McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Handicapping your characters.
Nickeris86:
This is one of the biggest issues that I have with my writing, I almost always make my characters to freaking awesome because I always want them to win, and no one wants to read about that. So I usually have to give them some kind of handicap to balance it all out.
these handicaps can be a simple as they are so utterly normal that they have a really hard time dealing with their fantastic surroundings, or as complex as being terminally ill because of their over use of their abilities.
does anyone else find that they have to do the same, and if so what are some of the ways that you have done it?
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: Nickeris86 on September 24, 2010, 06:05:31 PM ---This is one of the biggest issues that I have with my writing, I almost always make my characters to freaking awesome because I always want them to win, and no one wants to read about that. So I usually have to give them some kind of handicap to balance it all out.
these handicaps can be a simple as they are so utterly normal that they have a really hard time dealing with their fantastic surroundings, or as complex as being terminally ill because of their over use of their abilities.
does anyone else find that they have to do the same, and if so what are some of the ways that you have done it?
--- End quote ---
I'd suggest practice writing a story where a character you care about doesn't win, and learn how to handle that.
jeno:
I tend to give them internal blocks that hold them back, or an outside reason for them not to be as awesome as they could be. Like one character got burned in the past and has a very 'don't get involved, not my problem' attitude they have to get over before they enter the action. Or another character can't draw excessive amounts of attention to herself because people are looking for her, so she has to be quiet and sneaky and smart.
Both characters have lots of potential of the kickass variety, but they've got hurdles to get through before they can really cut loose.
Enjorous:
--- Quote from: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh on September 24, 2010, 10:18:31 PM ---I'd suggest practice writing a story where a character you care about doesn't win, and learn how to handle that.
--- End quote ---
Not only is that good advice but it's also really really fun to write.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: Enjorous on September 25, 2010, 02:30:49 PM ---Not only is that good advice but it's also really really fun to write.
--- End quote ---
I think part of the bigger point I am flailing around here is that it's worth learning to do, and to enjoy, writing things with tones and plots and so forth that are not immediately satisfying to you at an emotional level. Writing things that the characters find happy endings but that if they were happening to you would not be, for example.
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