There are many different types of heroes, each with their own set of motivations and methods. Picking the right protagonist for the story is an important task for a fantasy fiction writer. While I don’t subscribe to the theory that characters can take over a story and rewrite it, I have experienced struggles in writing [...]
The right hero for the job
Filed under Trends & Tropes on December 9, 2008
Tagged: Chronicles of Jord, fantasy fiction, heroes, Logan Shadowhand, protagonists
When sympathetic becomes pathetic
Filed under Tips & Tools on August 19, 2008
Tagged: Farseer trilogy, FitzChivalry, Logan Shadowhand, Maiden of Pain, protagonists, Robin Hobb, sympathetic characters
Sympathy for the protagonist is a great tool for drawing readers into a story. If the reader can identify with the character’s struggles and desires, they become invested in what happens. That leads to late nights of anxious page-turning.
A sympathetic character has obstacles they must overcome. These can be internal or external, but the key [...]
The evolution of Logan Shadowhand
Filed under Writing Journal on August 12, 2008
Tagged: Chronicles of Jord, fantasy fiction, Logan Shadowhand, protagonists, Shattered Amulet
Logan Shadowhand presented some challenges for me as he evolved from a roleplaying game character into a fantasy fiction protagonist. I had no literary aspirations for the character until I recreated him as a non-player character for one of my Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. He and his elf partner (who was also destined to become [...]
