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  1. Veltman

    Veltman Active Member

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    Help with Father/son relationship in sci-fi novel (father is a sort of anti-mentor and the son MC)

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by Veltman, Nov 16, 2018.

    So I got the basic premise of my story worked out, but I need some help developing the emotional element I mentioned above. I will describe the basic premise and then please, if you have an idea on how to take this very major subplot forward, please tell me.

    The basic story for this novel is: the MC's father is a General, and his mother a scientist. They work together on a project to produce genetically enhanced and augmented humans to serve as super soldiers in a war for the colonization of Mars. (it's set in the 2100s)

    The general wanted his son(MC) to be one of these soldiers. However, he failed to fit the genetic requirements for augmentation and was dropped from the program. Then his father sought another prodigy and was mostly a distant father after that. The MC was then raised mostly by his mother and after becoming an adult, started working as an investor.

    A few years later, his mother has died in an accident and he lives alone in a big city, when his father suddenly comes to his door asking for help. The perfect super soldier he raised and trained disappeared after a disastrous mission and he was disgraced, now he needed his son to go through a new program alongside three other recruits to become a second generation of said super-soldiers, weaker than the first with toned down augments, in order to go through a suicidal rescue mission.

    My problem is, how can I make the most out of this premise and develop their relationship in a meaningful, but natural way? Should I consider a disaster or bittersweet ending?

    Thank you.
     
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  2. LastMindToSanity

    LastMindToSanity Contributor Contributor

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    Well, how does the son react to the father's return? To be visited by your long-gone father, only to be asked to leave your life behind and join a suicide mission? On top of all of that, this mission exists because of the original soldier that his father basically abandoned his son for ended up being a failure. If I were the son, I'd be pissed. But the son could say 'yes.' He could say it for the good of the people, but still hold a feeling of resentment towards his father for the story. If you go with that, their arc could be one where the father tries again and again to regain his son's favor, only to never get it. Or, he could earn his son's favor, and it could be a sweet ending.

    If you want this to be believable, the son should resent his father for a good part of the story. He should bring it up whenever he can't hold it in anymore, and actively try to guilt the father with it. That's what people usually do. At least, that's what I'd do. Eventually, though, if the father does show genuine affection for the son, he should come around and maybe decide to try and reconnect with his father. Or, he could continue to reject his father for the whole story.

    But... The best advice I could give you is that, if you want this to feel natural, your character must stay in character the whole time. Don't make them break character whenever they need to progress the subplot. If you need to advance the subplot, but can't find a good reason to, then have another character come along and help them advance the subplot. Never force your characters to act out-of-character for the sake of advancing the subplot. It'll feel wrong and every reader will feel it.
     
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  3. Legolas

    Legolas Member

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    The MC of course should resent his father from the beginning, but deep down we all want acceptance and and approval from our parents. so changing his feeling along the way isn't a terrible thing, but yes his father's abandonment of him should always be in the back of his mind. he should take the leap imo to reconnect but with his guard always up, even after they work together. feelings can and do in fact change, but the father is still his old self by the sounds of it. he is there for work more than to reconnect to the son. they can indeed form some bond between this, but dad is still the same old dad in the end.

    Your MC I would not kill off unless you plan to kill the story odd completely in the end. If you think there is a second story somewhere in you or in the MC, then I would shot for the happy ending, or something with a twist that puts hi in peril, or maybe separate's him from his father and continue the story from a new angle. total disaster would mean killing him off?

    I would throw in some guilt on the father that the mother died and he was not there for her or the MC. At some point he has to man up though. throwing guilt through the entire story wouldn't make me a believer, not if he's a soldier. again keep it in the back of his head though. he does not want to live in his father's shadow the rest of his life? He has to move on then!

    Even though the MC failed the first test, and they have toned down the second gen enhancements, maybe have the father give the MC a boost beyond what the others are receiving. unknown to everyone else. This might unite them slightly more, with the father showing faith in his son.
     
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  4. exweedfarmer

    exweedfarmer Banned Contributor

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    There is no relationship between these characters unless they do not know that they are father and son. The MC would tell his father to go F*** himself that that's the end of the story.
     
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  5. MusingWordsmith

    MusingWordsmith Shenanigan Master Contributor

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    Another thoughtline maybe to pursue is the dad's side of it. Why did he think that it was worth it to ditch his kid? What happens that shows the dad the 'error of his ways' so to speak? This relationship would be a two way street, and they'd both be making mistakes on the way to trying to rebuild it.
     
  6. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    My advice to you at this stage is to stop planning and start writing. Even a few scenes, where the characters interact.

    When you start writing your characters, they will develop. Facets of their personalities will emerge. There is no substitute for actual writing that won't make your characters feel forced. If you force their personalities into some form that services your plot, it's very likely to feel unnatural.

    Given the scenario you've explained, I would imagine there are whole slews of contradictory feelings and emotions that all of the characters will likely experience. It won't be just one. Let these out and see where it takes you.

    The son may feel grateful that he wasn't subjected to these alterations, and was allowed to get on with a normal life. And now he has no interest in his father's project. Or he may feel anger that he was rejected by his father all these years. Or maybe happy that he's been left alone. Or disappointment that his genetic makeup meant he couldn't fulfill his father's expectations. Maybe he finds his present life boring and is dying for a chance to do something more challenging. Or he might feel sorry for his father because the great experiment has failed. Or he might feel worried about the state of the world, now that the experiment has failed. Or he might have a better vision of what to do next than his father does. His father will react differently to any /all of these reactions. And where does his mother fit into all this? Or any other characters? (Is the son married himself?) Put characters together into a lengthy scene or two (maybe an earlier-life scene and now the present one), and see what happens. Even if it's a scene you don't ultimately use, it will help you build their characters and focus on the issues.

