Episode 317: I Want Candy! - Giving Your Characters a Balanced Diet in Speculative Fiction

We've all read characters like this: the character who has clearly become the author's precious darling upon whom she will bestow all gifts, abilities, luck and narrative candy. In fact, a lot of readers have characters about whom they feel the same, so is it even a problem? Sadly, yes. An over-candied character will rot your story, weigh down the plot and kill tension.  What constitutes candy in character terms? And how can you give your character all the cool stuff you want to give them without destroying the story? This week Jules and Madeleine look at why this happens and what to do about it. On the slab this week - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harker & Blackthorn, Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan and many more.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic