Comments on: Writing Authentic Male Characters http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/ Writing resources for superhero, fantasy & sci-fi authors Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:36:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: David http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15332 David Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:12:55 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15332 its ok i think this link will work i only have two comic pages this is just one http://silverd1.deviantart.com/art/Comic-story-one-108630780 its ok i think this link will work i only have two comic pages this is just one

http://silverd1.deviantart.com/art/Comic-story-one-108630780

]]> By: David http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15320 David Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:27:29 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15320 oh B.mac btw i was wanting to show you the comic pages i have done to get your input om them but for some reson my hotmail wont download the pics is there any other way can show you? oh B.mac btw i was wanting to show you the comic pages i have done to get your input om them but for some reson my hotmail wont download the pics is there any other way can show you?

]]> By: David http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15314 David Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:23:42 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15314 well i know a few femles here that could help lol plus i know a bit myself if u want some input there as well well i know a few femles here that could help lol plus i know a bit myself if u want some input there as well

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15305 The ReTARDISed Whovian Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:20:07 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15305 I'm going to do all I can to ensure that FIGHT doesn't turn out like Home and Away. There is a bit of conflict between Isaac and Tristram, but they have to get over it if they're going to stop Cable from training his little squadron of evil. I've made Tristram and Atalya a 100% faithful couple and I've given Olivia and Requiem a close Platonic friendship where she treats him like a brother. Klemente is a childhood friend of Tristram, and they discovered their powers on the same day. (While Tristram has the same powers as Isaac, he rarely uses them because he is fatigued more easily, so he relies on his hacking skills rather than his psi-blasts or flight) Kamari met Tristram when he hacked her laptop by accident in an attempt to break Libra Electronics' firewall. He's the one who gets her a ticket to Perth from Brisbane by breaking the airport's security codes. With their relationships mostly built up, there is little room for any "I hate you, go drop dead" type of drama. I’m going to do all I can to ensure that FIGHT doesn’t turn out like Home and Away.

There is a bit of conflict between Isaac and Tristram, but they have to get over it if they’re going to stop Cable from training his little squadron of evil.

I’ve made Tristram and Atalya a 100% faithful couple and I’ve given Olivia and Requiem a close Platonic friendship where she treats him like a brother.

Klemente is a childhood friend of Tristram, and they discovered their powers on the same day. (While Tristram has the same powers as Isaac, he rarely uses them because he is fatigued more easily, so he relies on his hacking skills rather than his psi-blasts or flight)

Kamari met Tristram when he hacked her laptop by accident in an attempt to break Libra Electronics’ firewall. He’s the one who gets her a ticket to Perth from Brisbane by breaking the airport’s security codes.

