Gimme Strength

Plenty has been said about giving characters flaws - we've talked about it around the site, on the Quackcast and out loud, to ourselves, on the bus and in the park.

Characters gotta have flaws!

But something I've thought about more lately, in the years well after starting my comic, is to give characters powers. Not necessarily superpowers or magic powers - maybe more accurately, to give them strengths.

This is something I've done much less in the stuff I've written. I'm still just getting started, as far as working on it with characters I write now.

Let me be clear - this CAN be superpowers or magic powers. It can also be a skill they've developed or a natural "gift" that they have.

It's finding something that your character is REALLY REALLY good at. Maybe they're "the best there is" at it. This is handy to figure out, whether you're working on the Protagonist, Antagonist, Love Interest, Villain, or whomever.

This can be corny maybe, or it can be done awesome. Even corny can be awesome.

It can give a reason why we should care about and follow your character/characters, and be on their side.

Dalton from Roadhouse was the best at what he did (controlling violence in bars - a specialized field). Jack Bauer, Batman, Beatrix from Kill Bill - they all have skills - prowess or gifts that make them stand out from the crowd. The best of the best in their fields.

Even outside of the action or thriller genres, this can apply - there is a school of screenwriting thought that any Protagonist should be the best or extremely accomplished or skilled at what they do.

As with all writing "rules", this is not actually a rule. Melvin from "As Good As It Gets" is a bestselling novelist. Good Will Hunting is a diamond-in-the-rough-genius.

Romantic comedies are full of people who are very successful and capable at their jobs - or maybe capable pick up artists like in Hitch, Alfie, and movies like that. These gifted heroes in comedy usually have a lot of growing up to do, but start off gifted at what they do.

The skills can be something like the most tenacity or never-give-up…itude…{?}

Again, it's not a hard and fast rule at all. But as always - good food for thought.

Do you think you care more for a character with some impressive skill or accomplishments?
Are your main characters particularly gifted in any area?

yours with a special set of skills,
Banes