Goal Post: Is It Really Saturday?

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

I’ll admit that I’m thrown off on what day of the week it is.  My son had a 3 day school week while I had a 4 day work week.  He had Tuesday off, but I had to go in for a conference day.  Then, we both had Friday off, which is when I’m writing this since I’m exhausted.  Everything was spinning with all of the end of quarter chaos and the drama caused by certain individuals.  The usual stuff that I can’t go into details with here for yada yada reasons.

I’m not even going to pretend that I expected more out of this week.  The signs were everywhere that it was going to be crazy.  My son had tests, projects, doctor appointments, and chaotic schedule.  He’s attending his first Bar Mitzvah today, which is why I couldn’t even think about doing this post in the morning.  Even removing his responsibilities, I had my hands full.  Work had a lot of juggling on top of training for and during that conference, which I had to race from to get my son to an appointment.  Don’t ask me what happened on what day.  It’s all a blur until I hit Friday.

Friday was a day of laundry . . . Wait . . . No, I actually got to do stuff.  My son and I went to a movie.  Not the one that’s taken up half of the theaters.  We were interested in a really special treat.  That would be ‘One Piece: Red’, which is a movie based around the manga/anime series.  It’s rare that an anime movie will hit theaters, so we were excited to go.  The challenge was that I could only get tickets to the subtitled showing and my son is a slow reader.  He toughed it out and got enough to figure out the plot.  Helped that he already knew all, but one of the characters.  The important thing was getting to see the Strawhat Pirates on the big screen.  Who knows if or when we’ll ever get another opportunity like this?

Writing didn’t get as far as I would have liked.  A big part of that is what went wrong last weekend.  I tried to get as many paperback versions done as I could on Saturday then I was going to leave Sunday for outlining.  I was making okay time getting the formatting right when I got to Legends of Windemere: Family of the Tri-Rune.  It got rejected twice due to cover issues that I couldn’t do anything about.  Obscured lettering and blending into the background, which wasn’t a thing.  Ended up emailing Amazon and submitting once more out of frustration.  Was too miffed to do anything else, so I stopped with 5 paperbacks done.

The galling part is that 48 hours later, I noticed that the book had gone through and Amazon emailed me to say they didn’t see a problem.  They said that what I did must have fixed the issue.  I was honest with them that I didn’t change anything and submitted out of frustration.  They couldn’t quite explain why it was a different result, so we’ll see if this happens with any other books.  I still have 22 to go and I hope to finish them before the end of the year.  I want to use the holiday break at the end of December to start writing Darwin & the Demon Game.  Was that the name I picked out?  Sounds about right.

I mentioned last week that I was going to watch ‘Blockbuster’ on Netflix.  I did that on Sunday instead of writing.  It was okay, but it felt like the bulk of the story could have happened at any setting.  There wasn’t as much about keeping the last store going and mostly about the relationships going on.  Primarily the romantic one while the more interesting things to me were the supporting cast’s antics.  It was a shame because it could have hit a lot of nostalgia.  The only highlight for me was Hollywood Video getting namedropped in episode 9.  That was where I worked back in the day.

I’m currently watching another Netflix show called ‘Lupin’.  It’s French and about a guy who models his life after the gentleman thief character Arsene Lupin.  His father is framed for a crime and commits suicide when he was a child, so he grows up to be a thief who is out for revenge.  It’s pretty good, but I think having no idea about the inspiration is giving me trouble.  Just one episode to go though.

This coming week is going to be more of the same as last week.  Only I get absolutely no days off.  Parent teacher conferences are coming too.  So, I will have to do the same amount of juggling I did before.  This means I’m not going to imagine getting any real writing done.  My plan is to tackle the January posts and then go back to the paperback creations.  That will be next weekend and I’m sure I can get a lot of them done now that I have the rhythm going.  Not very exciting, but the weather sucks and life is keeping me going at a crazy pace.  Only reason I’m still awake while I write this Friday night is because laundry is finishing up.

So, goals of the week?

