Syntax-Takes
@Syntax-Takes

I have a lot of fun finding the contrast between any two characters that are incredibly competent in melee combat but are each a different kind of inept when it comes to, say, any STEM subject.

Maybe this is in part how I cope with my own shortcomings when it comes to STEM subjects, but I can remember a time when most of my characters were Good At Too Many Things

I think a real point of maturation as a writer, when designing characters, is finding their shortcomings that keep them tangible, relatable. The ways they endear themselves to their audience.

It's fun finding your character's shortcomings, the things they're ashamed of, new and cool ways to twist the knife and touch on the things maybe some of your readers are insecure about too.

Put the lightning-filled amazonian supervillain in front of a long division problem and watch her get very upset about how unfair it is. It's fun.


VisorVixens
@VisorVixens

carmen manages to keep it a secret from ellen for a while and only because ellen was not on tumblr at any point

"Oooh, this is neat! So, I'm working on studying mitochondria--"

"The powerhouse of the cell!"

"Oh, hey, somebody paid attention in science class! I mentioned this to Volta and she just gave me the sad dog eyes and started howw-woww-woo-ing. Anyway, so the..."

and this is how carmen sweats her way through a lecture: vaguely remembering the loudest parts of grade school, nodding, and saying "oh, yeah, gotcha" a lot


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in reply to @Syntax-Takes's post:

it's nice to make them whole and round them out. I will admit that I've never bothered to conceive an upper bound for Marion's ability as some weird supernatural being Fucked Up By Space. I guess it's because the reality bending bullshit is really difficult to install arbitrary limits on, but also because I only ever do things that're narratively apt/convenient.

to that effect, instead I use their unnatural uplift as a way to... i dunno, humanize them. They have a whole lot of problems they've worked through/are working through that specifically stem from what happened to them/what they've become/who they are now because of it. They had a whole phase where they weren't sure who or what they were now, and grabbed onto mythology and demonology as a crutch/easy answer before they were mature or whole enough to question themselves in a healthy way.

it starts to explore Themes and Metaphors and Gender and bla bla bla and I like it.

Phane, fantastic nanoscientist, powerful magic user. Terrible short term memory. abysmal cook, still tries to cook though! Also not the best at genuine social interaction.
Jackie, extremely competent fighter, charismatic, good with talking. Technologically illiterate, pc's are a mystery to her, gets phane to troubleshoot her xbox alot. "How did you download bonzi buddy on an XBOX??" Banned from data acquisition missions cause she's liable to just tear the hard drive out of the thing and bring that back... usually broken.

in reply to @VisorVixens's post: