forum Things You Want MORE Of In Books

Started January 21, 2019 by @HighPockets group

tune

I like morally grey characters that are utter bastards but still loveable. I deeply am sorry.

Kaz Brekker has entered the chat

And for me Victor Frankenstein has, but apparently that one's not as universal

ewww kaz reminds me of myself and I don't like it

I was about to yell "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT MY SON?!" and then I read the rest so I won't.

Bruh same. I'd throw hands for Kaz

I'd throw hands for Kaz and Victor.
I'm pretty sure Kaz can throw hands for himself though

Same
although in my opinion Victor Frankenstein is less lovable because he's just so fucking stupid

Consider: I'm also fucking stupid lol

I need more morally grey characters who are actually morally grey, like Chelli Aphra and Kaz Brekker.

Victor isn’t really morally grey. He’s a mix of immoral, a jerk, and really stupid.

Don't speak to me or my son ever again lmao
Consider: I am all of those as well. I was very emo when I read Frankenstein, I think we've discussed my teacher's concerns about it before

I don’t think I ever had an emo stage. I was depressed for a bit. But that was about it. I try not to be too obvious about such things as my sociopathic tendencies.

good news! I have anxiety which means I'm not a psychopath! storing in a file for when a classmate accuses me of being one. again. Although that means that my friend is probably a psychopath. Just adds to the evidence. But I digress

Because my characters are morally grey, most of them. Their reasons for surviving and saving the universe are petty as hell! Brie does it simply because she wants to get past college and into a stable job before the apocalypse, heck! And Grayle just wants to have divine powers again. Obviously their development changes as Brie becomes more paragon in her motivations, seeing the bigger picture and protecting the universe because, well, she doesn't want to see the small beautiful bits in this cosmic mess destroyed and help build a better world. And Grayle likes his mortality in the end (then my bby boi gets suicidal and things get rough but it's becomes okay again) and finds the loves of his life, Eris and Aeren. And Snail is actually a really selfish asshole for the first few books, Brie would have never dated him, much less gotten married to the idiot.

Also my most recent demon boi Onyx has no real motivations past get the fuck out of the kingdom and drag my human boyfriend outta there whether he wants it or not I love him too much to let him stay, then save his own kingdom. And Lucian honestly gives no fucks about the world outside Onyx and his relationship being stable. Then a smol bean Cecil enters and they sorta adopt him and get moral compasses.

I like developing these types of characters into decent humans while still preserving their ruthless, whatever it takes to get the job done mentality.

Also, I am writing a new story. Prince Lucian, Onyx, and Cecil may be showing up more, ya know what I mean?

I also think I am a little bit of a psychopath. But it’s very rare that I feel it these days.

I was too busy writing my previous post to notice emos. I am sorta an emo myself right now, but I'd rather think I'm "preppy Victorian goth" more accurately.

My characters are either disasters or sweethearts and there's very little in-between.

^^Love that phrasing.

My characters are either disasters or sweethearts and there's very little in-between.

Same, but I think more of mine err on the "disaster" side.

A lot of mine are like "wow I'm such a disaster lollll" and then the book happens and they're like "oops I guess I wasn't but I sure am now"

The leads in each book are usually a super closed off character and a literal ray of sunshine.

Okay, so one thing that I didn't realize I needed more of until I started thinking about Frankenstein:
Immoral leads who aren't badass.
Like, all the leads in fantasy are either: "I must do the right thing always," or "yeah I just kazually go around killing people." I want characters that don't go out of their way to do the right thing, but who also aren't criminals or assassins or thieves or all the common roles for antihero protags. I want characters that are: "Oh yeah I would totally kill a man, but I have no idea how and I've also never broken the law before in my life." Or even characters who don't do the right thing but don't take it as far as flat-out murdering people. ("Ugh, but killing him would take effort; I'd rather just use my newfound magical powers to steal things and mess with people instead of saving the world.")

Dude my immoral characters are Chaotic Neutral Dumbasses most of the time
This is specifically calling out Nich

Dude my immoral characters are Chaotic Neutral Dumbasses most of the time
This is specifically calling out Nich

Totally not Onyx, no sir no ma'am no neutrally gendered honorific, why would you assume that? Also Nich sounds awesome tbh.

Nich is awesome.