Comments on: Writing Tip of the Day: Try Not to Base Your Characters on Real-Life Models http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/ How to write a superhero book, comic book or superhero novel and get it published Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:25:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139909 B. Mac Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:55:19 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139909 "B. Mac, I’m willing to bet you’ll be better off than I would ever be in a superhero team." Unless you're a paraplegic arsonist, not likely. “B. Mac, I’m willing to bet you’ll be better off than I would ever be in a superhero team.” Unless you’re a paraplegic arsonist, not likely.

]]> By: Wings http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139895 Wings Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:46:32 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139895 Just betaed a piece for a friend of a friend that apparently had this problem. I say "apparently" because the characters were so poorly written that they had no personality whatsoever. ...This person's friends must be scary. - Wings Just betaed a piece for a friend of a friend that apparently had this problem. I say “apparently” because the characters were so poorly written that they had no personality whatsoever.

…This person’s friends must be scary.

- Wings

]]> By: Grenac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139889 Grenac Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:31:20 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139889 B. Mac, I'm willing to bet you'll be better off than I would ever be in a superhero team. I almost wrote Big Mac :B B. Mac, I’m willing to bet you’ll be better off than I would ever be in a superhero team.

I almost wrote Big Mac :B

]]> By: The ReTARDISed Whovian http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139886 The ReTARDISed Whovian Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:20:52 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139886 I try not to base characters on people I know, though when I need them to seem more human, I think of what habits my friends have and apply them to them. I usually make up my characters by playing with tropes, because I find it easier and more interesting. I did a self insert when I was ten, but it wasn't the traditional type - basically, she had eight kids and was happily married to a guy who, unknown to me at the time, shared a name with my future boyfriend. I certainly hope the "eight kids" part isn't a premonition. o.O I try not to base characters on people I know, though when I need them to seem more human, I think of what habits my friends have and apply them to them. I usually make up my characters by playing with tropes, because I find it easier and more interesting.

I did a self insert when I was ten, but it wasn’t the traditional type – basically, she had eight kids and was happily married to a guy who, unknown to me at the time, shared a name with my future boyfriend. I certainly hope the “eight kids” part isn’t a premonition. o.O

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139880 B. Mac Fri, 22 Jul 2011 04:59:37 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139880 "For characters now, I only give them bits of myself that act as the push to kickstart their development." Haha, I can totally relate to that. My main villain is like a distinctly villainous version of me and my hero is like a version of me that's maybe a bit more bumbling. (Although, if you put me on a superhero team, I would certainly be as bumbling or more). “For characters now, I only give them bits of myself that act as the push to kickstart their development.” Haha, I can totally relate to that. My main villain is like a distinctly villainous version of me and my hero is like a version of me that’s maybe a bit more bumbling. (Although, if you put me on a superhero team, I would certainly be as bumbling or more).

]]> By: Grenac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-139879 Grenac Fri, 22 Jul 2011 04:51:27 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-139879 Huh, I was once writing a novel with characters based off my friends. Terrible stuff really lol For characters now, I only give them bits of myself that act as the push to kickstart their development. I like it because they feel more like my children that way :) Huh, I was once writing a novel with characters based off my friends. Terrible stuff really lol

For characters now, I only give them bits of myself that act as the push to kickstart their development. I like it because they feel more like my children that way :)

]]> By: Leigh http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-79841 Leigh Sat, 25 Sep 2010 01:13:49 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-79841 The Zombie Hunters webcomic has most of the main cast based on the author and her friends but they do it well. It's actually quite funny and all the characters are human and flawed. You'd never guess it was a self-insert. So it can be well done. And then you Twilight and badly written fanfics on the opposite end of the spectrum. Really it's all about being willing to give your good guys flaws and your bad guys positive traits. And a personality would be nice too (no more Bellas!) Of course it takes more than disabling, caricature-like clumsiness to make a character flawed and human. Side note: I was just talking to my cousin about the same thing- how the only reason people like Twilight is because they ID with Bella since she lacks a personality to not identify with and they're too stupid to recognize that. Luckily my cousin shares my disdain for Twilight. The Zombie Hunters webcomic has most of the main cast based on the author and her friends but they do it well. It’s actually quite funny and all the characters are human and flawed. You’d never guess it was a self-insert. So it can be well done.

And then you Twilight and badly written fanfics on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Really it’s all about being willing to give your good guys flaws and your bad guys positive traits. And a personality would be nice too (no more Bellas!) Of course it takes more than disabling, caricature-like clumsiness to make a character flawed and human.

Side note: I was just talking to my cousin about the same thing- how the only reason people like Twilight is because they ID with Bella since she lacks a personality to not identify with and they’re too stupid to recognize that. Luckily my cousin shares my disdain for Twilight.

]]> By: Luna Jamnia http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48714 Luna Jamnia Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:31:24 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48714 Eh. 'Bad boys' are great for movies and everything but 'in real life' it just wouldn't work ... my dad wouldn't approve, my brothers would beat the crap out of him, and that'd be the end of it. Besides, well, 'good boys' are so much better. ^^ Eh. ‘Bad boys’ are great for movies and everything but ‘in real life’ it just wouldn’t work … my dad wouldn’t approve, my brothers would beat the crap out of him, and that’d be the end of it.

