45 Master Characters (29 page)

Gambling or the idea of winning the lottery would be the most amazing thing he could imagine. It would give him total freedom to be himself without worrying about where he'll sleep next, and if he has money then other men won't look down on him but be envious of him.

How Do Other Characters See the Woman's Man?

Others see him as a dreamer or a hippie, someone on the fringe of society.

He's sometimes moody, laughing one minute and crying the next, but the way he does it makes most women see him as sensitive.

He can wear anything, thrift store or Armani. He may not be attractive physically, but his essence and sensitivity are very attractive to women.

He's very sensual and erotic and can often see inside a woman straight to her pain and desires.

He's a great conversationalist.

Developing the Character Arc

Look at your character's main goal in the story and then at the fears you've selected to use against him. What does he need to learn to help him overcome his fear? Does he need to make male friendships or find male mentors? Does he need money to help his mother? Does he have a gambling or drinking problem that forces him to stop partying? Does he need to protect a woman from harm? Is he trying to find the perfect idealized woman who can be both a wife and mother to him?

Very often the Woman's Man needs to learn how to have men as friends. He needs male role models so he can grow up and see value in being male. Only then can he commit wholly to one woman. Very often this man lost his mother when he was young and is on a search to find a woman who can fill her shoes, which is virtually impossible.

In
Shakespeare in Love,
Will Shakespeare's (Joseph Fiennes) free-spirited nature, love for women and passion for art make him an example of a Woman's Man.

He needs to stop running away from the responsibility of life. Every day is a party for him, but he can only keep such a lifestyle up for so long until it comes crashing down around him.

What happened to him at an early age to make this archetype dominate his personality? Did his mother die when he was young? Did he have a lot of nurses and female teachers who were nice and caring? Was his father mean to him or gone all the time at work? Was he shy and girls took to him? Was he uncoordinated and couldn't play sports with other boys and learn to be like them?

To grow, this archetype can be paired with one of the following:

The Businessman —
can teach the Woman's Man how to be a part of the boys' club as well as provide him with a male role model.

The Dictator —
can force the Woman's Man into taking responsibility for his life, or he can cause the Woman's Man to stand up for himself and fight it out.

The Nurturer —
can take care of him and wait until he's ready for commitment. She is his dependable rock.

The Femme Fatale —
can love him and leave him just as he seems to do to other women. He may fall in love with her for her independence and sensuality and then learn what it's like to be dumped.

Assets:

• Shuns money and power for freedom and dreams.
  

• Loves all women regardless of appearance.
  

• Is chivalrous and gentle.
  

• Was close to his mother as a child, although she may have passed away when he was young.
  

• Loves to experience new things in life.
  

• Is erotic and sensual.
  

• Is looked down on by other men for his free lifestyle.
  

• Is psychic or into the paranormal.
  

• Is a smooth talker with a sharp wit.
  

• Is very supportive and always ready to offer his advice.