World building and other fun stuff
One of the questions I get a lot is where do I come up with my ideas for world building and superpowers?
I love comic books, but they do tend to have the same power sets over and over. Not that I ever get tired of "fast and strong."
In my Full Metal Universe, I classify powers like tornadoes, the more dangerous they are, the higher the rating. From F1 (useless) to F5 (lethal on a large level). I've avoided specific definitions as to not write myself into a corner. But suffice to say, an F3 (strength) is no match for an F5. It would be like shooting a tank with a pistol, you can do it all day long, but you're never going to hurt it.
There's an array of positive and negative powers, elemental's, telepathy, that sort of thing. I try to keep the powers that are the most dangerous, on the low end. There are exponentially less F5s than F1s. While a person who can levitate is 'relatively' common, a person who can throw a tank is rare.
There's also the beast modes, people who have taken on bestial aspects, anywhere from just claws, to full-on werewolves like creatures, or a mix of lots of things. I think I have a fly/wolf/spider person in one book, poor bastard.
There are also downsides to mental powers. At one point Domino (an empath) talks about the suicide rate among empaths and telepaths, and it's high.
I also have an array of "magical" powers. It's in air quotes because my MC, Amelia Lockheart doesn't believe in magic.
As for how I explain superpowers existing, that one I'm pretty proud of. They've existed since 1903, and they're not superpowers so much as they are pockets of physics from other dimensions attaching themselves to people at around puberty (cliche I know but it works).
One of the challenges of writing superpowers in fiction is trying to explain where they come from and how they defy science. Marvel and DC have it easy, for them, there have always been superpowers. I wanted to mimic that as much as possible. Most people in the FMSU think that Tesla is responsible for it.
The fun thing about keeping the world building to a minimum is that I can let it develop slowly over time. I don't think I even mention what caused powers until book two (Unstoppable Arsenal) and I let a little out in each book.
Of course, I have aliens too, which is fun. I tried to keep all the super science based around one or two singularities in science. Breakthroughs like computers, that dictate everything that comes after it. The rest of the stuff, I try to keep grounded in actual science.
Of course, the Rule of Cool(TM) applies. If the thing I'm doing is super cool (like windows shattering from punch impacts) then I will favor that over strict observance of science.
I do occasionally pass my work to a friend of mine with a Ph.D. in Physics, he even wrote a blog post about one of my weapons that would basically vaporize a chunk of the planet if I used it as is... I had to change that one.
The box set containing the first 4 FMS books is on sale for 99c right now. It's a great time to gift it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1H4KHC
See you next month!
I love comic books, but they do tend to have the same power sets over and over. Not that I ever get tired of "fast and strong."
In my Full Metal Universe, I classify powers like tornadoes, the more dangerous they are, the higher the rating. From F1 (useless) to F5 (lethal on a large level). I've avoided specific definitions as to not write myself into a corner. But suffice to say, an F3 (strength) is no match for an F5. It would be like shooting a tank with a pistol, you can do it all day long, but you're never going to hurt it.
There's an array of positive and negative powers, elemental's, telepathy, that sort of thing. I try to keep the powers that are the most dangerous, on the low end. There are exponentially less F5s than F1s. While a person who can levitate is 'relatively' common, a person who can throw a tank is rare.
There's also the beast modes, people who have taken on bestial aspects, anywhere from just claws, to full-on werewolves like creatures, or a mix of lots of things. I think I have a fly/wolf/spider person in one book, poor bastard.
There are also downsides to mental powers. At one point Domino (an empath) talks about the suicide rate among empaths and telepaths, and it's high.
I also have an array of "magical" powers. It's in air quotes because my MC, Amelia Lockheart doesn't believe in magic.
As for how I explain superpowers existing, that one I'm pretty proud of. They've existed since 1903, and they're not superpowers so much as they are pockets of physics from other dimensions attaching themselves to people at around puberty (cliche I know but it works).
One of the challenges of writing superpowers in fiction is trying to explain where they come from and how they defy science. Marvel and DC have it easy, for them, there have always been superpowers. I wanted to mimic that as much as possible. Most people in the FMSU think that Tesla is responsible for it.
The fun thing about keeping the world building to a minimum is that I can let it develop slowly over time. I don't think I even mention what caused powers until book two (Unstoppable Arsenal) and I let a little out in each book.
Of course, I have aliens too, which is fun. I tried to keep all the super science based around one or two singularities in science. Breakthroughs like computers, that dictate everything that comes after it. The rest of the stuff, I try to keep grounded in actual science.
Of course, the Rule of Cool(TM) applies. If the thing I'm doing is super cool (like windows shattering from punch impacts) then I will favor that over strict observance of science.
I do occasionally pass my work to a friend of mine with a Ph.D. in Physics, he even wrote a blog post about one of my weapons that would basically vaporize a chunk of the planet if I used it as is... I had to change that one.
The box set containing the first 4 FMS books is on sale for 99c right now. It's a great time to gift it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1H4KHC
See you next month!
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