Besides, well, ‘good boys’ are so much better. ^^

]]> By: PaintedSaint http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48618 PaintedSaint Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:56:40 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48618 It's because all girls want bad boys... It’s because all girls want bad boys…

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48601 B. Mac Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:50:22 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48601 "Bella has no discernable traits that make her compatible with Edward..." What do you think about this? She's sort of weak and useless. She doesn't really do much of anything on her own and goes to pieces when Edward leaves. She's virtually unable to function on her own, so it sort of makes sense that she would gravitate towards an (abusively) assertive boyfriend. I don't think that's the message Meyer intended, though. <br /> It's hard to escape the conclusion that Meyer hates nice, normal guys. In the second movie, Bella knows three nice guys: her (allegedly) dorky father, a flamingly effeminate Asian guy, and a scrawny dude that can't even sit through an action movie without throwing up. “Bella has no discernable traits that make her compatible with Edward…” What do you think about this? She’s sort of weak and useless. She doesn’t really do much of anything on her own and goes to pieces when Edward leaves. She’s virtually unable to function on her own, so it sort of makes sense that she would gravitate towards an (abusively) assertive boyfriend. I don’t think that’s the message Meyer intended, though.

It’s hard to escape the conclusion that Meyer hates nice, normal guys. In the second movie, Bella knows three nice guys: her (allegedly) dorky father, a flamingly effeminate Asian guy, and a scrawny dude that can’t even sit through an action movie without throwing up.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48600 B. Mac Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:45:28 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48600 When Stephenie Meyer did her cameo in the Twilight movie, it was ASTONISHING how much she looked like a less attractive version of Bella. When Stephenie Meyer did her cameo in the Twilight movie, it was ASTONISHING how much she looked like a less attractive version of Bella.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48599 B. Mac Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:40:54 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48599 Gary/Agent Black is probably a self-insert--for one thing, he looks almost exactly like me. As a result, I try to play up how bumbling and naive he is... I'm going for a Jon Arbuckle rather than a super-smart, super-collected Dan Brown protagonist. Gary/Agent Black is probably a self-insert–for one thing, he looks almost exactly like me. As a result, I try to play up how bumbling and naive he is… I’m going for a Jon Arbuckle rather than a super-smart, super-collected Dan Brown protagonist.

]]> By: PaintedSaint http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48596 PaintedSaint Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:34:14 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48596 Twilight was definitely a self-insert of Stephenie Meyer. But if anyone attempted to analyze the text, it seems like Bella has no discernable traits that make her compatible with Edward, nothing prevalent that would seem like a huge character flaw. That's probably why it sells like crazy, because it's like a "choose your adventure" book for fanfiction writing teens! They can easily imagine themselves in place of Bella in the story, because it was compatible to almost every fan of the book. At least, that's my theory. <br /> Self inserts can be done well, but it depends on the expertise of the writer. For example, some manga artists use a self-insert in the story, but they are rarely the main character (Kakashi Hatake as Masashi Kishimoto from Naruto). Kakashi was the main character's mentor, he was there to guide him and to teach him to become stronger, but in the end it is the main character that drives the plot forward with his decisions, not based on what Kakashi would've done instead. Twilight was definitely a self-insert of Stephenie Meyer. But if anyone attempted to analyze the text, it seems like Bella has no discernable traits that make her compatible with Edward, nothing prevalent that would seem like a huge character flaw. That’s probably why it sells like crazy, because it’s like a “choose your adventure” book for fanfiction writing teens! They can easily imagine themselves in place of Bella in the story, because it was compatible to almost every fan of the book. At least, that’s my theory.

Self inserts can be done well, but it depends on the expertise of the writer. For example, some manga artists use a self-insert in the story, but they are rarely the main character (Kakashi Hatake as Masashi Kishimoto from Naruto). Kakashi was the main character’s mentor, he was there to guide him and to teach him to become stronger, but in the end it is the main character that drives the plot forward with his decisions, not based on what Kakashi would’ve done instead.

]]> By: Wings http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48594 Wings Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:04:15 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48594 Two of my characters (Connor and Pierce) started out as blatant self inserts of my brother and P (Pierce, appearance if not personality wise, still is. We're working on it). However, they went in drastically different directions as production went on (See Ian for the biggest personality change probably in all history of the books. Darren and Pierce to a lesser extent). Self inserts can be done right, but you've got to be extremely careful (Twilight was just Stephenie Meyer's wish-fulfillment fantasy with herself as the main character written down). - Wings Two of my characters (Connor and Pierce) started out as blatant self inserts of my brother and P (Pierce, appearance if not personality wise, still is. We’re working on it).

However, they went in drastically different directions as production went on (See Ian for the biggest personality change probably in all history of the books. Darren and Pierce to a lesser extent).

Self inserts can be done right, but you’ve got to be extremely careful (Twilight was just Stephenie Meyer’s wish-fulfillment fantasy with herself as the main character written down).

- Wings

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/09/30/writing-tip-of-the-day-be-careful-with-inspired-by-real-life-characters/comment-page-1/#comment-48565 B. Mac Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:03:32 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=1157#comment-48565 A few questions. First, does your sister (or the model based on the sister) fit into the story? Second, would people want to read about your sister as a supervillain? Third, why not just make a new character? It might be easier to give the character more depth and (ironically) more verisimilitude that way. A few questions. First, does your sister (or the model based on the sister) fit into the story? Second, would people want to read about your sister as a supervillain? Third, why not just make a new character? It might be easier to give the character more depth and (ironically) more verisimilitude that way.

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