I have two book ideas (okay I have a ton but this post is about two in particular) that kinda play off a “superhero” idea.
One that’s on the back burner for the time being is a YA about a high school girl whose mother marries the headmaster of a superhero high school, and therefore, she is enrolled there. I did for a NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago.
Question: Would you prefer to read such a story that ends with her finding out that she actually does have super powers or one that ends with her figuring out how to fit in and see herself as powerful without super powers?
On a similar vein, I’m working on what I hope will be the first of a series of urban fantasy/romances about Storm Wizards – people who have the ability to control the weather. My heroine, at this point in my rough draft, has little power and thus works as a trainer. A Storm Wizard she trained, and loved romantically, has apparently gone rogue and has created a line of hurricanes that threaten the Gulf Coast.
Question: Would you be happier, without knowing the rest of the plot, to find out that she actually does have more power than she thought or would you be okay with her not having much?
My husband firmly believes that in both cases my heroines should find out they have more stronger powers “because that’s what we all want” but I’m leaning more toward my heroines becoming more satisfied with who they are and finding happiness without the powers.
What do you think?
I like the idea of them learning to like themselves, and discovering the power of truth and love, and faith and hope.
Oh yeah and guilt trips. hehehe. They are women they just have to learn how guilt works on the ‘evil doers”. Because they aren’t devils, they are fallen superhuman beings capable of redemption… Seriously though, so many superhero stories rely on something we don’t have. I like the idea that we ARE gifted with all we need , by God.
Hi! In the first one I believe strongly she shouldn’t have powers. It’s almost too much of a coincidence. In the second, I think it could go either way. I think both are great ideas! Good luck.
hi nancy,
doing this on cell phone so will be brief.
first book…she learns to cope without super powers.
second book…she discovers, develops more power.
just mho .lol.
have fun!
e
I like the idea that she learns to like herself and discovers the true power within herself.
The superhero high school has been done in movies and on TV, usually it’s a boy with no powers and he gets them at the end in one movie and doesn’t get them in the other, if my memory serves me right. I like your storm idea best, very powerful. Sandy
I lean towards them having little to no powers and using their non powers to become powerful. I agree with Sandy the Storm Wizards is a cool idea.
i think in the first one she should definitely not have super powers. for teens i think it would be good to read about how someone learns to appreciate their own gifts and not envy the strengths of others. being the “normal” one in a school of super kids might be hard, but the supers may need her help to cope with the normal world. she may feel like the freak when she’s with all super kids, but out in the real world the super kid would be the one who feels like a freak. she might act as a liaison between the supers and the norms and help the supers understand and negotiate the real world.
in the other one i think the instructor should have skills of her own but for some reason she’s been relegated to teaching. i know there is a a phrase that says that those who can’t do, teach, but i think in most cases teachers could do what they are teaching, but they love it so much they enjoy sharing their love of whatever they are teaching. in wwII women piliots taught the men who would fly in combat because they weren’t allowed to fly them selves. so maybe there is some sort of prejudice or social custom that keeps ehr from being able to do the thing she loves most, so she teaches.
I like that they both *don’t* have superpowers (or fewer powers in the second story) because I like realism in stories. I think it’s better that these two ladies learn to accept and love themselves exactly as they are, rather than magically being able to fit in to their particular society at the end of the story.
When a story has an overweight heroine, I’m always kind of annoyed when she loses all the weight and gets a fabulous makeover at the end (or a poor character has a rich family member that leaves them tons of money at the end, etc) because I’d much prefer to see the characters be strong and wonderful exactly as they are, imperfect and flawed as that may be.