Protagonist writing advice.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Quick tip needed.

 

How would it be best to write a character that suffers from a form of social or learning disability like Asperger's Syndrome from a first person perspective?

 

The main symptom I would like to focus on is the protagonist's predilection for literal thinking. Sarcasm often escapes him, and he often takes what's said by another as their actual intent, the context escaping him unless he actually stops to consider it for a moment.

 

In a given scene, how would I make that come across as a personality flaw or quirk?

[SFyr 1,982]

As I understand the question, it's less how to portray the quality itself in first person, and more how to go about portraying it as a flaw?

Well, by nature flaws cause characters to 'act human' and either violently stray from the path someone idealistically would take, or be at a loss of direction and have to make their own way. The social flaws such as not being able to pick up on sarcasm would be something of the latter I believe, in that what are normal unspoken directions in a conversation, suddenly become points of confusion where they're forced to take a path contrary to what is expected/desired.

It's a quirk when it doesn't cause serious harm, or is balanced between good and bad, but not given towards either heavily.

It's a flaw when they're unable to take the correct path when necessary, and get into trouble over it, or rub people the wrong way and strain relationships.

 

In this case, I kinda imagine someone trying to warm up to him by joking around, in a camaraderie sort of way, and its completely lost on him--and he responds by completely butchering the joke, taking insult where there was none intended, or meeting something friendly/joking with a buzzkill serious answer. He didn't understand what the direction was, so he did what he thought best and took a non-idealistic path because of it.

...And probably just frustrated someone or shot down a friendly act because of it.

I think the biggest part of making it look like it's an actual issue/quirk on their part is that they legitimately don't know what they said wrong (in which case, 1st person, they may never find out on their own), or they saw their response as perfectly appropriate when it wasn't. Yet, it generates conflict for them, or proves to be an obstacle they may or may not be aware of.

 

_{^{Random visualization just because:}}

_{^{"Great, I always wanted to prance around dressed like a donkie" the pegasus breathed.}}

_{^{"R-really? Well..." hero stuttered, struggling for something to say, "I-I don't think most ponies could pull that off, but I think it'd work for you?"}}

_^...

_{^{-10 friendship points}}

Edited March 28, 2014 by SFyr

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

In terms of writing style for this sort of character it should be very matter-of-fact and stilled. Since it's first person you see the world from his eyes, and as a result our ability to perceive the world as an audience should be tinted by the way he views it. Use minimal or even no description, the bare minimum needed to convey the environment's existence. Sentences should be blunt and choppy, as if his internal narrative struggles to present a smooth continuum of the world because he takes it so straightforwardly. Something like this:

 

I got up out of my bed, marched in place a bit. My room was a bit cold from the night. I warmed up soon enough as I marched, though. Next I opened my door, trotted out. Across the landing my room was on, to my bathroom. Opened that door. Lights on, looked at myself in the mirror. I was a stallion, blue coat, hair currently messy. So I fixed it.

 

If that read in an incredibly awkward manner that was the point. You'd run into the issue of keeping it interesting if you made the conscious decision to stilt your writing style to match the character, and that comes down to keeping the pacing and adding enough interest with maybe the odd lapse from the style to emphasize some point or another.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

In terms of writing style for this sort of character it should be very matter-of-fact and stilled. Since it's first person you see the world from his eyes, and as a result our ability to perceive the world as an audience should be tinted by the way he views it. Use minimal or even no description, the bare minimum needed to convey the environment's existence. Sentences should be blunt and choppy, as if his internal narrative struggles to present a smooth continuum of the world because he takes it so straightforwardly. Something like this:

 

I got up out of my bed, marched in place a bit. My room was a bit cold from the night. I warmed up soon enough as I marched, though. Next I opened my door, trotted out. Across the landing my room was on, to my bathroom. Opened that door. Lights on, looked at myself in the mirror. I was a stallion, blue coat, hair currently messy. So I fixed it.

 

If that read in an incredibly awkward manner that was the point. You'd run into the issue of keeping it interesting if you made the conscious decision to stilt your writing style to match the character, and that comes down to keeping the pacing and adding enough interest with maybe the odd lapse from the style to emphasize some point or another.

 

Is it bad that's exactly how some of my existing passages already look, or does that just mean I've already done as you suggested? 

 

The thing is, the protagonist is a blatant self-insert, and I do suffer from such a disability.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

Is it bad that's exactly how some of my existing passages already look, or does that just mean I've already done as you suggested? 

 

The thing is, the protagonist is a blatant self-insert, and I do suffer from such a disability.

 

Well that just means you're gonna have an easier time doing that if that's how you naturally write.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

As I understand the question, it's less how to portray the quality itself in first person, and more how to go about portraying it as a flaw?

