Convincing character abilities - Writers Forum

she_libertine · 11-22-2006, 04:36 PM

I'm currently in the third chapter of a story that I hope gets enough behind it to become a novel.

The story is a modern fantasy/horror, that takes place in the present. There aren't dragons, elves, or anyone named Raven or Gothia found in the story. (Not that there is anything too wrong with that...)

But rather the story centers around a 19 yr old North Carolinian girl named Barbara Harding. Basically she works at a hotel where alot of stuff happens. ( Believe you me, it would take too long to explain) Anyhoo, she ends up with a key. This key parlays a power, passed to her. Now the story centers around the supernatural world melting into the modern world. Cracks in reality in which this girl must spakle and make right again. Think spirits, positive and negative energy, the unexplained such as possession becoming more frequent and causing tons of fun mayhem. Well it's not fun, nor is it apocalyptic. It's basically a keyholder's (yes I said A, because there are many) job to keep the balance.

Anyway to the point of the question. I don't want Barbara to have a power, but I need a way to introduce the character into the new reality happening around her. Is this a good idea? the key itself is a way to open and close "doors" from this world to the afterlife, but that's not a power that she can fight or defend herself with.

I was playing with the idea of her being able to take out/put back souls. Not to play the role of death like in the (amazing) show Dead LiKe Me, but to take a soul and leave behind a zombie-shell like person.... Hah, see, it sounds bizzare and awkward.

Help?

Psycho · 11-22-2006, 04:41 PM

uhhhmmm...sweetie I think you have this post in the wrong space. As far as I know this is just a place for "Tips Advice and tricks" not ASKING for tips and advice. Theres another forum space just for that...its called "Critiques and Advice"

she_libertine · 11-22-2006, 04:46 PM

Oi!

Thanks for the heads up! I'll move this stat

imrhati · 11-22-2006, 06:44 PM

No, its okay to ask for help in this section.

A power is what commonly sets a prtoagonist apart from the common public. Usually the power isn't very obvious like it is with Superman or other superheros. The trick is to make the power seems cool but not over do it.

For your scenario? Maybe the things that come through the rips in reality target her ('cuase she has the key). The key could have a power to stop them when under attack? The best root would be to brainstorm a whole bunch of ideas for powers, sleep on it, then re-read htem and pick the one syu think best. Then maybe throw them by us, or by soem friends and now that you have a second opinion pick your favourite.

Emerson Darkness · 11-22-2006, 09:39 PM

Your character seems very interesting. I guess when your dealing with the supernatural going overboard is a dangerous possibility.

personally I find what you describe fascinating in the fact that she doesn't have a power that is so identifaible as "super strength."

Instead of giving her something 'like that' maybe you could keep her more normal. Think of the movie "Terminator"

Sarah Conner was such a cool character. She was a regular person, but she was so important to humanity. Her 'power' in Terminator was the fact that she held the future of humanity inside of her.

Once she lost that power in the next movie things became a little more dull

Mike C · 11-23-2006, 01:35 AM

A girl with NO powers, relying on her wits, would be interesting, or maybe a totally useless power (like the kid who had the power of invisibility... but only when nobody was looking - in a movie whose name I don't remember) that eventually saves the day. Depends if you're going for laughs or not.

imrhati · 11-23-2006, 11:43 AM

Technically Sarah Connors ability was her steadfast determination to survive. That is one of those very subtle powers.

slayerofangels · 11-23-2006, 11:49 AM

There was this one character who had the power to get really, really angry. And this other guy who was lethal with a shovel.

Technically, the failure of T-1 was the Terminator's lack of a self preservation program, though I suppose his final acts could be forgiven.

Emerson Darkness · 11-30-2006, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imrhati

Technically Sarah Connors ability was her steadfast determination to survive. That is one of those very subtle powers.

I think that was Terminator 2.

In the first Terminator she wasn't much of a survivor, hence the need for her protector Kyle Reece. The movie wouldn't have been near so successful if it was just her will to survive because that is a regular trait for heros in action/adventure films/stories. Sarah needed a protector because she was special. She had the ability/power to bring a savior into the world

In T 2 she wasn't near so important because she no longer had the ability to save humanity inside her. She had a much stronger will to survive in Terminator 2, and she become a protector, but she was no longer special and could have died in that movie without ruining the possibility of a Terminator 3.

CroZ · 11-30-2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

I was playing with the idea of her being able to take out/put back souls. Not to play the role of death like in the (amazing) show Dead LiKe Me, but to take a soul and leave behind a zombie-shell like person.... Hah, see, it sounds bizzare and awkward.

sounds a bit too much like Bleach. Which actually wasnt bizarre and awkward.

Omnisu · 11-30-2006, 06:12 PM

It doesn't matter what the 'power' is as long as it's presented properly. It shouldn't just come from nowhere. Look back at any of the fantasy classics. In Lord of the Rings, we don't find out Gandalf is a super wizard the first time he's in a fight. We see him using the magic right away, making fireworks. This is how it has to be. If your heroine is going to develope this power later, you must show it's possible right up front. If the first time we learn about this power is also the first time the heroine uses it to get out of some tight spot, we'll be quite justified in thinking the author made it up just for that.

Mike C · 12-01-2006, 02:02 AM

...unless it takes a particular incident to bring the latent power out. Like, not realising you can levitate until you fall out of a window.