How to write "smart" characters without just having everyone say that they're smart?
Was planning out my potential series, and a later antagonist was supposed to be kind of scrawny but manipulative and smart.
It's like a whole brains versus brawns theme, because the MC is having his own little villain arc and he's getting really violent.
Thing is, MC isn't stupid, he's like a little above average.
How do I write smart people when I am very much not.
i may be able to help.
my mc is smart but oblivious, so i write her as a really quick thinker (brainstorming in 2 seconds, fast calculations, good plans, etc.) and she also has more common sense than the rest of the group, but she thinks so much she doesn't really see what's happening around her. another character i have is smart with machines but really dumb with everything else. my last character is pretty similar to yours, i write him as always seeming to know more than everyone else although he really doesn't.
i hope this helps. also remember the characters don't have search engines but we do :)
Thank you! I'll take what you've into consideration, for sure.
Took me until now to realize that there are different types of smart.
(ex. Book-smart without common sense, Street-smart but a F- average in school, etc.)
Also, yeah- Internet access would solve a lot of these dweebs problems, wouldn't they- 😅
Ok so, yes, murder almost all my characters? Or, no, don’t kill everyone on a sleep deprived whim?
Ok so, yes, murder almost all my characters? Or, no, don’t kill everyone on a sleep deprived whim?
Maybe-
Depends on how and why. Like is it to prove just how big a threat is? Sure. Is it to push the MC into a breaking point? Sure. Is it an ulitmate sacrifice during the Final Boss Battle? Sure.
Pretty much any reason that isn't solely shock value.
Spoiler - click to show.
Was planning on making a likable character, and then I'd kill them because of the MC's actions. It's shock value that serves a purpose- it's supposed to push MC to a breaking point/realization.
Realizing how much alliterations and shit I be writing- can't wait for some bored English teacher to hyper-analyze every single one.
Pater marched through the snowy steams, silent save for his booted footfalls.
How long had it been? Seven seasons, was it? For seven long and lonesome seasons, Pater hadn't been home.
Ok so, yes, murder almost all my characters? Or, no, don’t kill everyone on a sleep deprived whim?
Maybe-
Depends on how and why. Like is it to prove just how big a threat is? Sure. Is it to push the MC into a breaking point? Sure. Is it an ulitmate sacrifice during the Final Boss Battle? Sure.
Pretty much any reason that isn't solely shock value.
Spoiler - click to show.
Was planning on making a likable character, and then I'd kill them because of the MC's actions. It's shock value that serves a purpose- it's supposed to push MC to a breaking point/realization.
(sry i thought i replid earlier)
the first major character death is what makes the MC snap and the whole group separate. the second time two die at once in the big boss battle to prove how far gone the villain/MC is. but in the books after i don't know what to do with most of my characters, the main group was really big and im not quite sure what to do with them.
Ok so, yes, murder almost all my characters? Or, no, don’t kill everyone on a sleep deprived whim?
Maybe-
Depends on how and why. Like is it to prove just how big a threat is? Sure. Is it to push the MC into a breaking point? Sure. Is it an ulitmate sacrifice during the Final Boss Battle? Sure.
Pretty much any reason that isn't solely shock value.
Spoiler - click to show.
Was planning on making a likable character, and then I'd kill them because of the MC's actions. It's shock value that serves a purpose- it's supposed to push MC to a breaking point/realization.
(sry i thought i replid earlier)
the first major character death is what makes the MC snap and the whole group separate. the second time two die at once in the big boss battle to prove how far gone the villain/MC is. but in the books after i don't know what to do with most of my characters, the main group was really big and im not quite sure what to do with them.
Maybe have some of them be retired heros? Or just generally not as important?
They don't have to die for that to happen, just have them shopping for bread or something and some kids in the supermarket go,
"Heyy, didn't you save the world or something? Neat. Wanna vape?"
Like maybe a newer character sees one of the older heroes just vacuuming or something, and the newer character is like,
"oh my goodness give me your autograph PLEASE."
Ok so, yes, murder almost all my characters? Or, no, don’t kill everyone on a sleep deprived whim?
Maybe-
Depends on how and why. Like is it to prove just how big a threat is? Sure. Is it to push the MC into a breaking point? Sure. Is it an ulitmate sacrifice during the Final Boss Battle? Sure.
Pretty much any reason that isn't solely shock value.
Spoiler - click to show.
Was planning on making a likable character, and then I'd kill them because of the MC's actions. It's shock value that serves a purpose- it's supposed to push MC to a breaking point/realization.
(sry i thought i replid earlier)
the first major character death is what makes the MC snap and the whole group separate. the second time two die at once in the big boss battle to prove how far gone the villain/MC is. but in the books after i don't know what to do with most of my characters, the main group was really big and im not quite sure what to do with them.