  1. Help son with schoolwork.
  2. My own work.
  3. Finish the January posts.
  4. Maybe start the February posts if I finish January quickly.  NEED TOPICS!
  5. Finish ‘Lupin’ and maybe start ‘Warrior Nun’.
  6. Get as many paperbacks set up as possible.
  7. Try to use the exercise bike at least once this week.
  8. Sleep better.
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Backlash Toward Invulnerable Characters

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Superman

Many people hate Superman because of his powers.  The one that gets a lot of attention is his invulnerability because it means he can never be hurt.  People roll their eyes when kryptonite appears and call it a strained plot device.  They argue that it shouldn’t be as common as it seems, which hurts the story even more.  You end up seeing arguments online about how Superman should be able to end a problem within seconds instead of the time period of movie.  It ends up being a feeling that he is overpowered and unrealistic . . . Which is entirely warranted.

The issue here is that an author may have an invulnerable character and not do anything to create tension.  This is weak writing, which turns this powerful being into a hindrance to the overall story.  If done enough, like with Superman, average readers might not pick up on any attempts to circumvent this power.  This is because you have to be cunning in creating weakness without eliminating the invulnerability.  Otherwise, there’s no point in having it in the first place.  So, what can be done?

Let’s use Superman as an example and point out a few things that people may miss:

  1. While he cannot be hurt by most attacks, he can still be held back by an enemy with equal strength.  You can hinder a person without hurting them.  If Superman can’t overpower his enemy and can’t be hurt, he is in a bad position.  That is because he is a protector/guardian type, which means he also holds himself back.  So, his invulnerability keeps him safe, but it doesn’t do the same to those around him.  Best example that people hate is when he killed General Zod, who was about to kill innocent bystanders.  Neither Kryptonian could be hurt and Superman couldn’t overpower his more experienced enemy, so he was forced to kill.
  2. Morality holds heroes back regardless of their powers, including invulnerability.  These are the good guys and typically don’t kill.  Yes, anti-heroes are an exception, but they rarely have Superman-level powers.  This is because many authors try to avoid the abuse of such power and instill a strict moral code.  This is why characters like Superman hold back and depend a lot on being shields.  Push an idea that they are aware that they cannot be hurt, but others can and you can have them be more cautious.  This makes them more human and prone to mistakes.  It’s always made clear that Superman holds back.
  3. Invulnerability has usually been physical like in the case of Superman.  Authors who want to create tension will attack the character on another level.  I don’t mean psychic attacks even though that is fair.  I’m talking about emotional damage.  People see characters like Superman as god-like because of their powers and it’s made worse when the heroes are stoic.  It makes sense for Dr. Manhattan in ‘The Watchmen’ since he lost his humanity, but that was a storyline.  For Superman and similar heroes, he needs that vulnerable heart to counter the backlash caused by having an invulnerable body.  It won’t matter if he can ignore bullets when he left a crying husk because he failed to protect a loved one.  Readers can relate with someone so powerful if they can be brought to tears or enraged by losses that an average person can suffer.  It makes them human in spite of their abilities.

I know I’ll have some arguments in the comments, but that’s what it is.  Superman is a controversial figure at times because of his powers.  Invulnerability is a key component of the criticism, which is why anyone who writes a similar character should consider his history.  There have been versions that made him too powerful and the story suffered immensely.  Others have made him so human that you can forget that he is one of the strongest figures in the DC universe.  So, there is plenty of examples you can find of what to do and what not to do.

Still, the main thing to consider is if you really need to have a hero with this much power, especially invulnerability.  If so then don’t use it so casually.  People will react to how you play it off and look for reasons to care.

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Holidays and the Hemingway Code

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Ciao, amici! Today, I’m deviating from my Story Development and Execution series because it’s a special day. In the U.S., it’s Veterans’ Day. The …

Holidays and the Hemingway Code
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Poetry Day: Cry for Some Attention

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Midoriya from My Hero Academia

(This poem deals with how the Internet works.  I wrote it when I noticed posting anything positive or a simple update got very little attention.  Once I ranted, I got a flood of comments by people either trying to cheer me up, agreeing, or trying to poke me into a greater fervor.  Hence, crying for attention.)

*****

Again I sit
Staring at the screen
Wondering
What the secret is
And why I’ve yet to find it

I post my poems
My imagination’s blood
Hoping for a comment
Or a statement
To make me feel connected

Instead they sit
Untouched
And unread
Pushed down the page
Buried under fodder

I read what others post
Dinners just eaten
Movies being watched
Pictures changed at whims
Is this what people want?

