Writing Tips

[15:54] <Tang> How do you make the world and plot seem *real* and exist beyond the immediate, viewpoint character?
[15:57] <QuasarBlack> hmm
[15:57] <QuasarBlack> Well, for starters, things happen on their own schedule.
[15:58] <QuasarBlack> So, try not to dump things on your protag with convienent timing.
[15:58] <QuasarBlack> Sure, if Luck is your thing, that can work out.
[15:58] <QuasarBlack> But having to kill time and wait is a very normal thing - it's what we're used to.
[16:00] <QuasarBlack> It also makes you take your protag and have character moments.  They have a date with destiny at 7pm - but it's 3 pm now.  You don't have to cover the intervening hours intensely, but going over what they do, what they're worrying about in the leadup...
[16:00] <Tang> *scribble scribble*
[16:00] <QuasarBlack> that's humanizing and familiar - you wait on the world, the world doesn't wait on you
[16:01] <QuasarBlack> It also means that you can have your character miss stuff - you had them doing thing X at a certain time, so when they heard that event Y happened and they missed it, that's a thing.
[16:01] <Tang> Interesting.
[16:01] <QuasarBlack> the other thing is that you have to work with a certain scale.
[16:02] <QuasarBlack> keep it street level - this monster doesn't threaten the fate of the world, it threatens the people in your town.
[16:02] <QuasarBlack> You can work up to big stuff but people buy in at low levels much more easily
[16:03] <Tang> Yeah, my Act 1 villain is...kinda not even a threat as such.
[16:04] <Tang> Like it's meant to be a very individual story- a whodunit/detective story starring a character who from the getgo is more inclined to straightforward solutions and swording things.
[16:04] <QuasarBlack> that works too - having to work outside your specialty is frustrating and can be humanizing.
[16:05] <QuasarBlack> Other stuff - give side characters backgrounds and motivations that have nothing to do with your plot.
[16:05] <QuasarBlack> Like, when I made my two allies, Hannah and Amy.
[16:05] <Tang> Mmm.
[16:05] <QuasarBlack> What they want and why they are mahous has barely come up in story.
[16:06] <QuasarBlack> but I have all that info, and it informs their character interactions.
[16:06] <Tang> Current NPCs set in stone aren't allies but are a duo. A somewhat prickly low-mag metalgirl and a fairly warm scryer watergirl. Not quite sure if they're a couple but they are a pair and are fairly fond of each other.
[16:07] <QuasarBlack> They're not there just to be foils for my protag to bounce dialog off of, they have their own motivations and things.
[16:07] <Tang> Aha.
[16:07] <QuasarBlack> So, for your two NPC's. Think up an origin for each one, a reason or reasons why they became mahou, and why they like the other.
[16:08] <QuasarBlack> Then think of three things they like, and if you want to, give 'em a secret they don't want known.
[16:08] <QuasarBlack> You should also assign them a primary character trait that informs their voice.
[16:09] <QuasarBlack> Like, Hannah is brash and cocky. Amy is timid but defensive of her friends.
[16:10] <QuasarBlack> that informs how you write their dialogue and actions, so they can have a consistent voice and character instead of simply being the NPC relating the currently relevant plot dialogue
[16:12] <Tang> The metal girl is a bit harsh and suspicious. Means well, but...all sharpness. The water girl is...likely diplomatic, empathic, but at the same time a bit nosy- albeit veiled by some semblence of tact and timing.
[16:13] <Tang> And yes now that I read that I realize how much it plays into stereotype for the power.
[16:13] <Tang> The metalgirl probably's been mellowed by her friendship with the water girl, while the water girl probably saw something in her past the facade.
[16:14] <QuasarBlack> okay, now extrapolate. Something about metal's past - what happened that made her sharp? Is it a part of why she became a mahou?
[16:15] <QuasarBlack> Water is diplomatic and empathic - has that been successful for her? how do others see her, and how does Metal feel about that?
[16:15] <Tang> I dunno about the latter- and I don't just want to rip off Kyoko now that I realize it lol- but at the same time she does have a, ah, nun outfit. Technically.
