Groped! … Help!

Novice writers get a raft of advice.  One of the most repeated is the admonition to ‘Write what you know.’  Probably a good idea.  After all, if your character is someone entirely outside of your experience, how will you know how she reacts to the events in the plot?

That brings me to the problem at hand:  In my current story, my protagonist Weezy, Joe Mayfield’s special friend (lady friend? See last post ‘Pelvic Affiliate’) attends a business event with him.  Now, Weezy is 35 and no shrinking violet.  At the event, Joe’s uber-boss slips a hand on Weezy’s girl surprisedbehind. I need some help from the women who read this, because I haven’t been groped.  Fondled, maybe, and then only in a friendly way.  Never groped, though.

What would you do?

There’s some background on Weezy here, although I’m more interested in how YOU would react.  The lead-in to the grope is an excerpt from Skins and Bone, here.

If you are willing to answer, write a response to this post.  In the response, let me know whether you’re willing to have your answer be public.  (I moderate all posts and will not show your response if you tell me it should not be public.)

Author: John Rogers

I have thought of myself as a writer for most of my adult life. In 2011, I became a fiction writer full time. I studied creative writing as an English major in college. Then came family and career. I worked in finance and biotech and did a wonderful stint in Vienna. Now, I have the opportunity to use those experiences as the substrate for my stories. My first novel takes on the world of Big Data and the very timely issue of cyber war. The second uses the manipulation of financial derivatives as impetus for attempted murder during a trip from Vienna to Budapest on the Danube. I have taken writing instruction at the Cape Cod Writers Conference and from The Loft in Minneapolis. I am finding writers’ groups to be very helpful as concept editors, as well as practical advice from the published authors. I am in three such groups. I have taken writing instruction at the Cape Cod Writers Conference and from The Loft in Minneapolis.

2 thoughts on “Groped! … Help!”

  1. John, to answer your question what would I do: Considering the setting and Docherty’s position I would be stunned and quickly excuse myself from his presence. I would think of anywhere to go. And it would be the elephant in the room between us. In other words he would not wonder why I left so abruptly. I’d be taken aback by his perverted move and the last thing I’d want is to draw attention to the situation. Also, maybe he’s thrown back a few too many and won’t even remember this in the morning, so the last thing I want is to make it a big deal. I’ll give him a pass on this one. But moving away shows that it is not acceptable and she’s turned off by it. I would also tell Joe at the first opportunity.

    Reply

    1. Dorcas,

      Thanks for a helpful response. You are a little more polite than other respondents. You’re right that Weezy’s nonplussed but hesitant to make it a big deal. Your comment that she should tell Joe raises a whole new level of complexity I hadn’t really delved into before writing this post. Stay tuned …

      Reply

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