Is there such things as a 'stupid genius' in writing ?

[A. E. Lowan]

Looking over your description of your character, have you considered that she may be autistic?

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Looking over your description of your character, have you considered that she may be autistic?

I had considered that as an option but she doesn't really have any particular quirks that would link to that. (personality wise, or even her ability to process things and solve problems, if that makes sense.)

She does have a bit of 'squirrel brain' going on, namely on the easily distracted front, but to say she's got something like ADHD is going a bit too far I think. She can focus down and concentrate when it matters, but it requires too much energy/concentration to do so for very long.

The Male Protagonist is OCD to some degree but he's not diagnosed and has learned to cope with it. It does lead to him being hyper fixated on one subject. (namely gadgetry to solve otherwise simple problems you wouldn't really use a gadget for) He is extremely good at what he does but his condition makes him hard to work with others, especially those he doesn't trust.

 

[pmmg]

I dont really get what you are after in this thread. What is your real concern with these too characters? or just the one that is supposed to be 'Not very bright'?

I mean, from what you've posted, It seems you have a pretty good grasp on them.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I dont really get what you are after in this thread. What is your real concern with these too characters? or just the one that is supposed to be 'Not very bright'?

I mean, from what you've posted, It seems you have a pretty good grasp on them.

I have a grasp on them, just not sure if they qualify for what would be considered a stupid genius. Which we've already discussed the name of the trope is idiot savant. The female protagonist is absolutely an Idiot Savant, she eeks her way to success with guess work and "lucks" into the solution with pure determination/skill after the fact. (In other words, she mostly only succeeds through her determination TO succeed at all, if that makes sense and her body/magic can keep up with that determination.) Though her 'skill' is not exactly executed the way a 'smart' person does it.

The Male Protagonist not so much, his skill was earned through years of training (and Larping, but mostly training)

The question then became if she could be autistic.
I hadn't considered the possibility until it was mentioned in this thread but if she is autistic she's likely very high functioning. And like I said her actual quirks don't really point to any form of known autism unlike the male protagonist who cleanly fits into an OCD box.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I have a grasp on them, just not sure if they qualify for what would be considered a stupid genius.

Does this actually matter all that much? In my experience when writing, main characters tend to evolve over the writing, and even if they started out as a specific trope, they'll grow into their own thing by the end. That's also how it's supposed to be. If your character is only a stupid genius, then she'll be flat and boring. Rather, she can exhibit parts of it, and be different in other. That makes her unique and interesting.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Agree with Prince. Characters have lives of their own, usually not involving you. Our older FMC is a trauma surgeon and a wizard, and she up and told me one day that's she's also an addict and self-medicating. Wow, did that change some stuff. But that happens. I prefer to roll with it when it does, and it does all the time. And can confirm it doesn't matter if you plot or pants. My team is notorious for our detailed outlines. And still the characters do this stuff and make us revamp entire story arcs.

 

[Rexenm]

Instead of idiot savant, you could try dashing - just because it works. You have a Chad Micheal Murray being, or a John Stamos, as they are self involved, but still hot.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

 

[Finchbearer]

Does Micheal Scott from The Office count?

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Does Micheal Scott from The Office count?

Absolutely!

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Does this actually matter all that much? In my experience when writing, main characters tend to evolve over the writing, and even if they started out as a specific trope, they'll grow into their own thing by the end. That's also how it's supposed to be. If your character is only a stupid genius, then she'll be flat and boring. Rather, she can exhibit parts of it, and be different in other. That makes her unique and interesting.

I mean the goal with both characters is for them to evolve from the 'lucky/stupid genius' (or an idiot savant) into an actual genius through their character growth and experience through the narrative. As the story progresses their 'brute force' talent becomes more....actual talent, especially once they start working together. I haven't quite come up with a way to show that narratively yet though.

 

[Diana Silver]

Geniuses that are genius at everything do sound rather boring to read about to be honest. It seems far more realistic - and interesting too - to have characters be good at some things and bad at others. The way you describe your character, Naruzeldamaster, feels to me like you're saying that she is great at a certain narrow set of awesome skills which only come to light is rare and specific situations. She's less talented in more mundane and common situations. Over the course of the story, she may increase her talents in some of the area's that she previously used to flunk. This makes perfect sense: no one is good at everything, and not one is bad at everything. So is it any use calling anyone (characters or people) stupid?

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Geniuses that are genius at everything do sound rather boring to read about to be honest. It seems far more realistic - and interesting too - to have characters be good at some things and bad at others. The way you describe your character, Naruzeldamaster, feels to me like you're saying that she is great at a certain narrow set of awesome skills which only come to light is rare and specific situations. She's less talented in more mundane and common situations. Over the course of the story, she may increase her talents in some of the area's that she previously used to flunk. This makes perfect sense: no one is good at everything, and not one is bad at everything. So is it any use calling anyone (characters or people) stupid?

This is a very good point. I'm married to a genius. Real, just crazy smart, always the best mind in any room, genius.

She thought ducks have teeth for 30 years. Because Daffy and Donald, right?

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Geniuses that are genius at everything do sound rather boring to read about to be honest. It seems far more realistic - and interesting too - to have characters be good at some things and bad at others. The way you describe your character, Naruzeldamaster, feels to me like you're saying that she is great at a certain narrow set of awesome skills which only come to light is rare and specific situations. She's less talented in more mundane and common situations. Over the course of the story, she may increase her talents in some of the area's that she previously used to flunk. This makes perfect sense: no one is good at everything, and not one is bad at everything. So is it any use calling anyone (characters or people) stupid?

Yeah her skill set doesn't actually function well in a 'modern' setting (It's true magic, not stage magic, all kitsune get MEGA offended when humans even dare to jokingly call their magic anything similar to human stage magic. Culturally to the Kitsune that's like calling instant coffee the same thing as fresh ground beans. ) and she's found a career path where her skills can be put to use (and even then, it's tricky because again, modern setting and 'magic' don't mix well) while also making her activities hard to track. Pretty much the only one able to track her activities is the Male Lead (His whole thing is gathering information and using that to his advantage, classic heist style) I've constructed a plot where it seems like the whole world is kind of against them luck wise until they team up. An almost perfect storm of coincidences kind of drives them together a little bit, since it's a classic rom com.

She's not the most socially competent individual, absolutely a flunk in that regard. And being friends with her can come with some growing pains (particularly if you start off on the wrong foot like the male lead does) and she's kind of a walking natural disaster. But when the chips are down she actually proves herself reliable. The male lead is a walking storm for many reasons (one of them being he has either undiagnosed ADHD or OCD I haven't decided which) but he's also a pretty good and loyal friend. He's one of those 'earn your keep' types.