[16:15] <Tang> Metal, that is.
[16:16] <QuasarBlack> part of what makes the world feel real is thinking about all these little beneath the surface reasons that explain character interactions, and using them show that there's more going on beneath the surface.
[16:16] <QuasarBlack> Not everything is about the protag, and one of the levels of this is not always getting everything out of a conversation that they could.
[16:17] <Tang> Well, that's the thing. Being more reserved and tactful *works* but at the same time, it can lead to...missed opportunities. Probably relevant to the main plotline fiasco, actually- if the watergirl'd seen something was off, but at the same time after being rebuffed or without asking, didn't press the issue. Probably is somewhat worried about that.
[16:17] <Tang> *was off with the disappeared girl
[16:17] <Tang> Need to consider the duo's own lives a bit more.
[16:17] <QuasarBlack> So someone narrows their eyes at a comment they made - it has nothing to do with the narrative arc you're on, but it's in their character because of past events A and B which you haven't elaborated on
[16:18] <Tang> Mmm.
[16:18] <Tang> Plus Amelia's a fairly poor people person/social butterfly so she's hardly Dirk Gentry. :V
[16:18] <QuasarBlack> so things like that. characters whose lives extend beyond the immediate narrative and who have clear, but unrevealed backgrounds and secrets they try to protect.
[16:18] <Tang> I'll keep in that mind, thanks!
[16:19] <Tang> Anything else come to mind?
[16:19] <Tang> I'd love advice on anything and everything.
[16:21] <QuasarBlack> Voice is important.
[16:21] <QuasarBlack> Nothing makes a story more boring and shitty than every side character having the same reactions, the same voice and verbal tics, and all of it turned toward a single purpose, be it shitting on or fellating the main character.
[16:22] <Tang> Yeah it's my main worry when I write. Any tips for that?
[16:22] <QuasarBlack> giving your characters motivations, a single or double word characterization, and secrets, and then keeping them in mind when writing helps you write them with different voices.
[16:23] <QuasarBlack> They'll react or push for different things, in different ways
[16:24] <QuasarBlack> Don't forget those characters and how they want to do things when you're writing the larger plot either.
[16:25] <QuasarBlack> Because if you do a great job setting up a character, and then your major plot requires that they break that character for it to proceed as planned, they need to have a damn good reason for breaking character, or you need to restructure your plot
[16:25] <Tang> Mmm.
[16:25] <QuasarBlack> sometimes if you consider what your characters would do instead of what you want the plot to do, you can end up in interesting places.

16:42] <Tang> Definitely want to a)set it in the "real" world- at least as far as "anime style city" is "real", b)avoid a magical murderhobo
[16:42] <Tang> since the latter's been done to death
[16:43] <Tang> Basically I'm trying to figure out how to have the power of friendship and cooperation/mundane life significant given the character's tendencies and starting situation.
[16:43] <QuasarBlack> what origin are you using?
[16:43] <Tang> Still figuring it out in one sense.
[16:43] <QuasarBlack> okay.
[16:43] <QuasarBlack> but Power of Friendship is one of your powers?
[16:43] <Tang> Nopeeee.
[16:44] <QuasarBlack> or are you just thinking of the theme- ok, the theme, got it.
[16:44] <QuasarBlack> okay, so you have two allies.
[16:44] <Tang> Nopeee.
[16:44] <QuasarBlack> hmm
[16:44] <Tang> People that exist and know stuff.
[16:44] <Tang> I kinda want this to be an *uphill* struggle for the character, you know?
[16:44] <QuasarBlack> okay, so Metal and Water are in the narrative, but not allied with you?
[16:45] <QuasarBlack> okay.
[16:45] <Tang> Well probably not allies as such, but "non-hostile characters that know some of what's going on and could potentially end up on speaking terms/friendly under the right circumstances"
[16:45] <QuasarBlack> From what you've mentioned, Water would be nosy and intrigued by a new mahou, but she's diplomatic, so she'd want to avoid alienating a potential ally.