With their relationships mostly built up, there is little room for any “I hate you, go drop dead” type of drama.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15302 B. Mac Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:20:02 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15302 "Shouldn't we get back to writing about authentic males?" --I wouldn't worry too much about tangents here. I feel like a lot of the comments will be useful in other forums, so I'll just move them around when I get a chance. For example, there were a few comments about costume design that don't really pertain to authentic male characters but would fit in well on one of our articles on costume design. <br /> "Shouldn't we have authentic female characters too?" --Yeah, but I don't know enough on the subject to write an article on it. Our three contributors are men and we're all a bit inept when it comes to female characters. (For book doctoring, Cadet Davis flat-out refuses to take on clients that have written romance with female leads because he doesn't know how to make it work). I'm not sure exactly where to find helpful resources on female characters, though. The book <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Master-Characters-Victoria-Lynn-Schmidt/dp/1582970696 rel="nofollow">45 Master Characters</a> has a brief section on female vs. male goals. That might help. You can probably find it at a well-stocked public library. <br /> "And can we have a section on writing about teams please as a point of reference?" You mean like where you have male and female characters, or just about how it's different to write a team of superheroes vs. a single protagonist? Hmm. If you're talking about having a team versus having a single protagonist, I might be able to help. <br /> ---On a team, it's more important that characters have simple origin stories and simple, generic superpowers. There's just not enough space to explain five separate radioactive lab accidents. Realistically, it's probably best to focus on the origin story of just one character, or of the team as a whole. For example, Soon I Will Be Invincible focused on the origin story of just Fatale and skimmed over her teammates. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a team origin (they were all hit by mutagen at the same time). <br /> ---I recommend 3-4 characters. 5 is doable but usually means that at least 1-2 of the characters will be some variety of unsatisfying (underdeveloped, bland, redundant, etc). I wouldn't recommend 5+ characters for a first-time author. I wouldn't book-doctor a book if it had 7+, because I would take that as a sign that the author had unrealistic goals. <br /> ---Interesting relationships between the teammates are important. That usually means that you need a bit of tension, but it's very tricky. There's a fine line between a dramatic conflict and a wangsty soap opera. For example, I'd say that Justice League Unlimited handles the Green Lantern-Vixen-Hawkgirl love triangle pretty well. In contrast, I find the Robin-Cyborg and especially the Leonardo-Raphael catfights kind of annoying. <br />I think it helps to have a few guidelines that characters can't break. For example, even if Agent Black thinks that Agent Orange is completely loony and unfit to be a government agent, he's still contractually obliged to be Orange's partner. He can't just go off sulking whenever Orange is in the room. In contrast, there's not much forcing Leonardo and Raphael together. “Shouldn’t we get back to writing about authentic males?”
–I wouldn’t worry too much about tangents here. I feel like a lot of the comments will be useful in other forums, so I’ll just move them around when I get a chance. For example, there were a few comments about costume design that don’t really pertain to authentic male characters but would fit in well on one of our articles on costume design.

“Shouldn’t we have authentic female characters too?”
–Yeah, but I don’t know enough on the subject to write an article on it. Our three contributors are men and we’re all a bit inept when it comes to female characters. (For book doctoring, Cadet Davis flat-out refuses to take on clients that have written romance with female leads because he doesn’t know how to make it work). I’m not sure exactly where to find helpful resources on female characters, though. The book 45 Master Characters has a brief section on female vs. male goals. That might help. You can probably find it at a well-stocked public library.

“And can we have a section on writing about teams please as a point of reference?”
You mean like where you have male and female characters, or just about how it’s different to write a team of superheroes vs. a single protagonist? Hmm. If you’re talking about having a team versus having a single protagonist, I might be able to help.

—On a team, it’s more important that characters have simple origin stories and simple, generic superpowers. There’s just not enough space to explain five separate radioactive lab accidents. Realistically, it’s probably best to focus on the origin story of just one character, or of the team as a whole. For example, Soon I Will Be Invincible focused on the origin story of just Fatale and skimmed over her teammates. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a team origin (they were all hit by mutagen at the same time).

—I recommend 3-4 characters. 5 is doable but usually means that at least 1-2 of the characters will be some variety of unsatisfying (underdeveloped, bland, redundant, etc). I wouldn’t recommend 5+ characters for a first-time author. I wouldn’t book-doctor a book if it had 7+, because I would take that as a sign that the author had unrealistic goals.

—Interesting relationships between the teammates are important. That usually means that you need a bit of tension, but it’s very tricky. There’s a fine line between a dramatic conflict and a wangsty soap opera. For example, I’d say that Justice League Unlimited handles the Green Lantern-Vixen-Hawkgirl love triangle pretty well. In contrast, I find the Robin-Cyborg and especially the Leonardo-Raphael catfights kind of annoying.

I think it helps to have a few guidelines that characters can’t break. For example, even if Agent Black thinks that Agent Orange is completely loony and unfit to be a government agent, he’s still contractually obliged to be Orange’s partner. He can’t just go off sulking whenever Orange is in the room. In contrast, there’s not much forcing Leonardo and Raphael together.

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15301 The ReTARDISed Whovian Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:02:40 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15301 I'm not opposed to anyone looking at mine, but I don't have much there. I've written 56 chapters but only put two on my forum. I've changed the story dozens of times since I first plotted it and there seem to be many different ways I could take the story, so whatever I've got there might become obsolete pretty soon. I’m not opposed to anyone looking at mine, but I don’t have much there. I’ve written 56 chapters but only put two on my forum.