Well, by nature flaws cause characters to 'act human' and either violently stray from the path someone idealistically would take, or be at a loss of direction and have to make their own way. The social flaws such as not being able to pick up on sarcasm would be something of the latter I believe, in that what are normal unspoken directions in a conversation, suddenly become points of confusion where they're forced to take a path contrary to what is expected/desired.

It's a quirk when it doesn't cause serious harm, or is balanced between good and bad, but not given towards either heavily.

It's a flaw when they're unable to take the correct path when necessary, and get into trouble over it, or rub people the wrong way and strain relationships.

 

In this case, I kinda imagine someone trying to warm up to him by joking around, in a camaraderie sort of way, and its completely lost on him--and he responds by completely butchering the joke, taking insult where there was none intended, or meeting something friendly/joking with a buzzkill serious answer. He didn't understand what the direction was, so he did what he thought best and took a non-idealistic path because of it.

...And probably just frustrated someone or shot down a friendly act because of it.

I think the biggest part of making it look like it's an actual issue/quirk on their part is that they legitimately don't know what they said wrong (in which case, 1st person, they may never find out on their own), or they saw their response as perfectly appropriate when it wasn't. Yet, it generates conflict for them, or proves to be an obstacle they may or may not be aware of.

 

_{^{Random visualization just because:}}

_{^{"Great, I always wanted to prance around dressed like a donkie" the pegasus breathed.}}

_{^{"R-really? Well..." hero stuttered, struggling for something to say, "I-I don't think most ponies could pull that off, but I think it'd work for you?"}}

_^...

_{^{-10 friendship points}}

 

Fittingly enough, as the protagonist is based off of myself, I have encountered your very suggested scenarios in my actual life.

 

Another way I can think, just from your suggestions, that this could be a flaw is gullibility. I indeed have been deceived before by honeyed words and a smile, so having a villain pull such a move on the protagonist, I feel, would be in line with this flaw.

[SFyr 1,982]

@, 

I have never reached the point I can pull off strong styles like that, haha.   There's an author I keep hearing mention of that writes very strangely sometimes, tied into how the minds work of the characters he portrays.

I tended to hear it described as "painful [to read] yet interesting"

Well, he's famous I guess; didn't actually go through his books myself yet, so I can't remember who it was though.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Well that just means you're gonna have an easier time doing that if that's how you naturally write.

 

Perhaps, but the reason I asked in the first place was, I wasn't sure how to portray it as a natural part of the hero's personality beyond internal thoughts.

 

Obviously, as the writer, I know the intent of whomever is speaking to the hero. I was simply beside myself in how to portray something I recognized in myself unto my story ponysona through scenes and dialogue. 

 

Your advice is appreciated.  -_-

[SFyr 1,982]

Fittingly enough, as the protagonist is based off of myself, I have encountered your very suggested scenarios in my actual life.

 

Another way I can think, just from your suggestions, that this could be a flaw is gullibility. I indeed have been deceived before by honeyed words and a smile, so having a villain pull such a move on the protagonist, I feel, would be in line with this flaw.

I think we all do at some point, haha.   I was a legitimate shut-in as a kid, so I'm still a good bit socially awkward/clueless.

And yeah, I could see that being an issue too. Being able to discern whether people are sincere or lying is kind of an ability to pick out small subtleties--which is hard enough if you don't have a disadvantage of some sort.

Still, could make things more interesting. 

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

My own OC/ponysona: http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/peridot-r5852

 

While he completely takes after me appearance-wise, he only halfway takes after me personality-wise... The other half is based on Shikamaru Nara from Naruto.

 

P.S. - I also have AS.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I think we all do at some point, haha.   I was a legitimate shut-in as a kid, so I'm still a good bit socially awkward/clueless.

And yeah, I could see that being an issue too. Being able to discern whether people are sincere or lying is kind of an ability to pick out small subtleties--which is hard enough if you don't have a disadvantage of some sort.

Still, could make things more interesting. 

 

The thing for me is, my close friends would actually describe me as being warm and animated, despite actually being an introvert.

 

Oddly, I actually think sincerity is my greatest virtue, I would go so far as to say it is to me what the Elements of Harmony are to the Mane Six. Perhaps as a result of my inability, but regardless, "ironic enjoyment" is anathema to my nature. My passions, my words, my opinions; it's all in coherence with my heart.

I strove to make my own OC's/ponysona's personality similar to Shikamaru Nara from Naruto: http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/peridot-r5852

 

Obviously, though, he takes after me appearance-wise, and his special ability is somewhat unique.

 

Uhhhh I stopped watching right before the Chunin exam finals.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Go find a copy of 'The curious incident of the dog in the night time' by Mark Haddon and look at how he writes. That's really the best advice I can give: it's impressively insightful.