We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular.
We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes.
It just depends on the day…Brad Meltzer
Epic heroes are created from a combination of things. What kind of the combination you use when you have to create the character for your story?
The first step in making a character great is to imagine it in your own mind.
When you do this, your subconscious will begin the process of constructing a character that’s larger than life.
Now, when the hero is THERE, what techniques can be used to make him/or her great?
A. Molchanov’s pick:
- mystery
- purpose
- limitation/flaw/defect
- powers/abilities
Every hero should have a character flaw, something that may be ruining their life.
Paul Brown’s pick:
5 ‘bright’ qualities for each hero (as a minimum):
- Quality 1 – any
- Quality 2 – any
- Quality 3 – The Mask (the way he represent himself to the world)
- Quality 4 – Behind The Mask (what he’s hiding from all other heroes/the world)
- Quality 5 – weirdness
Why the mask, weirdness and the mystery? Because it is more psychologically trustworthy, and that means – more interesting.
James Frey’s pick:
If your hero is a detective:
- courage
- professionalism
- special talent
- ingenuity
- intelligence
- he must have a ‘wound’/past
- or he must be outside of the law
What do you think? Your ‘pick’? 🙂 Add anything you like!
Next post – psycho-logical tale “Greed”
Good tips. Thank you. 🙂
Now I’m already to design my superhero. Thanks for detailed breakdown.
cool 🙂 yes, I think it is a good reminder about some best qualities for the hero in any story :))
At first, I thought you were making a commentary on ‘humans’ also and not just the comic superheroes.
yes, it is for everyone lol
anything is possible in a “good weird” story :))
Went to a Brad Meltzer and Elmore Leonard lecture at the Tucson Book Festival a few years back. What did they discussed, you guessed it, character development. You have it down with this post. Well done.
Cool :)) what if the character is a total mess? then – what?? :))
Go with it, more interesting.
:)) oki, hopefully it will be not “one-sided” kind of hero 🙂
If anyone can pull it off, it’s you.
Many times the best heroes are the ordinary characters who are forced to become more than they could ever imagine.
exactly… and often the hero is a total mess, he doesnt have time for mysteries and powers lol but we still love him/her 🙂
Exactly. Really enjoyed this post.
We need Truly Madly Ordinary heroes😉
I already know ONE ‘hero’ :))
💪🏻😎😘
Hmm. Imperfections, passion, charisma and the ability to overcome obstacles regardless of situation. True though ordinary heroes are fun too 👍
yes, exactly :))
I like Hand-cock!
Tina Turner once told us that ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero.’ Will Smith sets out to prove her right…Superhero and parody…As you said…there are heroes, and there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock. With great power comes great responsibility… Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey!
Now this is my kinda guy…a total Whanker….(a.k.a Shanker)
Have a great day !
lol thats tooooo many heroes for one day haha
btw, I love Will Smith in that role too 🙂 he was one cool superhero :))
The hero of my Thriller trilogy is an ordinary guy with a touch of ADD. He is not one of those superhero types but does think through problems and gets the job done. Super post, Ray.
I believe in Ordinary Guys :)) they know more than those with superpowers sometimes haha
Me too.:-D
Reblogged this on Plaisted Publishing House and commented:
What do you think makes a great hero?
thanks lots for reblog :))
Welcome
🙂
Great advice
Hmmm…..this is not something I have ever put mind to but….. I like the “mask ” idea. The mask person and the real person behind the mask. We could be conned into believing the mask and then at a critical moment …BAM….the mask comes off. Perhaps it is torn off by another character….or ripped off by the mask person himself or herself….of events in masks life remove the mask bit , by bit, by bit. Hmmmmm…..interesting.
yes, you just described all the possibilities to get rid offfff MASK in the story :)) I like the idea too :))
Nice post, Ray… I’ve not much to add, really, but I think that for a great hero, courage (definitely as opposed to ‘fearlessness’) is a must.
Also they’ve got to be flawed (haha preferably a shedload of flaws) otherwise we can’t empathise with them. (They’d fall into the category of ‘smug’).
If I were to write a hero, I think I’d give him at least half a dozen phobias and/or disorders. 😉
‘The Phobia-Hero’ 😂…it would be one popular book 🙂 📚
Haha yes I think it’d look good on the bookshelves. Now it just needs to be written. 😀 📚
To be written is a hell long process…wush u luck with that lol
Haha yes… 1st draft should be ready by 2021. Maybe. 😉
not bad :)) i guess my second draft will be ready by 2021 as well so i’m still a bit ahead of you haha
Haha you are positively speedy compared to me. 😉
But then again, indolence is definitely my ‘preference’… though I usually deny it. 😀
you should try anyway :)) with the book, 2021 is damn close lol 😂
Haha too close, I think! 😉 😂
I will see what I can do, anyway. Today I’m going to sit down with pen & paper. 🙂
Great, Mr Writer …the dead line is tomorrow, for the first draft 😂 hurry up
😮
Haha looks like my Saturday night out might have to be postponed, then. 😉 😂
Reblogged this on ReBirth: The Pursuit of Porsha.
Thank you 😊 lots 💓💓✌️
This is the absolute truth!
Thank u 💓💓✌️
Nice idea my dear
Thank you for stopping at my blog and following me. I have followed you also and hopped around here a little this afternoon as well. I love how your site is laid out – I think I’m going to have to jazz up my site a little more. Maybe for Spring? I especially liked the post with the dogs … this looks to be a fun site.
Thank you ☺️ a lot 💓
Yes it is fun to change layout of the page time to time 🙂
Thank you for stopping at my blog and following me. I have followed you also and hopped around here a little this afternoon as well. I love how your site is laid out – I think I’m going to have to jazz up my site a little more. Maybe for Spring? I especially liked the post with the dogs … this looks to be a fun site. Hope my comment “took” – WordPress said I made a duplicate comment – oops.
I hate rules!! Probably that’s why I haven’t written a book yet. If I ever do, it would be completely ruleless and as crazy as my doors. I’m curious to read about your heroes though, I’m sure you’re going to bend those rules too.
Ruleless book sounds COOL 🙂 you def should write it! Soon!! 😄
I’m writing young adult fiction now. Not sure if it’s my genre lol not sure who is my hero lol
So we’ll see how it goes :)) 👋