Need Some Advice on an Issue That Won't Die.

[MzSnowleopard]

Everyone knows the process of building characters- creating them, defining them, etc in the effort to make them our own. Still, some people offer suggestions on how to improve 'our people'.

Now, I've spoken to a number of people about aspect of the 'world' I'm building- along with some of the main characters. Ironically, the one that is causing the most contention is one of those whose abilities I've not discussed. Why? I haven't been able to because a certain number of people won't let me get passed "their idea' interruption.

I have put my foot down several times and in several manners with these same 3 people- and yet still, they persist. I don't get it! They have no idea what I have planned, they don't seem to care, they just keep pushing their idea on me. My problem with their idea is that I think that it's cliche.

Their idea "wouldn't it be cool if the Gemini character was actually twins?"

now, granted my concept is a book- not a show, still, I have seen a number of shows that did this- maybe it's because I didn't like the way they were done (save for Captain Power's Gemini and Counting) that I just don't like the concept. I don't get this persistence that Gemini must be twins.

Now, my idea for this character comes from the Marvel RPG concepts. I use it with another character I have in a Lit-RP I manage. They call it Psionic duplication- the character is able to create a duplicate of themselves much like Multiplicity - only limited to 1 copy. I have managed to come up with some creative scenarios for my original character who does this- so I'm sold on doing this from Gemini in my series.

As I said, I've put my foot down- even resorting to a blog post about 'characters set in concrete'. I assumed my 'friends had come to terms with my not using their idea- recently though, one of them brought it up again. I just looked at him. I wish I'd had a mirror to see my expression because he backed down.

Today, another came at me about it- I said, 'then it would no longer be my character, it'd be yours' she didn't understand me. So now, I'm resolved to finding some snappy comebacks for these jokers. My friends understand sarcasm so they might finally get it.

So, if you have any, just based on this post, please feel free to share. Cause my arsenal of snappy comeback is an empty bag.

BTW- these yahoos are NOT writers.

[aj47]

"That's a *lovely* idea. Why don't you write it?"

[dale]

I have put my foot down

lesson #1: don't do that. we as writers can never keep our feet planted anywhere.

[T.S.Bowman]

lesson #1: don't do that. we as writers can never keep our feet planted anywhere.

Very good point. Plus 1^

[T.S.Bowman]

Snow, it's very simple. All you have to tell them is....

wait for it....

"I'm not going to go in that direction with the character"

If they don't take the hint, then they aren't very bright and you can rightfully ignore them.

[altoid967]

Grab something sharp and pointy and threaten to make a "gemini" of their tender bits if they don't can it.

[voltigeur]

I offer this constructively. I’m writing it as an attention getter, so don’t take offense at my directness.

Need Some Advice on an Issue That Won't Die.

I'm going to call you out on this one. It won't die cause you won't kill it. YOU are the only reason this is an issue.

This is your story period. Win lose or draw it is on you! Be nice be polite but you have these people way too involved in your story. If you invited them this far into your story you screwed up.

Sometimes you have to walk away from “help” no matter how well meaning. In my critique group for example there is a lady that writes YA Fantasy. Her stories only have 4 to 6 characters. She doesn’t understand a story that has literally 20 or 30 people running around in a scene.

Everyone else gets what I’m doing so I listen to her if there is a story structure issue or character motivation issue, I just don’t get wound up when she says I have a POV issue.

Anyway don’t let anyone tell you how to write your story.

[lasm]

Just to clarify, when you say "the Gemini character", do you mean that you call the character Gemini? by that name? Because in the zodiac and in Greek mythology, the Gemini refers to a pair of twins. Might be why the suggestion is recurring. So if you want to discourage that association, maybe search for a different and more original name.

Beyond that--I dunno, I never share anything until it's at least somewhat done. If people tried to tell me to do something with a character I didn't want, I'd probably just say thanks and then forget it entirely.

[MzSnowleopard]

"That's a *lovely* idea. Why don't you write it?"

Yup, I've used something similar, they said "but, you're the writer."
To which I rolled my eyes.

lesson #1: don't do that. we as writers can never keep our feet planted anywhere.

I had thought of putting it some place in reference to their body parts but it would work with only 1 of them.

Snow, it's very simple. All you have to tell them is....

wait for it....

"I'm not going to go in that direction with the character"

If they don't take the hint, then they aren't very bright and you can rightfully ignore them.

I'm about to do with them what I did with K and Z because I am so done with people who only cause stress.

Grab something sharp and pointy and threaten to make a "gemini" of their tender bits if they don't can it.

I have a mini baseball ball- about maybe a foot or foot and a half long. It would work on a low swing.

I offer this constructively. I’m writing it as an attention getter, so don’t take offense at my directness.

I'm going to call you out on this one. It won't die cause you won't kill it. YOU are the only reason this is an issue.

This is your story period. Win lose or draw it is on you! Be nice be polite but you have these people way too involved in your story. If you invited them this far into your story you screwed up.

Sometimes you have to walk away from “help” no matter how well meaning. In my critique group for example there is a lady that writes YA Fantasy. Her stories only have 4 to 6 characters. She doesn’t understand a story that has literally 20 or 30 people running around in a scene.

Everyone else gets what I’m doing so I listen to her if there is a story structure issue or character motivation issue, I just don’t get wound up when she says I have a POV issue.

Anyway don’t let anyone tell you how to write your story.

Yes, I know I screw up, and I'm trying to rectify the situation. I do just fine with my writing until people like the 3 yahoos, K or Z show up. Then it's drama central. At some point these people decided that my willingness to discuss my work was "an invitation to help" That wasn't my intention.

Just to clarify, when you say "the Gemini character", do you mean that you call the character Gemini? by that name? Because in the zodiac and in Greek mythology, the Gemini refers to a pair of twins. Might be why the suggestion is recurring. So if you want to discourage that association, maybe search for a different and more original name.

Beyond that--I dunno, I never share anything until it's at least somewhat done. If people tried to tell me to do something with a character I didn't want, I'd probably just say thanks and then forget it entirely.

Yes, the character's code name is the Zodiac - each of the 12 main character in the series have abilities based on their zodiac signs. I agree that it's probably where these yahoos got the idea from for the twins. For me though, it's cliché, it's typical and I wanted to do something different.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm going to take it in and see what I can do with it. One thing's for certain, the 3 yahoos are done. I don't need friends like them.

[Jeko]

You want comebacks to people who don't know anything about what you're writing or how you want to write it?

Turn off the computer and write. The best comeback is no comeback at all; people who only want you to write their ideas are not worth your time. Write what you want to write and ignore people who don't want you to.