Yearly Archives: 2013

Trope: Author Avatar

Description: Not limited solely to books, the Author Avatar is a version of the creator of a work inserted into the work itself. This can work in a number of different ways. Sometimes the Author Avatar is the narrator, giving opinions on what’s going on in the story. Other times, he/she just makes a cameo appearance as a minor character. Every now and then, you get a character who is obviously the creator’s favorite and can do no wrong, leading to the dreaded Mary Sue (which yes, can happen in canon works).

Examples: Charlie Brown/Charles Schulz, Dante in the Divine Comedy, Liz Lemon/Tina Fey in 30 Rock

Pros: It’s important to have a distinctive voice when writing, so why not use your own? Aspiring writers are frequently told “write what you know”, so it makes sense to write it from your own point of view, regardless of whether you’re blatant about it or try to camouflage it. I only chose three examples for this post, but there are plenty of others out there. If authors from James Joyce to Stephen King (and everyone in between and on either side) have done it, it can’t be a terrible technique, right?

Cons: Make your Author Avatar unrealistic and flawless, and your audience is going to rebel. They’ll probably rebel loudly. Somewhere along the way, you’re going to have to write a character that isn’t a version of yourself. Don’t let the Author Avatar become a crutch!

Would/Did I Use It?: No, I have not. When Searching the Skies, my first book, came out, some of my friends wondered if Geneva and I were one and the same. We’re not. I promise. Sure, there’s probably a little piece of myself in all my characters, and some are more similar to my personality than others, but I have yet to write a character who is just like me or is supposed to be my voice. I wouldn’t rule it out completely, but as of right now, I have no plans to put myself in any of my writings.

Trope: Audience Surrogate (#3)

Description: In this type of Audience Surrogate, the character is crafted so audience members can easily picture themselves in his/her place. Obviously, great writing (or film-making, or theater) is supposed to make us feel like we’re right there amidst the action, but this is a bit stronger than that. Sometimes it’s just a natural effect of how the character is presented in relation to the other characters and the plot, while other times it’s an intentional goal of the writer. The Audience Surrogate can be tied into other tropes, such as the “Everyman” or the “Straightman” (aka “one sane person in a room full of crazies”).

Examples: Bella from Twilight (confirmed by Stephenie Meyer), Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Jim from The Office

Pros: As stated above, when done well, this is a great way to pull your readers into the story and make them feel like they’re really there. It can be a fun way of developing the supporting cast of characters through the eyes of the Audience Surrogate. Most people read fiction as a form of escape – isn’t it fun to pretend we’re in the middle of all this super-exciting drama?

Cons: If you’re making a main character a “blank slate” in the hopes that your audience will self-insert, you run the risk of creating a bland character they might not relate to. As with any point of view issue, there are pros and cons; one potential con here is the limitations of seeing the world through the eyes of the Audience Surrogate. Also, what happens if you’re imagining yourself in a character’s shoes and he/she reacts to something in a way you don’t expect, or disagree with? Does that disconnect remove the label of “Audience Surrogate”? (Now my head’s spinning….)

Would/Did I Use It?: I thought about doing this in Disintegration, making Callum a character who could really be anybody. Ultimately, I decided not to focus on that while writing, though I suppose it could be argued that his POV pretty much aligns with anyone who might find themselves in similar situations. This could be a big “mileage varies” trope.

Trope: The Watson / Audience Surrogate #2*


(*I was going to make this a three-part series, but I think Point of View has been discussed to death on writing blogs. Two parts it is! Don’t forget to pop in next week!)

Description: The Watson serves as the voice of the audience, asking clarifying questions so everyone understands what’s going on. Note that the Watson does not merely state the exposition, nor does he/she necessarily have to be the POV character. There are no limits as to who or what the Watson can or cannot be – they can be male or female, have any sort of occupation (or lack thereof), be brilliant minds or just smart enough to ask the obvious, and so on.

Examples: Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories (obviously), Hermione in Harry Potter, Ariadne in Inception

Pros: If the audience is lost or confused, they’re probably not going to think highly of the work in question. As writers, we’re already at a disadvantage since we only have our words to convey what’s going on and can’t rely on visual cues. While you’re never going to please everyone, we should at least try to keep the audience satisfied whenever we can.

Cons: At the same time, we don’t want to treat the audience like complete idiots. And you know how writers are often told to “show, don’t tell”? Yeah. Watsons kind of fall into the “tell” category. Care should be taken to not delve into a whole bunch of detailed exposition that may or may not be relevant.

Would/Did I Use It?: Tirani from The Edge of the Sphere probably counts. She helps fill in some of the “rules” of the fantasy universe when the narrative first switches to Liora’s point of view. She also serves as the voice of the audience when, later on, she all but asks Liora, “Are you f’ing stupid? What’s wrong with you?”

And we’re back!

Trope: Pretty Boy

Description: While usually handsome in his own right, the Pretty Boy isn’t your rugged, muscular, lumberjack type. You know, the type that oozes testosterone with his every grunt. Pretty Boys are typically on the slender side (if not shorter than your average male), and have more dainty, delicate facial features. At the risk of stating the obvious, he’s just pretty.


(Note: This doesn’t mean that Pretty Boys can’t be strong or powerful. It’s just not as blatant.)

Examples: Legolas from Lord of the Rings, Roger in Rent, many of the male vampires in Interview with the Vampire. And Twilight. And the Anita Blake series….

Pros: Just like women, men come in all different flavors. What’s attractive to one audience member can be wildly different to what’s attractive to another, and why shouldn’t we try to mix things up and cast a wide net? As mentioned above, this comes up a lot in vampire works, which means it can be used as a characterization shortcut. If a newly-introduced character is a Pretty Boy like the other vampires, some safe assumptions can be made.

Cons: That thing about different people being attracted to different types? Yeah, that can work against you with some folks when it comes to Pretty Boys. There is a reason that the typical “hero” is the aforementioned rugged type with the rippling muscles, and they still have a pretty big audience. Also, if a character is a Pretty Boy, he can sometimes expect to take some teasing for his softer appearance. Bullying isn’t nice, yo.

Would/Did I Use It?: When writing Searching the Skies (the sequel to which has been officially confirmed, if you haven’t heard the news!), I wanted there to be a big physical distinction between Ash and Marcus. While I don’t think I’ve ever described Marcus as “pretty”, he’s definitely the, uh, prettier of the two, and has the shorter, slighter build. Whether or not he actually qualifies for this trope…I haven’t decided yet. I’ll also confess that when it comes to the Pretty Boy vs. the outwardly tough muscle-bound men…I do have a preference for the latter. *blush*