The always aware Charlie Jane Anders has the rare gift of being able to put her finger right on the crux of all things writerly. Don’t believe us? Read this, motherfuckers:
by Charlie Jane Anders
A grand adventure needs an inspirational hero. Not just a cool person in a fancy suit, but someone to believe in. It’s not quite true that a science fiction or fantasy story is only as good as its hero, but the hero’s greatness is certainly a limiting factor. Here are 10 essential qualities a hero ought to have.
1) Being Unique in Some Way
And no, this doesn’t have to mean that the good guy is “the chosen one,” or the subject of a particularly juicy prophecy. The hero could just be the youngest captain ever to command a starship, or the only human ever to take on a particular mantle. Or maybe the “good guy” is just the smartest man or woman in the room, or the one person who stops to ask the tough question before rushing into a situation. Something has to make this person stand out, from the beginning.
Actually, the full title is Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution: From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad. But, clearly, author Brett Martin didn’t have headlines in mind when he came up with it.