[16:46] <QuasarBlack> Metal would be protective of Water and untrusting of a new girl.
[16:46] <Tang> Quite possibly. Or at least dismissive.
[16:46] <QuasarBlack> Water might not put you too close, to avoid setting off Metal, but she'd probably direct the character to some kind of aid.
[16:48] <Tang> Hmm, maybe.
[16:48] <QuasarBlack> Do you have a character build for your protag?  Avoiding the 'magical murderhobo' is often as simple as taking Fake Parents.
[16:48] <Tang> It probably helps that Amelia, if I stick with the appearance from before, is about as physically imposing as a muppet. Short as well as short tempered- so the nun looking down on her's literal as well as metaphorical.
[16:48] <Tang> Took closure as a non-negotiable, actively plot relevant decision, and did toy with taking fake parents but feel that'd probably be best handled as its own concept.
[16:48] <QuasarBlack> You have parents that love you and care for you, a home to come back to, and three squares a day.
[16:49] <Tang> Mmm.
[16:49] <QuasarBlack> hard to go full murderhobo with that.
[16:49] <QuasarBlack> also, it mandates schooling.
[16:49] <QuasarBlack> which means you can stick some slice of life/friendship bits there.
[16:49] <QuasarBlack> not taking Parents means skipping a lot of that.
[16:49] <Tang> At the same time, would be a bit jarring for this concept to actively go for fake parents- there are some narrative related reasons she probably wouldn't.
[16:49] <Tang> And mmm.
[16:50] <QuasarBlack> What Patron?
[16:50] <Tang> Puuchu of the less malicious but still rather opinionated variety.
[16:50] <QuasarBlack> okay, so getting Parents via Beacon is out then.
[16:51] <Tang> Yeah. Ironically Amelia is of the "worst possible mentality to go beacon" personality. PUUCHU VULT isn't what they are and all that.
[16:51] <Tang> Though the Puuchu is somewhat flexible at this point in the design, I think Beacon works best as a later, active decision for this character after character development.
[16:51] <QuasarBlack> alternately, you can go with the Tourist - who also gives you a morality chain, if one that isn't going to shut down murderhobo tendencies automatically
[16:52] <QuasarBlack> Interdimensional Apartment also lessens hobo shenanigans if not murder ones.
[16:52] <Tang> Hmm. Maybe for the Tourist.
[16:53] <Tang> I'm thinking Amelia gets roped into the slice of life due to a)being a homeless kid with no ID *sucks*, b)turns out that when investigating a missing kid, that involves snooping around the school, c)Turns out that when you snoop around the school and look homeless without incognito, you tend to *get noticed*.
[16:54] <Tang> Does that make sense or seem a bit contrived?
[16:54] <QuasarBlack> slighlty contrived. could be fine depending on execution
[16:55] <QuasarBlack> The Tourist gives you an out though, as they'll happily pretend to be a guardian if you need them to.
[16:56] <Tang> Mmm. Would need to brainstorm up the Tourist though.
[16:57] <QuasarBlack> Could always use old standby Eyethor, but a fresh tourist would be good.
[16:59] <Tang> Eyethor?
[17:03] <QuasarBlack> From the original Red doc?
[17:03] <Tang> I knew I remembered that name.
[17:03] <QuasarBlack> Eyethor the Interdimensional Stoner.
[17:04] <Tang> ...Heh, there's a thought.
[17:04] <QuasarBlack> he's here to work a shitty minimum wage job and blaze it.
[17:04] <QuasarBlack> You could of course use someone else.
[17:04] <Tang> The Puuchu could be a bit miffled that he let the last one just *vanish* on him...and of course, he's basically no help. :D
[17:04] <QuasarBlack> but he does have the advantage of being pre-built
[17:07] <Tang> mmm
[17:09] <QuasarBlack> You could also build someone in that mold and just subsittue another vice
[17:09] <QuasarBlack> an alcoholic, a sex fiend, an adrenaline junkie, a hikkikomori traveling the worlds to watch their anime.