we had.
LOL Remember those! I wonder what became of him.
I'm picturing someone with a great personality and a good education but with the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality--someone who is super focused on the task at hand. After all, a guy like that can make you feel on top of the world whenever he is around...the frustration would only come when you were out of sight and therefore a little out of his mind.
How about a camp recreation director or a coach? It would be a job where someone else sets up his schedule and has a lot of variety. Plus, it would have the added charm of someone who does care about people.