• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

Worried about my Mentor character

Status
Not open for further replies.
i have only one concern for current wip urban fantasy. i try to think out of the box. now my mac in her early 20's and her mentor/love interest/ informant looks like 12-15 old baby faced boy now my concerned is the reltionship between said characraters because of age gap or how folks will see it. i dont see anything wrong with but i realized others might not see as i see it
 
Uhh... do you mean ‘looks like’ he’s 12-15 mean that there some kind of magical element that has made him just merely appear that age? Or do you mean to say the character is literally that age?

If its the former, you might have an argument for it, because appearances don’t necessarily mean anything. However, I’ve seen it been done like in the movie Tomorrowland and it was incredibly uncomfortable. Even if its not a literal child, it’s hard to really grasp that as a reader. And honestly, it is not worth the risk.

But if you’re saying the character is actually that age, then no, don’t do that. That is a pedophile as a main character.
 

Tom

Istar
Yeah, I'm with Rex. Even if the character is actually older, that's still treading into iffy territory. Using "mental age" to justify what would otherwise be pedophilia is not a good selling point in any media.
 

staiger95

Scribe
Dare to be different, but do so with care, purpose and design, and always with integrity. The term 'love interest' can mean many things. Ask yourself what forms the emotional bon between the characters and how best and truthfully is that interaction to be portrayed. How necessary and even demanding for the storyline is any natural tension between the charcters--romantic, sexual, or whatever. There is nothing wrong with a youthful character wise beyond his years, nor even a rightfully mature character who has the grace of youth. Each circumstance would present its own dynamics with character-relatable challanges and turmoil. Be true to the story you are trying to tell, and adapt the characters as needed in order to tell that story. Try it out, see what it looks like, and be damned what other people think. When the story is ready, it will be good.
 
Uhh... do you mean ‘looks like’ he’s 12-15 mean that there some kind of magical element that has made him just merely appear that age? Or do you mean to say the character is literally that age?

If its the former, you might have an argument for it, because appearances don’t necessarily mean anything. However, I’ve seen it been done like in the movie Tomorrowland and it was incredibly uncomfortable. Even if its not a literal child, it’s hard to really grasp that as a reader. And honestly, it is not worth the risk.

But if you’re saying the character is actually that age, then no, don’t do that. That is a pedophile as a main character.

no the character is an uber gremlin at least 1000 years old the child image is only glamour also realized mc is going through an emotional journey as well she met him before but due trauma in her childhood she does not fully recall the mentor tied to her past as he the one who actually rescued her as a child she more drawn to him by personality than looks and he does care for like family complicated she will see his true form at end of story but the reader will get glimpse of him throughout the story. the relationship is complicated and she knows she drawn to him but throughout the story disvering what she feling and what it really is. he take time to feel same way only when time is right
 
I think what you’re saying is like what I mentioned, it is not a literal child just merely looks like one. And like others have said, the idea is very discomforting.

It sounds like to me the romance is the more important dynamic, and that the goblin looking like a child is inconsequential. So why not adjust so that it appears as something else? Or perhaps it takes the form of a child on only a couple of occasions and doesn’t appear that way to the main character most of the time?
 

Black Dragon

Staff
Administrator
People sometimes forget about our "family friendly" policy, so here's a friendly reminder for anyone who may stumble upon this thread:

Mythic Scribes is a Family Friendly Community

What a Family Friendly Fantasy Writing Community Is:
  1. A place where people accept, learn from, and teach each other.
  2. A place where discussions are in the context of fantasy writing or related topics (games, movies, art, etc.)
  3. A place where members can feel comfortable regardless of their age, gender, race, or background.
What a Family Friendly Writing Community Is Not:
  1. A place to discuss depictions of extreme, violent, and/or graphic sexual situations, gore, or torture.
  2. A place where any form of hostility towards members and moderators is tolerated.
  3. A place where getting the last word is more important than fostering community.
Source: Forum Rules
 
my apologies if needed delete this thread as dont
People sometimes forget about our "family friendly" policy, so here's a friendly reminder for anyone who may stumble upon this thread:

Mythic Scribes is a Family Friendly Community

What a Family Friendly Fantasy Writing Community Is:
  1. A place where people accept, learn from, and teach each other.
  2. A place where discussions are in the context of fantasy writing or related topics (games, movies, art, etc.)
  3. A place where members can feel comfortable regardless of their age, gender, race, or background.
What a Family Friendly Writing Community Is Not:
  1. A place to discuss depictions of extreme, violent, and/or graphic sexual situations, gore, or torture.
  2. A place where any form of hostility towards members and moderators is tolerated.
  3. A place where getting the last word is more important than fostering community.
Source: Forum Rules
apologies delete thread if needed don't want cause any problems. find some way solve this dilemma without infringement the rules wont discuss such matters here again.
 

TheKillerBs

Maester
I'm just trying to wrap my head around justifying a 20-something-year-old's attraction to a character who looks 12-15. I'm in my early twenties and a person that age looks like a kid to me--because 12-15 year olds are kids. The entire premise is discomfiting.
I'm nearly 30 now and as recently as a couple of years ago I still git asked my ID to get into some places because I've got such a babyface that people went as low as 15 when estimating my age. So I dunno, I would have no problem with a mentor character whom people mistake for a lot younger because this is a thing that happens.
 

Tom

Istar
I'm nearly 30 now and as recently as a couple of years ago I still git asked my ID to get into some places because I've got such a babyface that people went as low as 15 when estimating my age. So I dunno, I would have no problem with a mentor character whom people mistake for a lot younger because this is a thing that happens.
The thing is, OP is presenting it in a different way. They described the character as having a glamour over them, literally a "child image". Child. A character looking young is one thing, but having an adult character fall in love with someone who is explicitly described as having the appearance of a child is...uncomfortable.
 

TheKillerBs

Maester
The thing is, OP is presenting it in a different way. They described the character as having a glamour over them, literally a "child image". Child. A character looking young is one thing, but having an adult character fall in love with someone who is explicitly described as having the appearance of a child is...uncomfortable.
I don't see the difference whether it's a magical effect or just their natural appearance being younger. It's an adult who looks like a teenager. I'm frankly a lot more disturbed by a millenarian mentor going out with their pupil in their 20s. Consenting adults, hah. Even without getting into the fact that a mentor is an authority figure and that's problematic in its own way, that's someone with the life experience of the entire Middle Ages matching up with a twenty-year-old. It feels very creepy.
 

Tom

Istar
I don't see the difference whether it's a magical effect or just their natural appearance being younger. It's an adult who looks like a teenager. I'm frankly a lot more disturbed by a millenarian mentor going out with their pupil in their 20s. Consenting adults, hah. Even without getting into the fact that a mentor is an authority figure and that's problematic in its own way, that's someone with the life experience of the entire Middle Ages matching up with a twenty-year-old. It feels very creepy.
I still disagree on the finer points, but all in all I think it would be best to forego the romantic aspect of the relationship entirely. It brings up unfortunate implications no matter what angle you look at it from.
 
Dare to be different, but do so with care, purpose and design, and always with integrity. The term 'love interest' can mean many things. Ask yourself what forms the emotional bon between the characters and how best and truthfully is that interaction to be portrayed. How necessary and even demanding for the storyline is any natural tension between the charcters--romantic, sexual, or whatever. There is nothing wrong with a youthful character wise beyond his years, nor even a rightfully mature character who has the grace of youth. Each circumstance would present its own dynamics with character-relatable challanges and turmoil. Be true to the story you are trying to tell, and adapt the characters as needed in order to tell that story. Try it out, see what it looks like, and be damned what other people think. When the story is ready, it will be good.

ok i wont reply anymore on this subject as it uncomfortable for folks so i just end with this whatever i end up writing will go through a lot of checks my current beta readers who are sensitive this kind of thing so.far i have written anything that makes uncomfortable and use these beta readers a moral checks. i am again sorry to make folks uncomfortable. i never thought this character as a kid or presented him like one bedsides way he looks when the glam is on anyways let agree to close this thread
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top