Insecure Writer's Support Group is a blog hop hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh where totally insecure writers can get together and share the things that are making us go argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last month I didn't post because I was busy failing at NaNoWriMo (I actually won but it was such a mess of a manuscript that I don't consider it a success). This month I haven't touched my writing but have been "researching" the superhero genre by watching the first season of The Flash and any other superhero show I can get my hands on. It's strange but for some reason my favourite of has been Daredevil which is the least sci-fi one of the bunch. That got me thinking and I've since figured out that it's because Daredevil has the least scientific mumbo jumbo in it. Unlike The Flash which tries to explain all the super powers in a scientific way and then has someone spontaneously replicate themselves hundreds of times in a matter of seconds. Even I know that's not possible no matter what freak storm you've been subjected to.
Daredevil is blind with heightened senses but that's not the centre of the story. There are all sorts of other plot lines happening that have nothing to do with his powers. It got me thinking about the number of writers and creative consultants it takes to make a TV show. Even then they have to bring in technical experts and still there are massive scientific plot holes. What hope then do I as a lone writer with no scientific background have of keeping my facts straight? Zip! Sure I can do the research but sometimes even the stuff I read on Wikipedia makes no sense to me. Why does science have to use so many words with the letters y and z in them?
Thankfully, I have since come to the conclusion that I'm going to take a leaf out of Daredevil and Batman's book. My characters will still have super powers bases on scientific facts but their stories will be about their growth as characters, their interactions with others and maybe once in a while the cool things they can do. Hopefully with all of the action happening even if y readers cotton on that the science makes no sense they might care less!
Good idea! Those characters are always the most interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd Daredevil is by far the best superhero series out there. Maybe ever.
Personally, I don't like Daredevil and the new show hasn't been able to hold my attention, but I catch your vibe.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a sort of suspension of belief to swallow some of these superpowers, but I'm willing to just let it pass and I think if you research enough to halfway know what you're talking about and just fill in the rest as you go, nobody's going to blame you for it. Writing isn't exact science anyway.
I have no idea where I was going with this, but superhero books for the win!
You're writing about superheroes, are you? Enjoy! And do have a binge, that's the fun part of research.
ReplyDeleteCharacter-driven stories are more interesting than stories that focus solely on plot or world-building. You'll never get everything right in the technical stuff, anyway, so focus on making the characters really fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan. Some of my most beloved superheroes aren't all that cool with their powers but their character.
ReplyDeleteResearching superheroes sounds like a ton of fun. I do love The Flash, and Batman, as a superhero, has always been a fav. I want to see Daredevil, but alas, I don't have Netflix.
ReplyDeleteI *love* Daredevil! And all the rest, too. You'd think I was writing SF, but I'm not. LOL! Good luck!
ReplyDelete