I see no insight
No bearing of the soul
That attracts a horde of comments
I simply do not see
Why these posts explode

I try my hand
With daily rumbles
Refusing to fall
Into mindless blather
And pointless prattle

Frustration comes ahead
A day of darkness
Pushing me to post
The most heinous thing
The Rant

I rail and scream
For all the world to see
Foaming like a beast
That has been kicked
Letting my rage expend

The comments soar
Without my try
They fall into two camps
Concern from some
Others take offense

The silent friends
Ignorers before this day
Descend like rabid ants
Kicking me
When I am at my worst

I snap back
Growling at their assault
Stopping to wonder
If this perversion of contact
Is really what I want

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7 Tips to Writing Invulnerable Characters

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Luke Cage

Now that we have an idea of what we mean by invulnerability, how do we use it?  The power can pose a problem for clear reasons.  Mostly, it can be abused and erase all sense of stakes in the story.  We’ll get into the backlash on Friday, but here are some ways to make this power work in a story.

  1. Invulnerability doesn’t always mean 100% resistant to injury.  It sounds like an umbrella term, but it can be used to say the character is hard to hurt.  There can be things that get through this power.  Kryptonite is the best and most famous example here.  The weaknesses do have to be rare or there’s no point in being invulnerable to begin with.  This also adds tension because people won’t know when this weakness will pop up.
  2. Invulnerability doesn’t always mean super strong and fast too.  In fact, you can have a person with normal physical abilities and only this power.  Now, you have someone who cannot be hurt and that’s really it.  If they’re still punching with regular human power, they’re not going to be able to win easily.  Yes, they can outlast their opponent, but how much damage will be caused while they’re struggling to lay out someone?
  3. Keep in mind that invulnerability can be a danger to those around the hero.  This is mostly for deflecting projectiles with their body.  Whether it be having skin of steel or rubber, bullets will bounce off the hero.  Where do they go?  A hero won’t always be able to figure that out, so there’s a possibility of innocent bystanders getting hit.  So, a character in this situation will have to think about acting as a human shield, especially since they’d only be able to block a few people standing behind them.  Anyone off to the sides will be in danger.
  4. Invulnerability can make a hero arrogant to the point of taking risks.  The longer a person goes without getting hurt, the higher the chance that they forget what it’s like feel pain.  Not only that, but they will forget the basic skills needed to avoid getting injured.  So, they’ll be more susceptible to walking into traps where their weaknesses are being used.  They may start to lose their sense of empathy too because they won’t understand what it’s like to be hurt any more.
  5. Invulnerability is usually about the body and not the mind.  This means anything that affects the mind and soul are dangers.  You can write that this is a mental and emotional invulnerability too, but that’s just making it impossible to do anything to the character.  Leaving them open to psychic attacks, emotion- altering spells, and illusions helps them maintain a level of vulnerability.  It will also help in preventing #4 from occurring.
  6. Clothes can still be damaged, but nobody really pays attention to this.
  7. Invulnerability could be something that’s conditional or limited.  Maybe the character only has this power during the daylight hours or loses it on the weekends.  The object of this is to create periods of vulnerability, which the hero or villain will actively try to hide from enemies.  Once the secret is out, they will have to fight for their lives during their weak moments.
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Cover Reveal and Volunteer Request – The Last Drive – a Sequel to Eternal Road – #newbook

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

The Last Drive, a sequel to Eternal Road, is finally done and ready to go to print. Here is the blurb. In the sequel to Eternal Road, Sam and James …

Cover Reveal and Volunteer Request – The Last Drive – a Sequel to Eternal Road – #newbook
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Signs You Might Need a Writing Break

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Hey, SE Readers. Joan here today. Many of us face times when we need a break from writing. Whether you balance a full-time job with writing or write …

Signs You Might Need a Writing Break
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Author Month: The White Whale Project

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Google Image Search

So, what is a ‘White Whale Project’?  Named after Moby Dick, this is the story idea that you can’t get to work, but refuse to send into the abyss.  You have spent countless hours trying to figure it out.  Maybe you have notes and test scenes in a folder.  They work, but don’t work.  There’s just something that you can’t get right.  Yet, it the idea refuses to leave you alone and die.  One could also call this your albatross.

