Writing Tips from Push

Push is a movie I found at my library and picked up because it looked interesting. And it was. It's a superhero movie that is non-Marvel or DC and it stars Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning (and can I just say I love how Christ works so well with younger actors?).

I was really surprised by how good it was, although apparently not well received enough to get a sequel, even though they had planned for one. Today we're going to look at the writing lessons we can learn from this movie, because there were a lot of interesting things it did.

1. Change up the setting

Unlike most superhero movies, that seem to take place either in New York, Chicago, LA, or any other large U.S. city, Push is placed in Hong Kong, which adds a distinct flavor to the movie. The setting was unique and tied in well with the plot. They used it well, which is the best thing you can do with a setting.

How could you add a different or unique setting in your book? Could you take the more mundane setting and change it to something new? You could pick a different country, a different state, or a different biome to make your story stand out. And bonus points if you can make the setting actually useful to the plot, not just a random background.

2. Go outside the norm

The movie came out in 2009, before most of the big superhero films from Marvel and DC came out, so the superhero genre hadn't been defined yet. But it still isn't the sort of movie you would expect to be about superheroes. That original style, kind of like a spy thriller but with superheroes, is one of the things that most stood out to me in this movie.

Not all books need to bend the genre rules, but are there little ways yours could stand out? What's something people wouldn't expect to see in your novel that you could add? Putting in a unique element is what helps people remember your book, not just read it and move on.

3. Limit your powers

Most superhero stories have a multitude of powers, and sometimes even more than one per character. Push, however, has exactly nine defined superpowers, each with their own unique name, and each character can only have one. And even if you have a power, there are various levels of ability, which get stronger as you work at it. Nick, the main character, is a Mover, which is basically telekinesis. Cassie, the little girl he works with, is a Watcher, who can see the future. Kira and the main villain are both Pushers, the most dangerous kind that can make you do whatever they want.

Can you add clear limits to the powers your characters have, whether that's magic or superhuman abilities? What sort of system can you set up with it's own unique terminology? Limits are what make things like powers good for storytelling. No one wants an all powerful character that can do whatever they want. It always causes more harm than good.

4. Use characters against each other

The interesting thing about their powers in this film, especially with the Watchers, is how they can be used against each other. One of the bad guys has a daughter who is also a Watcher, and she and Cassie often use their powers to see what each other is going to do. This leads to having to make a complicated plan to beat the bad guys involving envelopes and mind wipes. Nick also is pitted against another much stronger Mover throughout the movie, causing him to have to up his game.

How can you pit your characters against each other to increase tension? I love it when characters have the same ability, but with varying levels. This is great for character development and plot tension at the same time.

5. Multiple opponents

There are two major bad guy groups in this movie. The government agents that want to get Kira, a powerful asset, back, and the Triads, a Chinese gang group that get on the heroes' bad side. Nick and Cassie have to keep away from both groups throughout the movie, while finding the briefcase that everyone wants first. (Why is it always a briefcase? Couldn't it ever be an elephant or something?) Thus, when the final battle begins, there are three groups in action. I absolutely love when there are three different groups all fighting each other at the same time.

Could you add a secondary opponent to your story? It can increase tension and difficult for the heroes all at the same time. You should always have a main antagonist, but added some smaller secondary ones that also get in the way can be great for your story.

Have you watched this movie? Have you done any of these things in your novel? Tell me in the comments.

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