Writing Help

[CKnap]

Im trying to write another story, but now iv started to introduce my characters alter-ego but when I write about him how should I do it? Should I keep using his name like this “Kyle said….” or should I go with his alter-ego name instead. I want them to be the same person but keep them sperated to the point that the reader doesnt get confused of who im talking about. What do you guys think?

[Myro]

I’m trying to remember what I’ve read in other superhero-based novels (an undersold market in my opinion). And honestly, I think a few of them have used the alter-ego name when the character is in that guise. As long as you firmly establish that the character and his alter-ego are the same person within your writing, it should be fine.

[CKnap]

Yeah thats what I wanted to do, otherwise I think the alter-ego name gets under used. Ill try it and see how it works out. So far its only one hero character so its not hard to establish.

[Herr D]

To prevent the alter-ego’s name being under-used, one convention you’ll find freq is to have him internally bemoan the problems of swapping identities. Another you’ll find is having other chars calling him by the correct name — “CLARK?!”

[XavierKain]

These are great, other ways are to clearly write “scenes” or moments in which the day to day person is suiting up as the hero or taking off hero costume revealing wounds from a particularly tough fight. Or have a day job co-worker comment on a black eye or other visible injury he received during super heroing and the character lies about how he got it out loud while thinking to himself the real reason. I hope I articulated my ideas so that they were clear enough.

[CKnap]

I always write how he changes into costume thats a given, im thinking of using the two different names, one when hes in costume the other when hes out. Other than that I think when I have more characters introduced some will use certain names as well. Like allies will use his costumed name while a romantic partner might use his real name.

I originally wanted to do a comic book story using pictures but creating them in heromachine is a lot of work, ive only gotten a few done and for an entire story id need like 5 times that or more. Who knows maybe Jeff can come up with a new way to do that in heromachine in the future.

[The Atomic Punk]

Most of the time, I switch perspectives when characters get into costume. When I do this, I employ a transition paragraph or two describing his costume and how he psyches himself into meta-mode. If you have ever been in a fight, you might have experienced that rush when you become detached.

You are conscious, you act deliberately, you calculate, you defend, but you feel like that you are “not there.” Remember when you described the fight to others. At some point, you catch yourself. You stop saying “I” and “me” and start describing what the other guy (or gal) was doing. You describe your own actions as “do you know when?” or “have you ever?” or “it’s like when you…”

Another technique is to provide a street-level view during epic battles. Moving from what witnesses see then interjecting with the combatants’ own thoughts or banters. This allows for a description of the action with the reader insight into the fight’s outcome and consequences.

[DC-Lover]

Depending on the story I usually swap perspectives from Hero to Hero, Hero to Villain, etc. If I’m writing from the hero perspective and he/she is using their alter ego then I usually keep the alter ego name e.g. ‘“I can’t believe the cops weren’t there sooner” said Baxter as he looked out the window.’
However as soon as the mask is on I refer to him in their Hero title as everyone else will. The fact that heroes do refer to themselves as their Titles even when they are in their alter egos is present in some animated series. In Batman beyond Bruce says to Terry that he knew he wasn’t going crazy because the voice that spoke to him (Later revealed to be Shriek) called him Bruce. Terry questions why was that strange to which Bruce responds I don’t call myself Bruce. This hints at, heavily, that Bruce refers to himself as Batman.
So in Super hero stories I keep in mind that the hero is who they really are and the alter ego is the facade they put on to the world. So while writing speaking parts for heroes I use their Hero names instead of their birth names.
Everyone above me has just as good a point as I do. Good job fellas and good luck on your story.

[Author]

Posts