Need Your Opinions...

[lonewolfwanderer]

Okay so here is a short rundown of my WIP.

The MC's mother was killed and he now stays with his so called "God Parents". The love interest of the WIP is their daughter, or his God Sister. He doesn't know his father, who is a God (making the MC a demi-god) but he makes contact with him at the end of the first part of the WIP and is given a pendant which the gods carry and is told to search for the origins if he wants his questions answered.
Now where I need the opinion is whether to make the God Parents good or bad.

If they are good: they know his father (and they know that he is a god) and, after seeing the pendant given to the MC, they are able to give him valuable information that'll both help him in his journey and encourage him to take his journey. Later on, the god parents, with their daughter (the love interest), will need to do something that is detrimental to the plot. It might be possible that the God parents are killed during their "quest" and the daughter gets caught, prompting the MC to intervene and save her, finally creating the "love spark" that'll bring them even closer together.

Obviously there are many possibilities with that direction.

If they are bad: they know what the pendant is and they are part of a cult or organization that is after the same thing as the MC, but for their own sinister goals. They play him into leading them to their goal, but eventually the MC learns who they really are. And so does their daughter.
With this direction it is possible that the daughter chooses her family over the MC and goes with them. This eventually prompts the MC to go in and save her, and again creating that "love spark" that'll bring them together. But there will be a time when he will have to kill the God Parents, possibly when he goes to save his love interest.

Likewise, there are many possibilities with this direction.

I just need an opinion on which would be more interesting to the reader. The latter could place an interesting twist earlier on in the plot, but could complicate the plot line a little more. With the former, the twist could be placed elsewhere at a later time.

I know it is up to me, this is just asking for your opinions. I have placed a poll with this thread as i feel it fits the request and allows those who don't want to comment to submit their opinions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[alchemist]

I vote good, because bad godparents has been done to death. This assumes there's enough conflict in the rest of the story to keep it interesting.

 

[hopewrites]

One must take into account who assigned the godparents and why. Were they friends of his mother or trusted by his father? Did they approve of the relationship that produced their godson? Surly they are aware of his growing feelings for their natural daughter, or the possibility of them.

I'm of the opinion that the days of cut and dry all-good vs all-bad anybody are past. Readers want flawed heroes and empathetic villains. Why should these secondary characters be rendered flatly into old boxes of good or bad? I would see you explore their motives and origins, not only would it add depth to them as you say they will be key players, but it will add depth to your world as well.

 

[Juliana]

I voted good, as well. But, like Hope, I think that shades of grey are more interesting in this case, perhaps. Maybe the daughter can have a double agenda?

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

One must take into account who assigned the godparents and why. Were they friends of his mother or trusted by his father? Did they approve of the relationship that produced their godson? Surly they are aware of his growing feelings for their natural daughter, or the possibility of them.

I'm of the opinion that the days of cut and dry all-good vs all-bad anybody are past. Readers want flawed heroes and empathetic villains. Why should these secondary characters be rendered flatly into old boxes of good or bad? I would see you explore their motives and origins, not only would it add depth to them as you say they will be key players, but it will add depth to your world as well.

Well, it isn't perfect yet but the general idea that i have is if:

They are good: They knew the MC's father. They were trusted by him, and instructed by him to befriend the mother early on with the hopes that they would watch over his family. And upon the death of the MC's mother, they "adopted" him. Being his father is a god, i can think of various reasons as to why he doesn't want to make himself known to his son, yet. Just haven't made the reason concrete.

They are bad: Then they were life time friends of the MC's mother but she didn't know their "secret". They had no particular motives to befriend the mother, and they are unaware that the MC's father is a god. But the organisation/cult that they are with, is after the same thing that the MC has to find, but for their own plans. They only realize who the MC is after they notice the pendant, or whatever, that was given to him by his father (although the MC didn't know it was his father at the time). That is when they put two and two together and start working on their plans to "play" the MC into leading them to what they want.

now the idea isn't about having the good guys all good and the bad guys completely evil. In my WIP it will be shown that the bad guys can have a heart and that the good guys have their issues, or past, or baggage so to speak.

