Playing in Someone Else’s Sandbox
For our newest writer roundtable, let’s take a look at writing characters created by other people. There are several ways we can do this, from being hired to write a licensed character (like Superman, The Phantom, She-Hulk, etc.), reviving a public domain character (like The Black Bat, Domino Lady, Sherlock Holmes, etc.), or being hired to ghostwrite for someone else’s plot and character ideas.
What is the single most valuable lesson you’ve learned from writing characters created by other people?
Ron Fortier: There are only two approaches to do other peoples’ characters. The first is complete ignore what went before and re-create them any way you want. Now if these characters are licensed, option two is off the table. At the same time, if you are working the licensor, you are hamstrung by what they will let you do or not do.
You also need to do your homework. If these are popular characters that have been around for a long while, they already have fans out there. The more you research what’s been already done, the more you can stay in tune with the essence of the characters and hopefully maintain them.
Alan J. Porter: Respect the source material and any boundaries that are set — but it’s also okay to get creative and push those boundaries a bit. You may be surprised what gets approved.
Bobby Nash: I learned about getting to know your characters because if you write an already established character out of character the readers will know. Moreover, they will let you know you got it wrong. I also learned restraint. The difference between writing Zorro as a media tie-in and writing Zorro fan fiction is that there are rules with writing licensed characters. You can’t just write whatever idea pops into your head. You can’t marry them off or kill them, unless you put it back to how you found it at the end of your story. As you once told me, Sean, and this is a piece of advice I never forget, “Don’t blow up Cleveland. We might need it later.”
I often use Star Trek TOS as an example of how to write established IPs or licensed tie-ins. Almost every episode starts with the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is happy. Then, some bad stuff happens that they have to deal with, but the story ends with the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is happy. Unless you’re instructed otherwise by the publisher or license owner, that’s writing other people’s characters.
Brian K Morris: I love working with other IPs. I feel flattered when someone trusts me to work with their brainchildren.
My greatest lesson in writing other creations is, as one of my comic artist friends says, I need to leave the woodpile higher than when I found it. I not only don’t have the right to alter a character drastically to suit my whims, I should leave behind some characters for other writers, including the creator, to utilize later.
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https://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com/2024/03/playing-in-someone-elses-sandbox.html
