setting and story

[marycatelli]

You start with what you start, when developing a story.  But some starting points are more productive of story ideas than others.

Like, superhero origins.  Mad scientists have some obvious ones -- rebel against the maker of course -- but if that one doesn't sing, well, creating a superhero does not have intrinsic plot value.  Develop the powers and the character, and it will gain one, but that's a heavy slog sometimes.

Or being given powers.  There's intrinsic character development there, as the character copes, but you can't just cope.  And you can't just go flying about or blasting boulders, or picking up trains.  The powers need to be put into action.  (And the donor's motives can be dragged out in the process.)

Comments

[baron-waste.livejournal.com]

I thought of the old TV series Greatest American Hero in connection with this.  He had a supersuit, great, but no instruction manual.  So yah, it was all about learning curve.

[marycatelli]

Learning curve has great potential, but still has the question of what he's going to learn, and against what, and how this will react with his starting character.

One acquires flight and flames, and sees drunks driving recklessly, and flames the wrong thing so they crash and die, and finds himself in jail -- and learns that the world is out to get him.

One acquires a commanding voice, fantasizes about getting even with the bullies, and arrives at a party to find people about to do really dumb stuff. He orders them to stop, calls the cops, and is hailed as a hero, and learns that adroit use is entirely within the law.