I’ve changed the story dozens of times since I first plotted it and there seem to be many different ways I could take the story, so whatever I’ve got there might become obsolete pretty soon.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15300 B. Mac Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:58:04 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15300 "I so need to get some comics. Any ideas where I get some good ones apart from shops and the ones with characters that you’re talking about?" <br /> I don't know if you're alluding to download sites, but I'd really recommend legal means. As a producer of comic books I can vouch that we suffer under massive design costs. I think on average it costs about $300-400 to design each page, and that doesn't even factor in printing costs. If my issues don't sell to enough paying customers, the series dies. Game Over. <br /> If getting out to a store is a problem, I'd recommend buying an online subscription to Marvel or DC or hitting Amazon for backcopies. <br /> If money is the main problem, I'd recommend turning on the TV or looking for back episodes on Hulu or Youtube. “I so need to get some comics. Any ideas where I get some good ones apart from shops and the ones with characters that you’re talking about?”

I don’t know if you’re alluding to download sites, but I’d really recommend legal means. As a producer of comic books I can vouch that we suffer under massive design costs. I think on average it costs about $300-400 to design each page, and that doesn’t even factor in printing costs. If my issues don’t sell to enough paying customers, the series dies. Game Over.

If getting out to a store is a problem, I’d recommend buying an online subscription to Marvel or DC or hitting Amazon for backcopies.

If money is the main problem, I’d recommend turning on the TV or looking for back episodes on Hulu or Youtube.

]]> By: Ragged Boy http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15290 Ragged Boy Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:02:01 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15290 The characters that were talking about? Holliequ's Victor, Whovian's Isaac, and My Adrian? If you're talking about them, Victor and Isaac are in novels, and Adrian is in my comic, but we don't have anything published yet. I'm sure Holliequ or Whovian won't be opposed to you looking in their forum and reading some of the chapter posts, feel free to look at what I've posted in my forum as well. I suggest you read the later works we did though. For example, in my forum it has the post when I was writing my story in novel form, but if you want to see my comic script you'll have to scroll down. If you're talking about other characters, then I don't know what to tell you. The characters that were talking about? Holliequ’s Victor, Whovian’s Isaac, and My Adrian? If you’re talking about them, Victor and Isaac are in novels, and Adrian is in my comic, but we don’t have anything published yet. I’m sure Holliequ or Whovian won’t be opposed to you looking in their forum and reading some of the chapter posts, feel free to look at what I’ve posted in my forum as well. I suggest you read the later works we did though. For example, in my forum it has the post when I was writing my story in novel form, but if you want to see my comic script you’ll have to scroll down.

If you’re talking about other characters, then I don’t know what to tell you.

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15289 The ReTARDISed Whovian Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:59:32 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15289 That's what I was going for. I know a couple of more sensitive guys at school who served as my basis when I was creating Isaac. The personality type is about the only common feature, because they look nothing like Isaac and act differently in a lot of critical ways. That’s what I was going for. I know a couple of more sensitive guys at school who served as my basis when I was creating Isaac. The personality type is about the only common feature, because they look nothing like Isaac and act differently in a lot of critical ways.

]]> By: Ragged Boy http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15288 Ragged Boy Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:55:06 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15288 I don't know any free comic sites, comic books can be expensive, too. Marvel and DC offer online subscriptions to their comics, but it costs, I don't know what to tell you. The next best thing I can think of is that you read some comic book scripts, I have a great site. http://www.comicbookscriptarchive.com/archive/?page_id=3 They have lots of links to articles about writing comics, I find it a considerably useful tool. I don’t know any free comic sites, comic books can be expensive, too. Marvel and DC offer online subscriptions to their comics, but it costs, I don’t know what to tell you. The next best thing I can think of is that you read some comic book scripts, I have a great site.

http://www.comicbookscriptarchive.com/archive/?page_id=3

They have lots of links to articles about writing comics, I find it a considerably useful tool.

