characters?? - Page 2 - Writers Forum

vanax · 11-21-2005, 06:44 PM

vitgo that would be really cool but i have two kids so that wouldn't work for me. i would like to try that some day.

thanks
bobbie

Elvenswordsman · 11-21-2005, 07:26 PM

any info towards an example of your char?

vanax · 11-21-2005, 07:57 PM

she is a 19 year old elven princess who has a twin she doesn't know about. She has mastered some of the arts of battle and healing. She is very versed in battle magic. Her bestfriend is her older brother. Favorite plant/flower is honeysuckle. She is a bit of an adventurer and quite the pain. She is kind of psychic, or at least when it comes to her sister. she has red gold hair about 5'4 thin and femininely muscluar. she has a special connection to the kingdom and it's people.

i'm sure i could give you more but it would be like a page or two.
bobbie

Isaiah58 · 11-22-2005, 12:21 AM

Sounds cool.

The best way I've found is to just do like Dark Avin said and let the characters write themselves. One of the best ways I've found to explore their character traits, flaws, etc, is to mentally put them into some sort of stressful situation and see how they all react and interact. You don't really have to write it down at all, just do it while you're lying in bed at night or not really paying attention in class.

You'll tend to find that your sub-concious has fleshed out the characters much more than you could have if you'd just sat down with a piece of paper and conciously tried to make it up. If the character still just isn't working for you just let it sit for a week or two and then go back to it. Give your brain time to straighten it all out on it's own.

vanax · 11-22-2005, 01:40 AM

i've been letting her sit for a while and she has gained a few things but she still seems too perfect. the hero syndrom i like to call it. she's just not real enough for the person i want her to portray. i want her to be strong and weak if that makes sense. maybe it's the other characters? or the situations but right now she has been the "good" one.

by the way i love that line in the movie!!
bobbie

Isaiah58 · 11-25-2005, 06:28 PM

Hmm...
Maybe try just test putting her into situations that would push her buttons for the flaws you've already given her. Whether you actually write it out or not, go back over it with a critical eye a few minutes after you've finished. If she still seems like the same character she was when you were dealing with the "hero syndrome," even while she's being a pain or what have you, then she's probably fairly fleshed out.

If having her be "normal" or worse makes it seem like she had a personality transplant, keep working until her flaws aren't just some rare occurance or one thing but lots of little things that then become part of her personality and the way she interacts with your other characters.

For instance, you say that her best friend is her brother. Best friends don't always see eye to eye do they? If they have both mastered different battle arts or one is more proficient than the other that's going to make a difference in the way they go about making battle plans, etc. Maybe she's the stronger warrior in a sneak attack but he's much more suited to open warfare.

How does that mesh with the rest of the group? Could it cause tensions? If there are differing opinions who will others be more likely to follow, or does it depend on the situation?

I don't know. I'm just pulling things out of the air. Hope all that helped a little...

<><

vanax · 11-25-2005, 10:36 PM

cool thanks