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How to write a FatBastard character without being too stereotypical?

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Merseyuser1 Since: Sep, 2011
#1: May 27th 2019 at 4:24:00 AM

I've been giving my story and its fictional universe a complete Continuity Reboot, and only certain things remain Canon:

  • The main protagonists are Jennifer, Becky, Danielle and Steve (three women and one man, but with this dynamic, the man isn't a Token Minority, so not three straight women and a gay man.
  • One of the secondary characters (and the main point of this discussion) is a Fat Bastard called John (name may be changed) - however, he's a Nice Guy and his Fat Bastard reasons for being fat are medical - he was born this way with some medical condition (it isn't plot-relevant why, unless I do A Day in the Limelight about that). John is a Nice Guy, and I'm making him into a combination of The Fixer and Knowledge Broker.
  • The setting is currently England, but may be changed. It's set in the late 2000s (2005-2009) - although I'm looking at 2007 as a setting for a Period Piece to include things on the 2007-2008 recession (would that be considered a Period Piece)?

My problem is, how do you write a Fat Bastard character, especially someone like John, and avoid Fat Idiot etc. and make him into a character the audience will like, regardless of his weight, yet In-Universe avoid making him the Butt-Monkey?

I have some idea of his storylines, but haven't really written Fat Bastard characters before, but I want to avoid getting too cliched. I know Tropes Are Not Bad, but this is a major character (if this was a TV Tropes Characters page).

Spottedleaf Fit check for my napalm era! (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Fit check for my napalm era!
#2: May 28th 2019 at 12:48:32 PM

Hm...from how you're describing him, he doesn't seem to fit the "bastard" part, unless he's either a literal bastard or a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.

As for how to make him less stereotypical as a fat person, though, here's a few ideas!:

  • Being fat doesn't mean he can't also be agile- in fact, the reverse is actually surprisingly common! You mention that his size is more a result of a medical condition than a lifestyle, so perhaps you could exploit that and make him an Acrofatic character, or at the very least, well-suited to action. There are some pretty great characters you could look at for inspiration that fit this trope, like Amanda Waller (a fat, menopausal character who nonetheless joins in on the action) and Po, to name two very different examples.

  • Treat him like any other character in terms of thoughts and emotions. Think about his hopes, his dreams, his interests. Who does he love the most? What does he want to get out of life? Design him as a human being first and fat second- but at the same time, remember that his size will affect his everyday life.

  • If the other characters do make jokes at his expense, it could be a fun twist if most of them were not based on his size, as the audience likely won't be expecting that!

>^owo^<
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