Orphan

[Steerpike]

Really? It is quite common these days to have parents who don't take very good care of their kids. I had two parents, but I ran wild and they never knew (or cared) where I was or what I was doing.

Then the author should clarify that, I suppose.

But if you have a twelve year old protagonist, for example, and they're running off to who knows where for an extended adventure, it is a bit silly not to address it. Only the most negligent parents aren't going to be concerned at that age after an evening goes by, and pretty soon you'd have the authorities involved and everything else.

 

[Zero Angel]

Really? It is quite common these days to have parents who don't take very good care of their kids. I had two parents, but I ran wild and they never knew (or cared) where I was or what I was doing.

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Not saying I ran wild, but well, I had a lot of leeway, and I see some KIDS (like little KIDS, not mini-think-they-are-adult kids) running around without any supervision too.

 

[Steerpike]

My parents gave me a lot of leeway as well, but I think it is safe to say that had I disappeared for a week with no contact, they'd have done something, the police would be involved, there would probably be media reports, etc.

One of the most common ways I've seen new writers avoid this is simply having the kids magically reappear in their own world, or back home or whatever, only minutes after they left, so their whole adventure took no real time at all.

 

[Ireth]

One of the most common ways I've seen new writers avoid this is simply having the kids magically reappear in their own world, or back home or whatever, only minutes after they left, so their whole adventure took no real time at all.

That's the classic "Year Inside, Hour Outside" trope in action. I've used it myself a few times; in one case, one character has magic that allows him to choose what point in time he returns to when going back to his home world from a different one. In another, it's other magical people who guide the heroes back to their correct time. I dunno if that's cheating or not. XD

 

[Zero Angel]

My parents gave me a lot of leeway as well, but I think it is safe to say that had I disappeared for a week with no contact, they'd have done something, the police would be involved, there would probably be media reports, etc.

One of the most common ways I've seen new writers avoid this is simply having the kids magically reappear in their own world, or back home or whatever, only minutes after they left, so their whole adventure took no real time at all.

I frequently do not like those because it makes it seem like their lives on the other side were not important or just a dream or whatever. Case in point: Narnia. I'm OK if it was about the "journey and not the destination" but if the destination is a cheap blow to your privates, then well, it cheapens the journey.

That's the classic "Year Inside, Hour Outside" trope in action. I've used it myself a few times; in one case, one character has magic that allows him to choose what point in time he returns to when going back to his home world from a different one. In another, it's other magical people who guide the heroes back to their correct time. I dunno if that's cheating or not. XD

I'm surprised you don't use it ALL the time! It originated in faerie tales and is one of the most common tropes of faerie-faerie tales!

 

[Ireth]

I'm surprised you don't use it ALL the time! It originated in faerie tales and is one of the most common tropes of faerie-faerie tales!

Well, sometimes I flip it around as well. In another of my RPs, a pair of characters get lost in Faerie, and it's a few hours before they find a way out. When they return to Earth, over seventy years have passed and they have nothing to go back home to. All their friends are dead, and their cottage is just gone. They have to start over again from the ground up, literally.

 

[Chilari]

I like the idea of that.

 

[Devor]

That leads me to my question, how do you feel about that?
Do you orphan all of your protagonists?
Do you just not mention parents? (I can catch myself doing this)
Maybe even something else?

I've got an orphan. Most are too old for their parents to be an issue.

It's worth noting, there's nothing wrong with a fantasy character staying close to home. I'm also remembering a video game where the child was expelled from town, parents be damned.

 

[Steerpike]

Well, sometimes I flip it around as well. In another of my RPs, a pair of characters get lost in Faerie, and it's a few hours before they find a way out. When they return to Earth, over seventy years have passed and they have nothing to go back home to. All their friends are dead, and their cottage is just gone. They have to start over again from the ground up, literally.

That's what I've done with a story as well, except it is more like 150 years later. I think the idea of time working differently in Faerie is well-established in the folklore and will be accepted by readers.