]]> By: David http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15286 David Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:45:55 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15286 I so need to get some comics. Any ideas where I get some good ones apart from shops and the ones with characters that you're talking about? I so need to get some comics. Any ideas where I get some good ones apart from shops and the ones with characters that you’re talking about?

]]> By: Holliequ http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15285 Holliequ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:27:38 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15285 Plus, he's a superhero. I think we can make some allowances for Isaac. Plus, he’s a superhero. I think we can make some allowances for Isaac.

]]> By: Ragged Boy http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15284 Ragged Boy Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:21:43 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15284 As far as femininity goes, he's a little more so than Victor, I feel. But, he's still pretty masculine. He comes off as more sensitve than most guys, but that's not much a problem. He still doesn't top Adrian haha. As far as femininity goes, he’s a little more so than Victor, I feel. But, he’s still pretty masculine. He comes off as more sensitve than most guys, but that’s not much a problem. He still doesn’t top Adrian haha.

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15283 The ReTARDISed Whovian Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:18:27 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15283 What do you all think of Isaac? I hope I made him seem like a guy, instead of a girl in a guy's body. Heheh, I still find it difficult to put myself into a male POV when I'm female. At least I have plenty of references at for male behaviour at school, but they're probably not good examples. Most of the guys I know swear like Marines. What do you all think of Isaac? I hope I made him seem like a guy, instead of a girl in a guy’s body.

Heheh, I still find it difficult to put myself into a male POV when I’m female. At least I have plenty of references at for male behaviour at school, but they’re probably not good examples. Most of the guys I know swear like Marines.

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2007/04/08/writing-male-characters-and-perspectives/#comment-15282 The ReTARDISed Whovian Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:13:32 +0000 http://208.78.98.28/blog/?p=50#comment-15282 I love Monty Python, Blackadder (I have a cunning plan! Best line ever!), The Young Ones, Red Dwarf and several others too numerous to name. There is a lot of good British stuff on TV here, because we get it imported directly. There are some magnificent dramas, too. There was a brilliant show called Life On Mars, set in Manchester. You might have seen it, but that will have been the USA remake, which I suspect isn't as good. Remakes rarely are. In the UK version, there's a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) named Sam Tyler who is investigating a series of murders in 2006. He is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973, discovers that he is now only a DI (Detective Inspector) and works for Manchester police. He tries to figure out how to get back while solving crimes in the 1970's with his 21st century police methods. Back then the police were really rough, they'd hit their suspects and threaten them, but Sam is strongly opposed to it, causing a lot of conflict. DCI Hunt is the most funny character. "Drugs eh? What's the point. They make you forget, make you talk funny, make you see things that aren't there. My old grandma got all of that for free when she had a stroke!" "He's got fingers in more pies than a leper on a cookery course." Even the short series are great. My two favourites are Torn and Like Father, Like Son. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_(TV_series) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Mars_(TV_series) I love Monty Python, Blackadder (I have a cunning plan! Best line ever!), The Young Ones, Red Dwarf and several others too numerous to name. There is a lot of good British stuff on TV here, because we get it imported directly.

There are some magnificent dramas, too. There was a brilliant show called Life On Mars, set in Manchester. You might have seen it, but that will have been the USA remake, which I suspect isn’t as good. Remakes rarely are.

In the UK version, there’s a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) named Sam Tyler who is investigating a series of murders in 2006. He is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973, discovers that he is now only a DI (Detective Inspector) and works for Manchester police. He tries to figure out how to get back while solving crimes in the 1970’s with his 21st century police methods. Back then the police were really rough, they’d hit their suspects and threaten them, but Sam is strongly opposed to it, causing a lot of conflict.

DCI Hunt is the most funny character. “Drugs eh? What’s the point. They make you forget, make you talk funny, make you see things that aren’t there. My old grandma got all of that for free when she had a stroke!” “He’s got fingers in more pies than a leper on a cookery course.”

Even the short series are great. My two favourites are Torn and Like Father, Like Son.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_(TV_series)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Mars_(TV_series)

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