Maybe have some of them be retired heros? Or just generally not as important?
They don't have to die for that to happen, just have them shopping for bread or something and some kids in the supermarket go,
"Heyy, didn't you save the world or something? Neat. Wanna vape?"
Like maybe a newer character sees one of the older heroes just vacuuming or something, and the newer character is like,
"oh my goodness give me your autograph PLEASE."
weeeeeeeeeeeeeell, they weren't exactly heros.
the way it goes is out of a group of 11, one becomes the villain, one gets a life sentence in prison, one somehow loses even more limbs then before, one becomes a serial killer, three have already died, one starts a "rebellion" against the villain, one started this whole mess and the last one is trying to kill him for it. it's a mess, and most of these people are basically a hindrance to society.
Been thinking about 
.
Just thought of it on a whim, really, but I thought it was neat, probably.
Keep in mind this is a subplot, they're mostly doing other stuff. Also huge spoiler warning, if ya care.
Spoiler - click to show.
- Character A and Character B go out and pick flowers in their downtime.
- B makes it a point to A to make sure to take the roots as well. A doesn't listen.
Spoiler - click to show.
- B wants to put the flowers in pots at home so they'll grow. A does it for him.
- B waters and takes care of the flowers, not knowing that they don't have roots.
Spoiler - click to show.
- Big tragedy happens to B. Flowers start to wilt.
- B's mental health starts to deteriorate. Flowers keep wilting. A is not helping.
Spoiler - click to show.
- A leaves, comes back, and oh shit B is dead. Flowers are dead, too.
OH MY GOD THE FLOWERS ARE SYMBOLIC
I actually really like that symbolism!
Been considering keeping a character in my series after their death. It'd give a POV of the series' afterlife, and also a sort of spirit guide for the remaining main characters.
Main issue is the character's death was also supposed to, y'know, be emotional because it's death.
Not sure if keeping the character around and conscious would cheapen the moment because they're dead, yeah, but they're still there.
Maybe I compromise and they only show up as hallucinations?
Do I give the MC a villain arc? I need an excuse for him to be an asshole again.
Anger over a death can cause a villain arc, till MC works out his grief. So yes? If you need him to be a jerk?
Anger over a death can cause a villain arc, till MC works out his grief. So yes? If you need him to be a jerk?
Oohhh, literally perfect
guess who's gonna become a degenerate for like, 80% of the third book-
What up losers I’ve returned
Coming up with some subtitles for my series and I'm having fun with it. Essentially it's going to be two main series with four books each.
First Arc:
First arc has a lot to do with fire. MC's backstory? Fire. MC's best friend? Fire. Main antagonists? Fire. Wanted to include fire in some way in all the titles.
Book One: From Fire
Book Two: Kindling Coals
Book Three: Flames Within
Book Four: Snowing Cinders
Second Arc:
Second arc has more to do with the in-universe idea of the afterlife. Essentially, if you die a hero, you live in the sky as a star, and you spend the day huddled with other stars to form the Sun. If you die a villain, you go to a place called the Nevermourn (i.e., hell).
Book Five: Among the Stars
Book Six: Nevermourn's Talons
Book Seven: Moonless Night
Book Eight: Daylight's Graces
Assuming I have the motivation to do anything for this series that isn't just worldbuilding, I'm pretty hyped for this little project! Might plan a third series, but I was heavily considering killing MC at the end of Daylight's Graces. Not fully decided on that yet-
Wooouuhhhohohohohohouuuu those book names are really cool
Weirdest things you've researched while worldbuilding / plot-planning / etc? Here's a few of mine:
- Can bear-traps break human bones?
- How much blood is in a human?
- How long does it take for a child to bleed out?
- How long can you survive on raw meat?
- How to survive an avalanche?
Oh my search history is a similar mess XD
- What is the average density of a gorilla?
- How much water pressure does it take to crush a human skull?
- What is the average grip strength of a coconut crab?
- What is the tensile strength of a mushroom?
and so on
Ok- what prompted you to want the average density of a gorilla?
XD To figure out how much a Sasquatch/Yeti would realistically weigh, of course. Obviously. XD
Incidentally, did you know that a 15 foot Yeti would weigh roughly 1500 lbs, and could lift nearly 3 tons, as well as run at speeds of 40 mph over short distance, and jump 19 feet into the air, or 75 feet across a distance, given a running start?
These are the things I try to figure out. For reasons XD
From my writing research:
"Would someone die if they were pushed into the bellagio fountains?"
"Types of poison"
"What types of gunshot wounds are fatal?"
