do you need to explain special powers

[Jo Zebedee]

So firstly this is a sci fi book, very clearly.
My main characters have special "Psyche" powers; like telekinesis/mind manipulation/ manipulation of space, healing etc etc.
do i have to explain why? or can they just have them and leave it at that

_ for those interested they come from a certain genetic background which has enhanced processing centre in the brain, a bit like autism but in reverse, so there is a reason
It's just if I try to explain it it's like information overload and I wonder if I really need to.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Perhaps through dialogue with a character who's unfamiliar with it; otherwise it would come across as an uncomfortable "DERP!" on the reader. I'm sure there are other methods than through conversation, but, it can be difficult to do.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I can do that, but do I need to do it at the beginning? Or is a bit of intrigue nice, too. I'm trying to avoid two chapters of info at the start.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

You don't want a major infodump at the start, no. It's those first few pages that make the biggest impression on a reader, and you want them to be as enticing as possible. So yes, you will want to wait a while before explaining the psychic abilities of those certain characters.

 

[The Judge]

No, no, no -- not at the beginning! You shouldn't explain much at all until we're interested and invested in the characters. You can give hints near the beginning, and at some stage you probably ought to give a little information as to why some people have powers if it isn't general among the population, but don't go overboard and tell everything in one big lump even then.

And when you say "two" chapters of info -- do you think it would take two to give this backstory, or is one chapter of info already there?

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Oops...

Some internet problems made me post twice, I'm afraid, this can be disregarded.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'm trying, to give some info in the first chapters of the events just passed, whilst also letting the current protagonist to be realised; but he, naturally, is one of the one's with the psyche powers. So, there is already a lot of information, and quite a lot happening, if I can hold off on the tech stuff for a while, it would good, which I think you're both saying as well.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Histories you can usually give in an prologue, springs; they're separate from the actual story themselves so they can be skipped by the readers not really minding what's going on.

 

[The Judge]

Without seeing the chapter it's difficult to say, of course, but I think you need to be very careful about giving much of any information in the very first chapter. We need enough to know what is happening, but there's no need to tell us why immediately.

Why not put a bit of this chapter up in Critiques? (I'm assuming it's different from the Roamers one.) Then we can see how you're handling it and whether it reads OK.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have a prologue about the main baddy, which I might put onto critiques and see what the feedback is, the rest I'm trying to absorb - gently- over a couple of chapters; some I can leave until later, I think. At this rate, the day job's looking good lol.

Can I put the prologue and the first chapter up on the critiques, if I split them up, Judge, or is that too much? I don't want to put so much on it takes over for other posters. one is 1350 words, one 1590.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Not a double, that's a bit ostentatious, I think. A combined, though, that could work.


And you don't REALLY need a main antagonist prologue anyway. It's a character of the story-if you're having anything about him, show the character in the main story the way you show the others.

 

[The Judge]

Put the prologue up, springs, leave it a few days so people have a chance to respond, and then put the chapter up in a new thread. 1500 is the limit, but I'll make a note to allow you the 1590 as you've asked in advance! (And people say I'm mean...) Don't worry about taking over -- we're not rushed off our feet over there at the moment.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thank you - not mean at all!

Karn, absolutely, I'm sure part of me would love to be ostentatious, but it doesn't seem to be the writing part! I'll stick with one, I think - imagine smiley face, I'm on quick reply -

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

As I said, needing a prologue for a character and wondering if you should put up histories in a story chapter just seems backwards to me.....

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well, I've stuck it up on critique, anyway, time to duck! And, yes, Karn, I think you're right, my main character shouldn't need a prologue, or if he does, I've started it a couple of chapters too late, in which case I have the material to rectify. Thanks both of you; how did I survive before I got here? It's a miracle the first draft's even there.

 

[slack]

You're probably better off under-explaining. Because it's a given that just about every sci-fi/fantasy writer would love, love, love to do nothing more than educate (read: bore) his reader with all the little intricacies that make his character super-special and unique.

Obviously these powers are important to the characters. They make up their identity, in a way. A good writer takes these fundamentally important, transitional scenes -- where the character acquires his powers, for better or worse -- and turns them into immediate scenes, happening now, as a part of the story. It is shown, rather than told as an expository lump of crap, and made visceral.

As an example, I'm not the biggest Wolverine fan, and I don't pretend to be very knowledgeable about the X-Men world, but as a kid I remember reading the story about how Logan was trapped or abandoned in a winterland area just prior to (or after) his adamantium installations. I think he was fending off scientists and Sabretooth, while also being completely disoriented and desperate. It was a story of his beginnings. I thought it was fascinating. Still warms my little dark heart.

Now imagine if that story was never written, that history never shown in a series of immediate story-scenes. Imagine if it was just laid before our faces like most expository lumps of crap in the worst sci-fi. How boring.

Don't be boring.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Slack, thank you, the lightbulb moment It took a while for me to respond as I let this sink in, and, yes, it works - now added to editing list; have I explained or did? And should it have been the other way? Transformation of work in progress. Springs

 

[Phoenixthewriter]

I love Prologues. They tell so much and you don't have to really explain anything.

I always try to throw in a prologue unless there is a crucial reason as to why I can't. For instance, my character is going to a new world and this world is supposd to be confusing and new.

Other than that I attempt to give my reader a glimpse of the world they shall soon embark, usually with a good combat or action sequence that teases the reader as to what powers and abilities these people control.