Netflix's "Atypical" and The Media's Portrayal of Dads | Olivia J

"All good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere," -Anne Lamott

In recent Western media, there seems to be two types of Dads - the Bumbling, Comic-Relief Dad, and the Deadbeat, Absent Dad. 

While these two tropes can be respectively entertaining and effective, it paints a clear picture of what our culture believes about fathers in general. 

I recently binge-watched Netflix's Atypical, a family drama about a teenage boy on the autism spectrum, and was pleasantly surprised by the portrayal of the father, Doug. I could talk extensively about how the show succeeds in it's character development and execution of themes and messages, but, as the title suggests, I want to dive into what Atypical does so beautifully in portraying fathers. 

First off, Doug's characterization is refreshing. He's presented to the audience as not just some comic relief, but also as a human being with problems, thoughts, and complexity. This isn't something we see too often in father figures. Often, the father figure is a bumbling background idiot, or he's just an asshole because plot. 

However, Doug is portrayed as a human being, not as comedic relief or to give other characters a damaged background. It feels like he matters to the story as an individual, and not just as a plot convenience or to inspire other characters. We see the reasons and motivation behind his actions - bad and good -  and he truly becomes a heartfelt dad who is trying his hardest to connect with his son. 

Jumping off of Doug and Sam (the protagonist), his relationships with the people in his life are revolutionary. Not only does he have a good relationship with his daughter, he loves his wife (despite her infidelity), and desires desperately to connect with Sam - and does his best to do so. 

This trait is admirable, because all too often we see disconnected dads, out-of-touch dads, and terrible dads, but in actuality, most fathers aren't extreme. What makes this portrayal so revolutionary is that it portrays realistic, average fathers - ones who have the best intentions, but don't always succeed. Ones who care a whole lot, but sometimes make bad decisions. And those kinds of dads are the ones that we need to see more of. 

I probably could keep raving about Atypical and all of the things it does right (I'm looking at you, non-offensive-and-accurate-portrayal-of-autism), and the small, nit-picky things I would have changed. However, I digress. I think I've made my point. 

Here's to writing better dads! 

~The WordShaker

Guest Post: Creating Strong Characters by Gabriella Slade

"Readers are not sheep, and not every pen tempts them," -Vladimir Nabokov

We all love a strong character.

That's a fact. We as readers love the ability to pick up a book and fall in love with a person who exists only between the pages of a book. As a writer, it's our job, to not only create a compelling story that pulls a reader in but to write about strong, well-developed characters for people to read about.

If a reader doesn't like the character they're reading about, they'll most likely put down the story. It's as simple as that.

When I sent off my own book, Show Me, to be read by beta readers, much of the feedback I received said my main character, Kade, was not very likable. He was moody, and dark, and needed a lighter side of his personality to balance him out. It surprised me, but I knew the changes needed to be made, so I went back to the drawing board and took some more time to get to know my character.

What are some of the things that make a character strong?

• A backstory that is well developed throughout the course of the book/series
• Both Positive AND negative traits
• Quirks and Hobbies
• Things he/she believes in
• Passions
• Dreams or plans for the future
• Fears

Granted, that's a lot, so here are some questions used to develop these things even further than just a boring old bullet list.

1. Who were his parents? Were they present throughout his childhood? Where are they today?
2. What was his education like?
3. What does he like to do for fun?
4. What are some of his good and bad habits?
5. Is he religious?
6. What does he dream about doing one day?
7. What is he scared of?
8. Does he have any secrets?

OK, this is just yet another boring list, but it's also the starting point to getting to know your character even better.

When I dove back into Kade's development, I made sure to give him interests that weren't put there simply for the sake of the plot. I balanced out his darker, moody side by giving him a sense of humor, and made him less negative about every single little issue in his life. Sure he is still moody. He does tend to complain at times. But that's just because he's flawed.

A strong character is more an imperfect character, rather than a perfect one.