After all, the MC is haemophobic (Which i thought could make an interesting challenge to the story). So he isn't perfect.

And regards to the God parents' awareness of the god sons feelings for their daughter.... well, his feelings develop later on through the story, so they aren't entirely aware of it in the beginning. But when they are, i have half a mind to have the god parents be "cool" about it so to speak. Like, they foresaw it happening, or they see something in the boy that they approve of and because of that they are "okay" with the situation.

But like i said, it isn't all perfect. I have to get to that point in the story before i can actually decide on which direction to go.

I should also mention that the parents aren't exactly "key players", so to speak. But it also depends on who they are. They will have parts to play, but not to such an extent where the reader would need to know every detail of their lives.

 

[SleepyDormouse]

Is this going to be a YA book? Have you read any of the Percy Jackson series? Your idea has some very similar plot elements so you may find it a useful read.

I first ask where the main plot is going to lie, is it with events completely separate to the god parents or are they going to be the main instigators of plot elements? To me if they are evil/bad then they are going to play a much larger part in the plot, unless they are just minions to someone/thing else.

If the plot is driven by other elements with them in the sidelines then I would go with good or indifferent god parents.

As Hopewrites says though, I think you need to add some greyness to them unless writing for young children (where characters do tend to be more black and white).

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

I voted good, as well. But, like Hope, I think that shades of grey are more interesting in this case, perhaps. Maybe the daughter can have a double agenda?

I tend to agree with that. And that is what I'm aiming for. Perhaps I should rephrase the question slightly.... Should i make their motives good, or bad. And i'm talking about their true motives. I know you can double play something, i.e they could act good but really their motives are bad.

Because i'm at the point now where i need to decide. The choice here, will ultimately affect the story line in the long run. I just wanted to know which the readers of today would find more interesting, them turning out to be bad, or good?

 

[hopewrites]

I don't know that their approval should be seen as given. I mean now that you say it is, you'll have to work it in, but their could be loads of objections to the match.

How do they treat him as he grows up? At what age is he orphaned? Does he have happy memories to compare his surrogate home with? These things will tilt abd skew his perspective of situations thus giving them a good/bad slant.
Do they foster friendship between the two children? All growing up in one happy family? Or make him feel the outsider? Is this ostracation consciously or unconsciously done? Is he frequently reminded of how good/bad his parents were or imposed on to forget them and act more like one of the family?

I had a very close family friend growing up. My mother teasingly told me we were betrothed, and being 5 I believed her. When I explained the situation to him (being delighted myself as he was a fun and inventive playmate) he scoffed at the idea saying his parents would never treat him so ill as to remove his choices from him. It became a sore point between us over the next 5 years when I appealed to my mother at that point she didnt even remember the joke. Our friendship was never the same and in my teen years I spent many nights wondering if it would have been different had I not pressed the issue so young.
In the end we grew appart and I haven't heard from him in years now.

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

Is this going to be a YA book? Have you read any of the Percy Jackson series? Your idea has some very similar plot elements so you may find it a useful read.

I first ask where the main plot is going to lie, is it with events completely separate to the god parents or are they going to be the main instigators of plot elements? To me if they are evil/bad then they are going to play a much larger part in the plot, unless they are just minions to someone/thing else.

If the plot is driven by other elements with them in the sidelines then I would go with good or indifferent god parents.

As Hopewrites says though, I think you need to add some greyness to them unless writing for young children (where characters do tend to be more black and white).

YA would be where i'm probably headed, but i can't say for sure until i have finished the story.

The main plot line of the whole story doesn't actually concern the god parents at all. BUT, the main plot line only really begins at the end of the first set of books. As i mentioned in another post, my WIP is heading towards a Trilogy but the Trilogy in itself is the prequel to the actual story, depicting the events leading up to the main plotline.

But within the trilogy, i would say that the god parents play a part in it. However, that depends on what i decide as their true motives.

Short of giving spoilers, I'll post the basic outline of the story, as you read at the back of books so as to give a rough idea on what i'm working on...

Misraka, the 13th kingdom, was said to be the birthplace of the twelve gods. But, when and evil corrupted this kingdom, the gods chose a champion from each of the 12 kingdoms of Amarenthea to protect their world from this evil.

These twelve champions, known as the Aurean Knights, fought this evil and, although it's said none survive, the evil, along with the 13th kingdom, was sealed away.

Nearly five hundred years later and the thirteenth kingdom, along with the gods who once walked amongst men, is believed to be no more than a myth. But strange events were beginning to take place, indicating a dark threat to the twelve kingdoms of Amaranthea.

William von Ganstein, a boy who survived one such event, learns of a secret that sends him on a journey to find the 13th kingdom and uncover the truth behind the Aurean Legacy.

I hope i'm making some sense at least. I'm not very good at saying what i'm wanting exactly. I usually just know, but have no talent in explaining it.

I should mention as well, that although the story has a degree of seriousness to the plot, my wish is to put in a lot of humour. Moments that are comic and maybe even a few "wtf" scenes that can contradict the seriousness of the actual plot, or things that you wouldn't expect in a given situation. So it will be semi-lighthearted.

 

[hopewrites]

I pose my questions for your benefit and expect no answers for myself.

More than what readers want to read, you must concider what you want to write. There is an undercurrent in your opposing motive outlines. Do you feel it? See how you are drawn to one moreso than the other? Find ways for it to make sence? Find it has fewer contridicions than life generally offers?

Go with that one. You'll be happier writing it and the writting will be better for it. The only book I loathed reading was one written under fan coercion. And the bitter hatred that author had for being emotionally blackmailed into writing it permeats the work.
Do not write to please and you are more sure of pleasing those who truely enjoy your writing.

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

I don't know that their approval should be seen as given. I mean now that you say it is, you'll have to work it in, but their could be loads of objections to the match.

How do they treat him as he grows up? At what age is he orphaned? Does he have happy memories to compare his surrogate home with? These things will tilt abd skew his perspective of situations thus giving them a good/bad slant.
Do they foster friendship between the two children? All growing up in one happy family? Or make him feel the outsider? Is this ostracation consciously or unconsciously done? Is he frequently reminded of how good/bad his parents were or imposed on to forget them and act more like one of the family?

I had a very close family friend growing up. My mother teasingly told me we were betrothed, and being 5 I believed her. When I explained the situation to him (being delighted myself as he was a fun and inventive playmate) he scoffed at the idea saying his parents would never treat him so ill as to remove his choices from him. It became a sore point between us over the next 5 years when I appealed to my mother at that point she didnt even remember the joke. Our friendship was never the same and in my teen years I spent many nights wondering if it would have been different had I not pressed the issue so young.
In the end we grew appart and I haven't heard from him in years now.

Okay, the MC loses his mother at Sixteen. His god parents, as i said depending on their chosen motives, were typically very good friends with his mother and/or father.
But in my mind i see his god parents as the sort of parents that leave their children, once they are old enough, to their own devices, getting involved only when they cross the lines. They are relaxed parents, so to speak.

I should also mention, that although she is his god sister, they aren't exactly close at the start of the plot. In fact, they never spoke to each other. Even growing up they didn't (I haven't worked out exactly why, but i think its to do somewhat with his lax attitude. And he isn't a very social person). It's only during his time under their care that they begin to grow closer.

And in terms of them speaking to the MC about his parents. Well, the god parents were instructed to never mention the father (for godly reasons) and in terms of the mother, they left him alone, allowing him to talk in his own time.

They didn't raise him, obviously, but they were there throughout is life. As i said, the MC's father entrusted them watching over his family in his absence.

Haha, i'd already written this before your last post loaded, hope.

 

[Toby Frost]

More than what readers want to read, you must consider what you want to write.

I agree. I don't think either option is inherently more interesting. I think it's more what you make of it, and what you make of it will depend a lot on how interested you are.

 

[tinkerdan]

Nothing good can come of a committee; on this.
You must decide this on your own in relationship to what moves the plot along the best.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Oh dear.

I voted bad and then read everyone else's comments and now feel stupid

Toby Frost is right, really. It is down to how you handle it, and lately I have really been trying to bring a sense of what hopewrites said about fallible heroes and sympathetic villains; it's so much more interesting. And real.

pH