    If you discover you need to change the story's trajectory, so be it. Your characters will be more believable and your story will be stronger and more natural for it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2018
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  7. The Piper

    The Piper Contributor Contributor

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    I agree with most posters here that yeah, that resentment needs to last a long time. You need reasons for everything though - the son needs a reason to agree to this, for example. Maybe the father doesn't tell him everything to begin with. This could cause more rifts down the way. Maybe he just knows it's for the good of the country/state/people. Maybe since his mother's death, the son is in a particularly bad place.

    You also need a reason for the father and son to (if this is the outcome you want) find common ground later on in the book. Perhaps the son finds out that the only reason his father was so desperate to find a new subject for his programme was because he had instructions from people higher up desperate for it to work. The son finds out that his father was threatened to either find a new subject or have his son taken away/killed, or something like that. If the son can see a positive motivation in the father's actions, that will go a way towards fixing things.
     
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  8. Veltman

    Veltman Active Member

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    Thank you everyone of the absolutely amazing feedback! I will start writing it and will keep you updated. One more question: given the story's framing should I begin right when the father comes up and tries to recruit his son or should I write a "prologue" with all the things I explained in the beginning? Wouldn't that slow things down too much? Should that be backstory explained as it goes on?
     
  9. Legolas

    Legolas Member

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    I would start right before the father comes. this would give some backdrop to his current lifestyle, and what he would have to give up. the mc is your MC. start by making it about him first, then you can add the elements. is he happy in his current life and job? is his relationship with someone else on the rocks or doing great? would he have to sacrifice any of these once the father shows? or maybe he's ready to start something new anyways when the opportunity presents its self. what is gonna drive him to choose? why would he choose the man who left him behind over what he is doing now?
     
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  10. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    If a prologue/backstory helps you get started, by all means write one. However, you might find after you've finished that it was there to get YOU started, and that there is a better place to start for your readers' sake.

    Don't be afraid of making mistakes or doing things wrong. You will anyway. So don't let the fear of making mistakes hold you back. There is nothing you write that can't be changed later on.

    Write the story from your heart, as honestly as you can. What you will end up with might be a bit of a dog's breakfast, but the nutrition will be there! You can refine the whole thing during the edits. And you may well surprise yourself. Things may not turn out as you expect, but chances are the result will be more satisfying and more true to life.

    Good luck! And have fun.
     
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  11. VictoriaPrincess

    VictoriaPrincess Member

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    You could maybe try both and see which one you would prefer? A prologue might be good so that the reader knows from the word go, but then again it might be more exciting for the journey if they discover the backstory as your story progresses... You are the writer and I think you should follow your heart and choose whatever you would prefer. Like the poster above said, there will be mistakes, and that's great because for each mistake you make you will learn from and never make the same mistake again :bigsmile: Good luck!
     
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  12. Veltman

    Veltman Active Member

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    Would some of you be interested in doing a beta read of the first chapter once I finish it? I have decided to start right in the middle of it when the father arrives.
     
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  13. VictoriaPrincess

    VictoriaPrincess Member

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    I would love to do a beta read for you :bigsmile: Just say whenever your chapter is done and I'd be happy to help you.
     
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  14. cosmic lights

    cosmic lights Contributor Contributor

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    You didn't say which POV you were writing in because if you're writing in first it would be tough to present the father's side of the story. But often, when we fall out with someone we see it only from our point of view, it could be fun to explore that then have the son release it's not as bad as he built up in his head.

    Third person you could present both sides. Were they close before? That would add more conflict. To think your father is helping your career because he loves and believes in YOU, then as soon as you prove not the right person he "abandons" you could destroy someones self confidence. But too also realise he was only interested in you when he thought you'd get somewhere. So I can see the issues but as you said, the mother died in an accident so both could feel guilt in some way or Dad feels guilt and son blames him.

    However, I don't think any of this is enough to really cause a huge relationship problem that couldn't be solved with a long conversation. I would focus more on the conflict of their current relationship, with the past being a starting point. I don't know your plot line well but look for elements of conflict in the actual story.

    Maybe his father needs help but the people his father are against employ the son. It's hard for me to offer anything else.
     
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  15. Maggie May

    Maggie May Active Member

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    The father suddenly needing the son to go through the program again, feels weak. The fact that the General is his father could be kept out until the story develops. The MC gets an offer to be part of this group, to save (blank) or help (blank) than finds out it is a suicide mission and another twist is that his "father" is the leader. Maybe have the father not know that his son was recruited so we have another twist to the story. Gotta love drama!
     
  16. Legolas

    Legolas Member

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    So much Darth Vader/Luke dynamic going on there lol.
     
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  17. Veltman

    Veltman Active Member

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    Why does it feel weak? The exact point of him doing that is that he lost face after the disaster that caused him to lose his other soldier. He has to do things that wouldn't be his first choice. Doesn't that make sense?
     
  18. Maggie May

    Maggie May Active Member

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    It's expected, my feelings are that it's a weak story line. Think outside the normal. See if there is a twist that calls to you, why give all the information upfront, see if it can build to a revelation or disclosure that's part of the whole story. It might be fine, I'm just suggesting that it's been done.
     
  19. Maggie May

    Maggie May Active Member

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    Exactly. Been there done that one before.
     
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