Maybe you're on the other side of the spectrum. Maybe you tried so hard to make your character good, that he is practically perfect. No imperfections. No fears. Unfortunately, that's just unrealistic and very unrelatable. Like it or not, you need to give your characters some spots. Does he take all his anger out on his family or friends? Does he blame other people for his mistakes? Does he lie, cheat or steal?

Just remember: Don't make the same mistake I did by making your character too unlikable because then you'll be in the same boat as I was.

You'll most likely spend a lot of time developing your characters throughout the writing and editing of your story. If you happen to be writing a series like I am, you'll have even more time to get to know your character. You'll also have the amazing opportunity to get to watch them grow. Maybe they'll mend some of their old flaws, and build new ones.

In the end, there will probably almost always be something you won't know about your character. But that's OK. Take the time, however, to learn about your characters, because if you don't know about your character, how will your readers?

~

Gabriella Slade is the author of the upcoming fantasy novel, Show Me. You can find her on Instagram @soulquestersaga, and on her website at gabriellaslade.com

Thanks for joining us, Gabriella! I hoped you learned something from her!

~The WordShaker

Develop a Character in 250 Words - 3 Tips

"The desire to write grows with writing," -Desiderius Erasmus

Yes, you heard me right. In less than 250 words, you can give your reader a full and well-rounded view of your character within the first page. And, if you're writing a short story or flash fiction, this is the blog post for you!  

Now, you ask, cramming in as much information about your character into such little space must be bad writing, Olivia. 

And, to that little voice in your head protesting that this isn't a good technique, I say that we're not cramming any information anywhere.  I think we can all agree that writing a massive paragraph on what your character's personality is is a bad way to introduce a character. 

All things considering, here are 3 tips on how to SHOW who your character is in less than 250 words:

1. Go Big or Go Home

A key to showing the reader the major parts of your character's personality is having said character in action. This action usually has to be something extreme or dramatic. Through introducing your character during this large event, the reader is able to see how your character reacts to the world.

For example, the two main characters in my novel, A Cactus In the Valley are introduced in medias res. Terra is introduced while she is still inside of the plane wreckage, and the first chapter is her trying to get out. Through this immediate conflict, we are shown how Terra reacts to barriers to success, strong emotions, and trauma - all integral parts of her character.

By having your character start off in an extreme situation, the reader will immediately know the larger parts of the character's psyche. 

You can use this by dropping your character right in the middle of a space battle, have your character go to a party where the police show up, or even something as small as having your character fall right on their face in public. 

2. Italicize

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to italicize your character's thoughts all the time. What I mean is that the second key to introducing a character quickly is through their inner monologue, their voice, and their thoughts and opinions to the world around them. 

By giving your character a unique and distinct voice, the reader will get to know the character's opinions and personality traits within a few lines. 

In the second chapter of A Cactus In the Valley, parts of Wyatt's character are revealed through his thoughts and personal comments on what is happening in the story. These sentences show how Wyatt feels about Terra, his general attitude, and his sense of humor.  

Through these small lines of thoughts, the lighter parts of the character's personality take center stage. 

You can implement this by figuring out your character's personality, and then inserting the snide comments they'd make, adding in references to their past, or hinting at a deeper internal conflict. 

3. Wrap it in Foil

Foil characters are one of the easiest ways to develop a character. A foil character is a character that acts as a 'foil' to another character. One character's traits contrast the other character's traits. 

This tactic develops characters in that the foil characters make each other more distinct, and make the other stand out. Like salt and sugar, the two characters contrast each other: one is bitter, the other is bubbly; one is snarky, the other is tight-laced; etc. 

Wyatt and Terra from A Cactus In the Valley are foil characters to each other. From even their first interactions, the reader is able to see that the two display distinctly different personalities through dialogue. 

You can use this technique by introducing your character speaking to their foil, forcing two foil characters to interact, or arising conflict from said foil characters. 

~

By using these three tips, you can develop a character with lightning speed and precision. In one scene, you can show the character's defining attributes, get inside of their head and show their personality, and show how they interact with other foil characters. 

These tips can be used in anything from a 150,000-word novel to  250-word flash fiction. And I hope at least one of them helped you out. 

~The WordShaker