My ‘White Whale Project’ . . . It has to be the Super Earth/Mylrixians ideas.  This is actually multiple stories and series, but they’re under a single umbrella.  Originally, they took place on Earth where superheroes are common or at least exist.  I had trouble juggling that world and Windemere because both needed systems in place.  My attention was mostly on Windemere because of ‘Legends of Windemere‘, which added to the overall problem.  Then, I started bringing things over to Windemere like the Dawn Fangs and a few other heroes.  This led to me changing Super Earth into the Mylrixians, who are superheroes in a fantasy world.

And that’s where I kind of got stuck.  I didn’t like them in Earth any more because I had cannibalized so much for other series.  Also, Earth-based superheroes had been and continues to be done to death.  Windemere still felt right and so did many of the characters.  Yet, I could never get the opening series to come out right.  Part of it is that I can’t tell if I want it to be a solid novel with one story or a collection of short stories that connect to a single plot.  Kind of like a compendium.  This is the same issue I was having with ‘Phi Beta Files’ and I went with the latter.

For a while, I haven’t gone near the Mylrixians.  I don’t know what to do and I’m kind of scared of it at this point.

So, anybody else have a ‘White Whale Project’?

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Invulnerable vs Invincible

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

From Goldeneye

I wanted to do a week on characters who are ‘Invulnerable’.  As you can guess, I ran into an interesting stumbling block.  It started with a google image search where the above showed up fairly quickly.  This made me realize something:

People use ‘Invincible’ and ‘Invulnerable’ interchangeably.

Well, I can’t really dive into the topic if people are getting these similar, but different terms mixed up.  To be fair, I’ve used them incorrectly when not paying attention.  I remember comics not always making them different things, which confused me for a while.  Might be the reason for a lot of people making this mistake.  The best example is Superman, who would be considered invulnerable without being invincible.  How is that possible?

  • Invulnerable is when a person cannot be harmed.  They are not vulnerable to being injured.  Even then, certain situations can be created to undo this.  Special weapons or events can eliminate this ability.  Going back to Superman, you have magic, kryptonite, and red sun energy that negates his powers.
  • Invincibility is when a person cannot be beaten.  They can still be hurt, but they cannot be defeated.  Many will possess invulnerability, but this is not a required.  It’s harder to find characters like this because this disappears as soon as they are beaten.  This means, a character who is meant to maintain this needs to win every fight.  Best example here would be Saitama from ‘One Punch Man’.

Many authors will avoid both of these for their heroes, but there’s a bigger effort to dodge invulnerability.  A character who can’t be hurt won’t garner any concern from the readers and lead to invincibility.  That’s boring.  It also ignores that there are ways to work around it, which I’ll get into later in the week.  Really want to deep dive on this one at the end of the week and not with the concept of invincibility hovering about.

Now, the funny thing is that invulnerability is avoided while invincibility isn’t.  Sometimes it turns up without us realizing it.  A character who never loses is very appealing even if you’re having them getting injured in every fight.  We think that them getting hurt is enough to make the audience care, but they’ll pick up on the track record eventually.  This will make the injures feel like tricks that insult the intelligence of the audience.  I compare it to WWE wrestling back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.  Quick story time:

Back in college, my friends and I got into watching wrestling.  This was the over-the-top, action and silliness we needed to socialize and unwind.  As we got older, we started to notice a few trends.  One was that ‘The Rock’ had a habit of getting beaten up for most of his matches and then win with the same combo.  We joked that it was around the time there were 2 minutes left of the show.  So, we called it the ‘two minute rule’ and wouldn’t pay attention until we heard the announcers shout that the People’s Elbow as about to happen.  We knew the drill and felt no tension during these matches because his invincibility outside of PPV shows had been established.

I seem to have gone on more about invincibility and invulnerability, but that’s because the latter can lead to the former.  Not always in a good way too.  Usually in a bad way that hurts the story.  So, we have to use both with caution.  It’s easier to do that with invulnerability by having it not turning into invincibility.

So, what are your thoughts on these two terms?  Did you think they were the same thing?

Posted in Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Humor in Writing- Five Ways to Do It

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Photo by Гоар Авдалян on Unsplash Hi SEers. John is with you today. The other day I was staring at my computer screen like it was the Oracle of …

Humor in Writing- Five Ways to Do It
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