my abysmal main character - Writers Forum

kintaris · 07-24-2005, 10:17 AM

i slowly realised why i always dislike my novels after the fifth chapter and abandon them. It wasn't the plot as much as i previously thought, but the main character(s). They're always either me or Harry Potter, it seems (and i HATE Harry Potter). Even when the main character was a girl she seemed like me, and i do NOT make a good hero, not in any genre.

Can anyone suggest a way (or a publication/Internet guide) to create good main characters? Any advice would be helpful.

BTW i usually go for fantasy. Sometimes its serious, sometimes i'm looking for ordinary people in fantastical situations to create humour.

Also any advice on my recent post in File 13 would be nice...

kin

thedarkboots · 07-24-2005, 10:40 AM

Try writing your characters to do or say things that you would not before you start your novel. Do a couple of scenes in a few different situations that may not necessarly be part of the book but would help you keep focused on what your character is really like. You could even think of how you have handled a situation before and think of different ways it could have been handled and write that down.
Devise a character questionaire and answer them from your characters point of view... make them different from how you would answer it.
Hope this helps.

thedarkboots · 07-24-2005, 10:40 AM

I love Harry Potter by the way.

kintaris · 07-24-2005, 10:47 AM

Thanks i will try that.

I like 'Harry Potter' but not Harry Potter, if that makes any sense. I like the whole book except the main character...

Gehrig · 07-24-2005, 03:00 PM

Yes. Create a character document. List out background, physical appearance, likes, dislikes, habits, etc. As suggested, ask questions about how the character would handle situations, Download some pics os a person, even an actor, from the internet to help you describe the character. In doing all of this purposely choose characteristics different from yours (and Harry's).

You can do it...

Monkey King · 07-24-2005, 03:07 PM

I've found a lot of inspiration for characters from people I know or even see on the street. I like to see some one walking down the street and use the way they look and some obvious sterotypes to create my own background behind them.

I use this more for my more realistic humor writing. For when I write fantasy I most focus on background. Creating a reason for my character to do what I want them to. I'll usually create way more back story than I even put onto paper (at least that others will see) just so that they're more fleashed out. This making them more interesting in my mind.

kintaris · 07-24-2005, 03:32 PM

thanks for your help guys, i'll try everything

suzakugaiden · 07-24-2005, 03:39 PM

I also like the books but I also agree that Harry Potter is a bit of an igmotard. He has no concept of restraint or logic. I mean, playing Snape would be incredibly easy if he'd stop being such a moron about it.

kintaris · 07-24-2005, 03:44 PM

i just feel he's very stereotyped. Rowling has decided that teenager = angst and then just shoved a whole pile of hormones on him. It's...sort of what teenagers are like, but not really. I fear that i do that too. I generalise the teenage mood instead of really bringing out an individual character that happens to be battling with puberty.

but i will persevere, and see what happens...

Alucard II · 07-25-2005, 04:49 PM

away from the twat in the hat, if you can think of a character from a book or a film that you like, and that is the opposite in many ways to the type of character you would normally create, try and use that character as a base for one of your own.

Saponification · 07-25-2005, 04:56 PM

Sit on a train and just wait for someone to start up a conversation with you. A lot of the people who do that have led the most interesting and upsetting lives you can imagine.

kintaris · 07-25-2005, 05:00 PM

wow guys this is great...some simple things i had never even considered...thankyou!