x_haphazard_x
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- Posted: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:47:56 +0000
In fiction, humans do not monopolize the human condition, so they've got to move over and make room for the androids, vampires, elves, incubi, succubi, ghosts, dwarves, orcs (or susbstitutes), pixies, fays, tanuki, djinn, dragons, nagas, werewolves and other werewhatevers, cyborgs, AIs, shinigami, demons, aliens, angels, sandmen, toothfairies, Santa Claus, and all sorts of other supernatural and otherworldly folk.
I mean really. These can all make excellent, non-crappy characters if you try and actually look at it all logically and not just write for wishfufillment.
First of all, it's refreshing to write these characters, even if you do normally write human characters, the idea being that you get instant plot. As soon as you, the writer, are thrust into empathizing with something so different from you, you will immediately find problems that the character has to put up with. It gives you a new perspective on human culture if this character is in human culture and not among their own, too.
Such as X-89 the android, who's human enough and tries to masquerade around as a human. Now, he's probably not producing body heat, or if he is, it shouldn't be there because of his internal fans to cool down his circutry. This could cause problems if he's ever in really close proximity with people who would notice. Also, what about those ports and outlets for cables? Where are they? If they're anywhere people would be likely to see, he's going to have to go around conservatively dressed. What does he run on? If it's electricity, could he cause a power surge if he plugs himself into a place that's not prepared for it? There's also the issue of clothing, too. People would start to notice if you wear the same thing every day, even though the android himself wouldn't mind. What if he gets injured? Does he not want to be discovered? Also, there's the whole issue of your brain being able to be copied, rewritten, backed up, and of the like...
Secondly, if you want this to be any good whatsoever, you're going to have to think very hard, especially if you're writing a nonhuman society. Now, this is a very good thing, and can be a very good satirical tool. Just look at the movie Happy Feet.
You've made a society of sandmen, goody, and they live in somewhere called the dream realm. Okay, now what's this place like? If you just use, oh it's made of dreams, it's crazy, never constant, etc., well, what's it like to live there? Do they like living there? Why do they distribute dreams in the fist place? Is it a pasttime and they acutally earn their bread in the dream realm during the day, or is it an actual job? Are there any sandwomen that stay in the dream realm and make the dinner after their hubbies come home, or are they all men? If they're all men, then how do they reproduce? Do they reproduce? Are they all gay? How do they get dreams from the dream realm to the human one? What causes a nightmare?
There are a lot of things to consider, and even though there are a lot of things to consider while writing humans, it's more obvious that you have to consider them when writing nonhumans, and that makes them easier to remember considering.
It can also cause all sorts of relationship issues, especially with, though you'd hate to hear it, romances between very humanoid characters and humans.
Billy's a teenage werewolf, let's say, and every night of the full moon he uses Mr. Winchester's, that crazy veteran's, nuclear bunker. Now, does Mr. Winchester know about this? What happens if he doesn't and finds out about it? What happens if Mr. Winchester is in the bunker one night? Could Billy have killed him? Also, let's say that Billy gets a girlfriend. They set up a date on a night that conflicts with being a werewolf. Okay, he works something out. But after a couple months, if his girlfriend has any brains at all (if she doesn't this would become a comedy), she's going to notice something. Okay, he finally tells her that she's a werewolf. If he can get her to believe it, and she doesn't mind too much, she's probably going to be thinking, "then what about vampires?" And what about when she finds out what happened to Mr. Winchester?
I'm... This is not a very coherent rant, I do realize. But I hope I got my point across. A nonhuman character with good characterization and good storytelling can be a great story and good for reviving the writer who just can't seem to think of anything to write anymore. They're plotbunny aphrodisiac, basically, so don't hate them and don't avoid them like the plague. They can be your friends if you just try.
I mean really. These can all make excellent, non-crappy characters if you try and actually look at it all logically and not just write for wishfufillment.
First of all, it's refreshing to write these characters, even if you do normally write human characters, the idea being that you get instant plot. As soon as you, the writer, are thrust into empathizing with something so different from you, you will immediately find problems that the character has to put up with. It gives you a new perspective on human culture if this character is in human culture and not among their own, too.
Such as X-89 the android, who's human enough and tries to masquerade around as a human. Now, he's probably not producing body heat, or if he is, it shouldn't be there because of his internal fans to cool down his circutry. This could cause problems if he's ever in really close proximity with people who would notice. Also, what about those ports and outlets for cables? Where are they? If they're anywhere people would be likely to see, he's going to have to go around conservatively dressed. What does he run on? If it's electricity, could he cause a power surge if he plugs himself into a place that's not prepared for it? There's also the issue of clothing, too. People would start to notice if you wear the same thing every day, even though the android himself wouldn't mind. What if he gets injured? Does he not want to be discovered? Also, there's the whole issue of your brain being able to be copied, rewritten, backed up, and of the like...
Secondly, if you want this to be any good whatsoever, you're going to have to think very hard, especially if you're writing a nonhuman society. Now, this is a very good thing, and can be a very good satirical tool. Just look at the movie Happy Feet.
You've made a society of sandmen, goody, and they live in somewhere called the dream realm. Okay, now what's this place like? If you just use, oh it's made of dreams, it's crazy, never constant, etc., well, what's it like to live there? Do they like living there? Why do they distribute dreams in the fist place? Is it a pasttime and they acutally earn their bread in the dream realm during the day, or is it an actual job? Are there any sandwomen that stay in the dream realm and make the dinner after their hubbies come home, or are they all men? If they're all men, then how do they reproduce? Do they reproduce? Are they all gay? How do they get dreams from the dream realm to the human one? What causes a nightmare?
There are a lot of things to consider, and even though there are a lot of things to consider while writing humans, it's more obvious that you have to consider them when writing nonhumans, and that makes them easier to remember considering.
It can also cause all sorts of relationship issues, especially with, though you'd hate to hear it, romances between very humanoid characters and humans.
Billy's a teenage werewolf, let's say, and every night of the full moon he uses Mr. Winchester's, that crazy veteran's, nuclear bunker. Now, does Mr. Winchester know about this? What happens if he doesn't and finds out about it? What happens if Mr. Winchester is in the bunker one night? Could Billy have killed him? Also, let's say that Billy gets a girlfriend. They set up a date on a night that conflicts with being a werewolf. Okay, he works something out. But after a couple months, if his girlfriend has any brains at all (if she doesn't this would become a comedy), she's going to notice something. Okay, he finally tells her that she's a werewolf. If he can get her to believe it, and she doesn't mind too much, she's probably going to be thinking, "then what about vampires?" And what about when she finds out what happened to Mr. Winchester?
I'm... This is not a very coherent rant, I do realize. But I hope I got my point across. A nonhuman character with good characterization and good storytelling can be a great story and good for reviving the writer who just can't seem to think of anything to write anymore. They're plotbunny aphrodisiac, basically, so don't hate them and don't avoid them like the plague. They can be your friends if you just try.
