How to write super powers?

There is (or was) a group of anarchists that would show up at all kinds of public events and try to create chaos (I mean in real life). They wore black and balaclavas. AFAIK, their identities were never discovered. So security cameras aren't that much of a sure thing, at least if you're aware of the problem and reasonably intelligent. Plus, in cases where security cameras have been used to break cases, it's been an intense, concerted effort by law enforcement, with lots of canvassing, collating, and video processing. Someone just wanting to discover Superman's secret identity wouldn't necessarily have the cooperation of the cops. Or the time, or money.

As for writing them properly, it's a discovery process. So just write something, then compare it to something like Peter Clines' Ex-Heroes. Get some crits. Try again. Eventually you'll find a style that works. Obviously it's a theme with you, so it's worthwhile making the investment.

The biggest "secret" to writing superpowers is to include the realistic side of your main character. You see some of this in, for example, the Spiderman stories.

Sure, s/he can fly. But if s/he wants hi/r identity to remain secret s/he has to avoid not only security cameras (as you point out) but people. S/he can take off and land only in hidden places AND avoid being seen going into and out of that hidden place.

Also, what good is that? Popping down to the supermarket isn't something you can do regularly without attracting notice. S/he can't easily carry six full grocery bags zipping through the air.

How does s/he make a living? Even Superman had a job - which he wasn't very good at. "Where's Clark? Blast it, I've got a story for him to cover! The next time he's wanking off in the bathroom when I need him I'm firing his ass!"

What is s/he like as a person? Moody, sunny, outgoing, prefers being alone? Likes sports? Listens/plays to music?

If s/he fights crime, Why? Comics books and movies based on them just assume a superhuman would do it. But if I or you or your mother or daughter was superhuman would they REALLY spend a lot of time doing it?

If all of that seems like a lot to bother with, remember this. Complications is what makes a big complex interesting story. If everything is easy for your superhuman, there's no story.

And for God's sake, SUPERVILLAINS for your hero/ine to fight? Gag. But if any, they have to be treated realistically too. Darth Vader was interesting partly because they eventually showed his complexities as well as his dire power.

A super power on it's own is a boring thing, so describing it in detail and focusing on it isn't the way. It's a means to an end, exciting action, hilarious comedy, intense drama. Super powers allow for raised stakes and creative ways to drive the plot forward and tell us about the character and setting. The superpower that sets up alot of good storytelling opportunities can't be lame. They're a physical means of expression for the character's personality. Bruce Lee called it emotional content and honestly expressing oneself. The character's selfhood and personality should be intertwined with the power and every use of it.

Cocops8 said:

So, almost every book I have tried to write has included super powers in some form. This has given me two major problems. 1. I can't figure out how to write them properly. I always think that it just sounds really lame but I also don't want to spend a huge chunk of time just describing it in great detail. 2. SECURITY CAMERAS. That sounds odd but I have this huge problem with reality getting in the way of my writing. Like, if my characters are superheroes with secret identities, security cameras will catch them like...it won't be a secret for long.

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Well, you could always set the story in a time period or a place where there are no security cameras.

As to writing about/describing their use of superpowers...

Finding a way to write about them from the inside of the character might help. That is, don't just say what they do with their powers; describe what it feels like to do what they do, physically and emotionally. And write about how having powers affects the characters, again physically and emotionally. What are the consequences? What's the downside? What do they lose or gain? Do they hate or fear their powers, or do they like them? Do they like them too much?

And also--if you, the writer, think the powers, or the way you write about them, come across as hokey, then probably the reader will, too. So make yourself believe in them, and a good way to do that is to get into the physical and psychological aspects of having and using superpowers.

My biggest advice is to read books about people with super powers to see how other authors have done it. The Steelheart series by Brandon Sanderson, the Renegades series by Marissa Meyer, any of the YA DC books that came out recently (Batman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman and Superman by varies YA authors), the Villains series by V.E. Schwab. These are the only ones that I can think off the top of my head that are kind of "comic book-y" but as the others mentioned, the story should be more able the character and their inner demons then just describing really cool super powers.

As for the security issue, I don't think it's that big of a deal. Many super heroes will "transform" into their alter ego in alleys or bathrooms or places where there aren't security cameras. And unless you have a plot point where there is an antagonist with access to all the security cameras actively trying to figure out your heroes secret identity, then no one reading the story will even think about the security cameras.

If you haven't read the superhero YA novel Worm by John McCrae, yet, you might want to. It's 1.68m words, so it'll fill your reading schedule for a while.

He writes about superpowered people rather well.

As for your concerns over cameras: have you considered how many other people have superpowers in your world? Maybe there's some overarching systems in place by other powered people that prevents casual investigations from accidentally uncovering identities, and only with concerted effort does an identity ever get outed to the public, or to the other people behind masks. Maybe there's an AI that controls this sort of information outing. Maybe there's an unofficial agreement between the heroes and the villains to not go after the person behind the mask (Worm uses this solution, and it makes for some interesting storylines.).

As for the other thing: I like it when I know how a superpower works, and I'm pretty sure that anyone else reading speculative fiction likes to know how the speculative parts of your fiction functions. So a short explanation is not a big deal. IMO, this is best handled by: if your MC is figuring out their power, let the audience figure out their power alongside them. This way there is no info dump, but instead the MC taking an action to understand something about themselves.

If the manipulation of time is part of your character's superpowers, having there be some "halo" effects could screw up any camera close enough to get a decent image of her face.

For example, most cameras use CCDs, which send data to be stored on a chip. If the data -- which is just a set of numbers -- arrives at the chip out of order due to subtle time fluctuations, then the file will be corrupted and unreadable. So you can have your character's powers act as their own camouflage, at least as far as digital cameras go.

My novel (shameless plug) Blue Water Hero is set in modern day. I decided to address the concern of cameras being everywhere. It was actually months and months into the book and several revisions later that I came up with a solution for the Character changing into his costume. It's hard today. I can see why Marvel doesn't even try. You basically have to have some kind of super power that allows you to keep your secret identity. If the mask comes off for a second, or they can see too much of your face or get your DNA - there are so many ways to learn your identity.

I had the character go to places where camera's don't work. He has to do a lot of work to change without being seen so he treats it like a job. He hides, changes, and comes out and does superhero work for a while and then takes the time to hide and change again. My biggest problem? What does he do with his car? It's handy to have a car to store stuff, but if it gets towed or something, that's a problem. In one scene, the character can't get back to his car because people are following him everywhere. So he flies way out and hides the suit in a trash can. Not the safest idea and he ended up with a long walk, but it worked. If you give the secret identity a LOT of thought, it becomes a really cool aspect of the character. If you don't give it enough, it becomes unbelievable. I love Superman, but he routinely sees the same people in and out of costume and he doesn't wear a mask either time. They can't change that now. It's too late. But we can.

- Mark Charke

This website might be of some use to you: http://www.superheronation.com/

While the site is fairly inactive now, it's full of articles with advice on how to write superheroes, from choosing powers, naming supers, avoiding cliches, handling superhero gadgets, overdone superhero plots... etc!

It's geared both to comic/graphic novel writers and to novel writers.