tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post7973083278083802499..comments2023-09-07T07:16:10.305-04:00Comments on Flights of Fantasy: Clever charactersMarian Pererahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-57319716033280504932010-02-21T08:07:17.854-05:002010-02-21T08:07:17.854-05:00Good point, Angela. A clever character who makes a...Good point, <b>Angela</b>. A clever character who makes an understandable error doesn't become stupid - she becomes human. And as you said, she can become that much more determined to win as well!Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-61275480131971628152010-02-14T09:02:50.518-05:002010-02-14T09:02:50.518-05:00Mary - Right. At best, such perfect characters hav...<b>Mary</b> - Right. At best, such perfect characters have to be contrasted with others who are flawed and <i>human</i>. They can't carry the story by themselves.<br /><br /><b>ralfast</b> - Parents allow their kids to make mistakes and learn from them. Characters deserve no less. :)<br /><br /><b>Maria</b> - So do I! George R. R. Martin's <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i> series, one of my favorites, is so tense because that competence =/= invulnerability. <br /><br />You can be the best swordsman, the best tactician, the best leader... and you can still be outsmarted, tricked or just plain defeated by someone who is bigger and stronger than you are.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-75473317322463921502010-02-12T12:19:31.793-05:002010-02-12T12:19:31.793-05:00What I like even better than clever character'...What I like even better than clever character's are clever villains. It sucks when the villain carries the Idiot Ball all over the place for no good reason. <br /><br />Being evil and resourceful is far more interesting than just being a complete monster just because.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-18869363884743548772010-02-12T10:53:11.472-05:002010-02-12T10:53:11.472-05:00I love this post and especially points 3 & 4. ...I love this post and especially points 3 & 4. If anything, clever charcters need to be disparaged, not praised. And they absolutley need to make mistakes, because then they strive to prove themselves twice as hard. It becomes personal. And they do it cleverly, of course!Angela Ackermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808259088625142389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-28671216541775387112010-02-11T19:33:25.592-05:002010-02-11T19:33:25.592-05:00I love it when clever characters get outsmarted. I...I love it when clever characters get outsmarted. It makes them more personable and I rejoice (or cringe) as they struggle to regain the ground.<br /><br />Good points!Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-50157599602691072532010-02-11T17:53:58.904-05:002010-02-11T17:53:58.904-05:00I love my characters to be both clever and snarky....I love my characters to be both clever and snarky. They will make stupid mistakes, but they are clever none the less.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-82219558752305749502010-02-11T12:28:09.139-05:002010-02-11T12:28:09.139-05:00It's true that there has to be something vulne...It's true that there has to be something vulnerable or flawed about a character to gain our full sympathies. When protagonists are perfect and do everything right, they're real yawners.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.com