How To Write An Alex Rider Fanfiction

Writing Characters Part Two: The Archetypes

Those were the bare basics of what you want to include in the character of Alex and any other character that may appear in your story. Now you've got to string it together. 

But before we actually write in the character of Alex, we need to go through a few things. First, the Alex Rider Archetypes. 

A lot of writers make this mistake. Putting Alex in a mould. It doesn't work like that, guys! Don't you hate it when people put someone, maybe yourself, maybe your best friend, into a 'category' based on looks or just because they want to put someone into a mould? I get it, human beings like to sort things and create the sense or disillusion of an order of sense amidst the chaos, but when human beings are complicated! Most won't fit a specific mould at all! And writing characters that way...well, that just doesn't work. 

You know why JK Rowling's Harry Potter is so great? Why almost everyone loves the character of Hermione Granger? Because it breaks the mould! Until then, people thought that girls who read a lot and knew all the answers were nerds, weak, often stunningly unattractive,  introverted and shy. Hermione proved all those suckers wrong! She proved that girls can be smart, but at the same time, brave, beautiful, strong and kind. Girl's who play the good girl can also be appreciated and loved, not just girls who play the supreme badass.  At the same time, she proved that even good girls will break the rules occasionally, for laughs, for their friends or just because they think something is wrong. I don't know about you, but Hermione Granger really impacted my life. I read Harry Potter in second grade, and people used to constantly tease me about my glasses, about how I was such a know it all, and they used to call me all sorts of names, fat, ugly, etc. But after reading Harry Potter, I strived to be like Hermione. I wanted to be smart, and not care what people thought. And you know what? I did become that way. 

I know you guys are probably just writing a fanfiction, but the concepts work the same. You want to write a character that impacts the reader, dazzles them with their imperfections and flaws, but makes them cheer with their strengths and triumphs. A good character is one a reader likes, but a successful one is one that sticks with them for days, months, years after they've read your story.

So what does this have to do with Alex Rider Archetypes? The problem with these archetypes is that they cause the same old character to be written over and over again. Angsty Alex. Freak Alex. Perfect Player Alex. It might have worked once, but it will get boring after a while. 

Here are the archetypes I have discovered through extensive research (*cough cough* browsing fanfiction.net for two hours): 

(1) Angsty Alex. 

The biggest Alex problem. Angsty Alex has issues. Like, severe issues. I have nothing against people with trauma or PTSD and I mean no offence, but you must have some reason for Alex to be that way. Okay, Alex has been through a lot, but throughout the books, Alex didn't really come off as angsty. He was still in a good mood, even when he was shot and in the hospital recovering from the sniper's bullet, he was still smiling and cracking jokes. However, only in SCORPIA Rising did he show signs of breaking down, and that was after he saw Jack's jeep getting blown up. And yet he still wasn't angsty yet, he was quieter, grieving. Now, if Alex went through more missions, if something happens to him, he was abused, forced to do unspeakable things, then he would start breaking down. Slowly. But keep in mind he's strong, physically, mentally and emotionally. Something really bad would have to happen to him for him to break down and become completely angsty and it would come over the course of a few years. 

(2)Player Alex aka Perfectly Normal Alex. 

Okay, this character is the total opposite of Angsty Alex and also an example of trying too hard not to write an Angsty Alex. Player Alex is the school heartthrob for no apparent reason. Its as if the girl's excuse his long absences as being totally 'badass', and why, they also don't seem to notice the fact that Alex refuses to take his shirt off for anything! Okay, I have seen some authors write this character well, and if you want, you can write it as well. But be careful, and tread with caution. I don't know about your schools, but if I was absent in my school for long periods of time, everyone would notice. Literally everyone. Even the janitors and kids who don't know me would certainly notice the absence of my graced presence in school (haha). I was once absent for a week...and my, what a stir that caused! Alex is absent even longer than that, two weeks to months at a time. I'm pretty sure people would deem that suspicious, and okay, while girls may be attracted to his GORGEOUS looks, they would also be repelled by his secretive nature and the fact "why does he have so many scars?" They would also find it pretty darn suspicious that he comes back to school looking up severely dinged up from missions, and his grades are slipping....what impression does that give? That's right, the one of a drug dealer. Or a gang member. So Alex may not be attracting those sort of girls...more of the, er, other ones. However, maybe MI6 has stopped using him and he's trying to get his ish together. Then the appearance of being normal would work, but there still might be holdbacks. Even years after MI6 has stopped using Alex, he still may be unwilling to take off his shirt. 

(3) Snarky/Cool Alex

There's nothing with being sassy. I'm sassy on a regular basis. Alex is also a naturally sassy character. This archetype isn't as bad as the first two, but writer beware. There is such a thing as a reaction. Many people react to sarcasm in different ways. A person who I thought was my friend got annoyed whenever I said something witty, mainly because then the boy she liked would suddenly take an interest in me and not her. However, I have another friend who is as witty as me. Having a conversation with them is exhausting because every time I say something snarky, they counter it expertly. So keep in mind different people will react differently to Alex's sarcasm. Jack will laugh it off. Blunt might ignore or dismiss it. Ms Jones might chide him for it etc. 

(4) Regular Alex 

This one is the one you should normally strive for. Most fanfiction authors forget in writing the character of Alex, that in the end, he is just a teenage boy. Write him as a regular teenage boy! He likes mint chip ice cream, hangs with his friends, and likes playing football. Write that into your story. However, be careful when writing this character as well. Alex is a teenager with added abilities. While normal teenage boys may panic at being held hostage, for Alex, its routine. He will probably know what to do, have an escape plan ready and, well, duh, escape. 

(5) Helpless Alex

Okay, this is the most untrue one. Many fanfiction authors try to write Alex as helpless, in a desperate attempt to get readers to sympathize with him. Please stop. It doesn't work like that. Alex is not helpless, and doing this in writing will actually draw reader's away. Sure, putting Alex helpless in his kidnapper's hands will enhance your story, but there is a limit. If Alex is tied up, drugged, not able to move, that's helpless. But being constantly helpless isn't the right thing to do. Yes, Alex will protect himself from bullies without help, he's done it before. Unless he's injured, or he is trying to act nonviolently, I highly doubt those bullies will be able to get one over him. 

And those are the archetypes. My suggestion for an insta-Alex ( haha) is to combine several archetypes together. Like, player Alex with regular Alex would make an interesting combo. 

Well, thats all for now. Until next time!

-Amber