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What are some of your thoughts in my protagonist's ideas?

One story is about a samurai/ninja cowboy, who's the son of a Japanese/American father and Native American mother, which is set on the American frontier in the late 19th century. The protagonist's father was born to a Japanese mother and American father, in Japan in 1868, then he eventually moved to the US in the 1880's, where he fell in love with a Native American woman, giving birth to the protagonist. The protagonist inherited werewolf and koi fish powers from his Japanese/American father's side and wolf powers from his Native American mother's side. The protagonist is dealing with conflict against the humans and other monsters, as he's a mixed breed and has to fight both sides. He learned ninja tactics from his father growing up and became part of a secret Native American tribe, that his mother was apart of.

My other protagonist, is a story about all monster/slasher/horror/paranormal tropes that are instead super hero esque characters. There would be others that are bad as well. My protagonist would be based more on Jason/Myers but instead he's very built and muscular almost like The Hulk, he has long hair, he has a magic gifted sword, instead of a machete or knife, he wears a skull mask instead of a hockey mask and of course he's not a killer like they are in the movies. He is also dealing with this conflicting battle between humans and monsters that want to kill him. Humans are also evil, wanting to eliminate and control magic, using their scientific enhancements. This is set in the 26th century.

Do these have potential? What do I need to work on to fix them? Thanks.
 
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pmmg

Myth Weaver
Yes, it has potential.

I dont think I've seen anything like it. If I was doing this, I might be tempted to tell the story in both time periods and find a way to make them matter to each other. Why would they need fixing?
 
You mean relate both stories and both protagonists to eachother?


Why would they need fixing?
I just feel they don't have a very popular premise and may seem strange, idk why I feel this way about them? I guess it's the second protag I'm worried about? I don't know what to do with him? Do I make him a cambion? A nephalem creature? A super human born with magic?
 
It can definitely work (as can most things in my opinion). It all depends on the execution.

The one thing I'm wondering about the first protagonist is if you can do all his powers and what he has going on justice. He is:
- a cowboy
- a ninja
- a wolf
- a werewolf
- a koi fish
- Japanese
- American
- native american

Any two of those would make for an interesting enough character. Having all 8 might just make him messy and confusing to a reader. Allready having 2 different kind of wolf powers (coming from 2 different backgrounds) offers plenty of conflict potential. Of course, if you can balance all these different options then he can be a very strong character.
 
Is it too much if he's Native American, Japanese and American? Or I'm good with it?

I like the conflicting potential between the 2 different wolf powers from different backgrounds. Is there a way I can balance out him having both those powers, plus being a ninja/samurai/cowboy on the American frontier, with the koi fish powers?

And what do you think of my 2nd story idea? Should I just scrap it?
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
As Prince of Spires said, I find the first idea very busy. The busier something is, the harder it is to juggle and get everything right. I'm also a bit unsure about having powers that are tied to heritage, especially wolf to Native-American, and how that would sit with certain crowds. If you can somehow manage to do justice to each of these elements it could be very impressive. But it's really a lot to manage.

The other story idea, for me, still isn't in focus yet. The elements in play sound fine, but it really depends on how that main dynamic around the MC takes shape.
 
Yeah, it does sound like a whole lot of eggs in one basket. It's basically The Lone Ranger meets 47 Ronin/Kill Bill. The protagonist a mix of Japanese/American/Native American. I could just leave out wolf powers from Native American lore and just stick with yokai and western European lore he inherited instead?

The other story idea, for me, still isn't in focus yet. The elements in play sound fine, but it really depends on how that main dynamic around the MC takes shape.
Maybe the horror tropes is what's throwing it off and maybe just a demon/angel hybrid protagonist story will do just fine?
 
And what do you think of my 2nd story idea? Should I just scrap it?
This one first. It's fine. There is nothing wrong with the idea. Also, in my opinion, the idea doesn't matter all that much. It's all about the execution of the idea. Idea's are cheap. And even the best idea (if such a thing really exists) is worthless if it never gets written. And ideas that sound terrible on paper can create bestsellers if they are executed well.

All that matters is that you are excited by the idea. Besides, in my experience, especially with your first few stories, the story never completely works out like the idea. As you write it it develops and grows and you can find that your story is about something else than you original idea. So just write it if it exites you and have fun with it.

Is it too much if he's Native American, Japanese and American? Or I'm good with it?
Write whatever you like. I just gave you a suggestion. I believe that it's almost alway better to do a single idea well than it is to do a lot of ideas a little bit. And if you push yourself to stick to fewer ideas, you'll discover you can go a lot further with them.

The wolf idea, where two sides of his heritage clash, was just an off-the-cuff idea that could work. It could also be that you have all those aspects in your protagonist, but only focus on one or two of them in a novel and dig into the others in a sequel. Or that it's just some background fluff that has little impact on the story other than to color in the background a bit.

The best option again is to just write it. And see what you can do with your idea. Only you can do that, and only you know what excites you. What do you like about this character? What story do you want to tell?

If you want to include all 8 elements of this character, then don't let me or anyone else stop you. Just be aware that it's hard to do all 8 elements justice in a single story. But that shouldn't stop you from trying if that is the story you want to write.
 
And even the best idea (if such a thing really exists) is worthless if it never gets written. And ideas that sound terrible on paper can create bestsellers if they are executed well.
Very true. I just need to find the right tools to balance this idea.

As you write it it develops and grows and you can find that your story is about something else than you original idea. So just write it if it exites you and have fun with it.
This happens to me a lot. That's why I love getting inspiration.

. I believe that it's almost alway better to do a single idea well than it is to do a lot of ideas a little bit. And if you push yourself to stick to fewer ideas, you'll discover you can go a lot further with them.
I think so too. But then I'll end up using those separate ideas, coming up with multiple stories out of them. Is that too much?

The wolf idea, where two sides of his heritage clash, was just an off-the-cuff idea that could work. It could also be that you have all those aspects in your protagonist, but only focus on one or two of them in a novel and dig into the others in a sequel. Or that it's just some background fluff that has little impact on the story other than to color in the background a bit.
I kind of like the two different wolf background ideas clashing with eachother. But I see what you mean now and I could certainly do this too.

The best option again is to just write it. And see what you can do with your idea. Only you can do that, and only you know what excites you. What do you like about this character? What story do you want to tell?
I will, but sadly I'm still in the process of thinking what direction I want to go.

If you want to include all 8 elements of this character, then don't let me or anyone else stop you. Just be aware that it's hard to do all 8 elements justice in a single story. But that shouldn't stop you from trying if that is the story you want to write
It is a risk. I might just decide to make them into separate stories. Might be better off that way?
 

OnamoR

Acolyte
before my post, I've went to the supermarket: unfortunately potential was not accepted as cash in the register.

my glance on your 'doubts' is: structural thinking on characters is good until you start to write them,
or in another words, abstract combinations will never work beyond planning...
because there must be some sort of weights for those qualities
that might make figuring those characters to be fun.

[ in military schools they teach that 'no plan survives meeting the enemy' ].

apparently it is a good combination, but without a scene to contemplate those qualities growing according to story
it will remain a doubt factory instead of a text to be read.
 
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