Beating up your main character

NTG · Sep 16, 2008

Somewhere in Uncle Jim's kindly instruction is a word about beating up your main character. I've looked and haven't found it yet, but I know it's in there somewhere. Perhaps more than once. Can anybody give me a link to the exact spot?

Nathanael

Birol · Sep 16, 2008

Have you checked the index?

vixey · Sep 16, 2008

Do a search in Uncle Jim's thread for "Allen Guthrie's Infamous Writing Tips". There are 32 tips.

#20 - Torture Your Protagonist. I'ts not enough for him to be stuck up a tree. You must throw rocks at him while he figures out how to get down.

(I have this list taped to my wall in my writing room

)

Deccydiva · Sep 16, 2008

Great advice. I don't know about beating up my MC, but I'm sure as **** would like to slap her one! :rant:

Chasing the Horizon · Sep 16, 2008

If my MC hasn't been reduced to hysterical sobbing and at least considered both suicide and homicide by the end of the book, then I know I've been much too kind.

JoNightshade · Sep 16, 2008

Oh goody. I've definitely got this one down.

SPMiller · Sep 16, 2008

Um, I'm always worried that my critters will tell me I've been way too harsh with my poor protagonists, but I don't seem to be able to do enough horrible things. They never think I've gone overboard. Maybe it isn't possible.

Alice.S · Sep 16, 2008

Deccydiva said:
Great advice. I don't know about beating up my MC, but I'm sure as **** would like to slap her one!

LOL, I would love to slap my MC too!

kct webber · Sep 17, 2008

Ask yourself "What would my characters would do if I met them in person?" If the answer is not "try to f*&^ing kill me," you're not doing it right. That's my criteria.

Alpha Echo · Sep 17, 2008

Alice.S said:
LOL, I would love to slap my MC too!

Me too!

My MCs are usually more emotionally beat up than physically. Does that count?

Alice.S · Sep 17, 2008

Alpha Echo said:
My MCs are usually more emotionally beat up than physically. Does that count?

Yeah! I'm killing off my MC's Love interest, but that's kind of the whole reason I hate my MC, 'cause she lied and her lover is paying the price...stupid b!+ch!!

Sassee · Sep 17, 2008

Yeah... I'm not lacking in this department. I've actually thought about easing up on her some so that it doesn't look like I'm pulling the reader's pity strings.

tehuti88 · Sep 17, 2008

I can't begin to describe how I beat up my characters in every way imaginable...good thing I write fantasy because my main fantasy protagonist would probably be dead several times over if she withstood this stuff in the "real world"!

One reason why it's better that my characters don't know I exist, they'd probably hate me!

Oh well, at least I'm not the only one, judging by the looks of things. I used to think I must be some sort of terrible sadist.

I think I like to put them through such things (physical and mental) because it shows that they can live through it, they can handle it and move on stronger, whereas I doubt I'd be able to.

Tocotin · Sep 17, 2008

The only trait all my main characters share is the talent for trouble. My stories usually begin with people saying, thinking, seeing, doing things they should not have. So actually, I don't have to throw stones at them or beat them up. On the contrary, I'm quite inclined to offer them consolation every now and then.

CR.Casanova · Sep 17, 2008

Guess it's okay to beat up your main character, as long as they are stronger than the beating up. Just my thoughts, though.

Chasing the Horizon · Sep 17, 2008

Yeah, it is possible to take beating up your characters too far. If you go over the top, the reader can end up feeling like you're purposefully manipulating their feelings, or that the book is just depressing.

My characters have also 'quit' on me a couple of times because what I did to them was so horrible. They basically said 'I give up. I don't care if the world ends anymore'. I had to go back and take things a little easier on them then, since I obviously can't have my characters quitting in the middle of the plot.

ChaosTitan · Sep 17, 2008

kct webber said:
Ask yourself "What would my characters would do if I met them in person?" If the answer is not "try to f*&^ing kill me," you're not doing it right. That's my criteria.

I love that. Sounds just like me.

I think I've taken the "throw rocks at your character while she's in the tree" to whole other level. If I ever met my heroine, Evy Stone, in person, she's probably kill me with my keyboard for all the hell I put her through.

gwendy85 · Sep 17, 2008

uh-oh....

I didn't think about this.

Poor poor MC, haha!

Then again, if you need to beat the softness out of your character to make him stronger at the end, then it really is up to you, I believe.

I think the best thing would be to ask yourself. How would I react and what would I become if that happened to me?

As far as my MC, I'm happy with the results. Guess he isn't to happy though, haha

WildScribe · Sep 17, 2008

My MC was such a whiner... I had to have her a-hole boyfriend try to rape her before she started sticking up for herself some.

Do you ever feel creepy or evil writing a rape scene or a death or something?

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc · Sep 17, 2008

I've had my main characters beaten up plenty.

Seems to be a trend in my stuff, haha.

GLAZE_by_KyrstinMc · Sep 17, 2008

WildScribe said:
My MC was such a whiner... I had to have her a-hole boyfriend try to rape her before she started sticking up for herself some.

Do you ever feel creepy or evil writing a rape scene or a death or something?

Yea, sometimes I feel a little dirty and other times I feel a little satisfied.

It depends how I'm feeling.

JoNightshade · Sep 17, 2008

WildScribe said:
Do you ever feel creepy or evil writing a rape scene or a death or something?

Frequently. Particularly when I finish the scene and realize I'm cackling maniacally.

- Jo, who recently realized burning and blinding her character wasn't enough, and hacked off his arm for good measure.

Judg · Sep 17, 2008

Yikes, you guys are vicious. I mean, all I did was poison mine a couple of times and have him thrown in prison. Oh yeah, and thrown against a stone pillar a few times. And then there was what happened to his kid...

geardrops · Sep 17, 2008

I wonder if I'm too nice to my characters.

Shweta · Sep 17, 2008

I think I am better at putting ice under my MCs' feet and letting them slip than I am at throwing things at them.

Ah, things to work on.

Beating up your main character

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