Creating Characters? - Writers Forum

Vianne Lee · 12-17-2005, 01:49 PM

I've a few questions.

1) When writing your story, how do you go about character development? Do you create outlines? Or just let the characters write themselves?

2) How do you choose your character names? Do you just go with the first name that pops into your head? Do you name them after someone? Do you do a name and meaning search on the net and find one that best suits your character?

Verago · 12-17-2005, 01:55 PM

It seems like you're new, so...Welcome to Writing Forums.
First time I've said that.

1) I create a rough outline of their mannerisms and what they're wearing, stuff like that. Beyond that, they write themselves.

2) I look up names on the internet and find the ones with good meanings.

Davie G. Porter · 12-17-2005, 04:24 PM

I personally draw a picture of the character and label the picture with all of it's key features and items. Say the character always carries a stick or something like that. I then write a very short biography next to the picture. This for me makes the character seem more real so that I can describe them easier. Usually I just pick the name that sounds right for the character I don't really look for a name on the internet I just let the name find me in everyday life. E.g. I had a character who I didn't have a name for yet in my fantasy and then I met a girl called Mia at a party. The girl seemed very similar to the character so I changed the name to Miella. If a name hasn't come up for a character I just call them something random e.g. the sorcerer in my story I hadn't had a name for so I just named him after a planet until the right name came up. This is personally what I do, but every author has to find their own method. I just find myself going mad if I look up names on the internet until the right one comes up. I hope this has helped.

MetalDog · 12-17-2005, 04:49 PM

Creating characters is my favourite bit of the start process =)

I usually begin with the biggest quirk in their make-up, like cowardness, masochism, hatred of birds, massive self-confidence - whatever seems the most 'them' at the early stage and then work backwards, figuring out why they're like that, which usually produces a whole tree of personality traits and back history by the time I'm done.

Couple of things to watch out for if you do it this way. Firstly, the first 'reason' you come up with will invariably be a terrible cliche, so come up with more than one reason and apply a few twists here and there and you'll start to get past the lazy-brain answers to the more interesting stuff. Secondly, never be tempted to put /everything/ you find out about your character into the story, use the information like you would a strong spice.

Namewise, I mostly concentrate on making sure the reader will never get confused between names, so I pick one I like from a baby name book that isn't too close in sound, starting letter and length to any of the other characters.

cbrmale · 12-17-2005, 05:06 PM

I do a full biography of each main character, even if detailed elements of their past will not make it into the story. I will build up a precis of their family backgrounds, their education, past relationships, sex life, employment history, hobbies, recreations, philosophy on life as well as physical characteristics.

I find a detailed outline helps to ascertain if the character makes sense in a holistic way. I also find that more elements of their past may make it into the storyline that I originally was planning.

Walker Pierce · 12-17-2005, 06:25 PM

I do the same as cbrmale. I write a full outline for each main character and then use them as reference, though most of them stick to my brain after I'm done with them.

Queasy Dillo · 12-17-2005, 09:45 PM

I've had my current set of primary characters since I started writing around the age of thirteen. In that time, I've never once written a background description for any of them. Then again, I've also written countless stories around them. Most wound up in the trash heap.

It wasn't a total waste, though. For each bombed project, the characters fleshed out a little more. That being the case, I don't think you can have well-rounded characters from scratch. I think you have to start with the nucleus of a character (usually about as deep as a cardboard cutout) and work them into something more useful.

Namewise, I go for the common, everyday stuff.

Rhea · 12-18-2005, 02:42 AM

1) When writing your story, how do you go about character development? Do you create outlines? Or just let the characters write themselves?
I created an outline, a few of their personality traits, then as I write I flesh them out more, edit their personalities a bit...

2) How do you choose your character names? Do you just go with the first name that pops into your head? Do you name them after someone? Do you do a name and meaning search on the net and find one that best suits your character?
I like choosing names that have a meaning, either something to do with their personality, or what kind of role they play. Sometimes I play around with sounds until I get something that sounds nice. And sometimes the character just comes with a name.

Lilliash · 12-18-2005, 01:12 PM

I've never written a character outline in my entire life and I never plan to. My characters aren't something I usually have to think about they just...exist. I have an I dea for a book and suddenly the story will often flash through my mind while I'm thinking about it. A charcater has a sort of "feeling" and that feeling defines who he or she is. As I write, I start to figure out more about the character and why the characer is the way he or she is. As I figure it out, so does the reader and after a hundred pages. I'm not very clean when it comes to writting. I usually figure out what happens as I go along. My favorite characters are always very complex. Character developement is always my favorite part of a story. I enjoy it so much that tons of characters pop out of nowhere. As for charater names, they usually name themselves. I'll be writting about them and the name will just come. I have a few characters I can't stand, because I still haven't found a name that feels perfectly right, but that's cool. I believe that if you outline characters too much, it becomes a subject rather than a person. The character is a person, and if you feel the character right, it will write itself.

Stewart · 12-19-2005, 05:49 AM

I've never written a character outline. I just write and whoever appears is the character. By writing the first draft I know exactly who they are and use further drafts to chisel them to the best I can.
I tend to look for meaning in my characters' names although I wouldn't just settle on a name that hints at a character's nature but have to consider the setting also; if a character is particularly radiant, Phaedra may be an interesting name but certainly not in a contemporary city so I'd look to find something more appropriate.

Phantom Rose · 12-19-2005, 11:33 PM

Personally, I make rather detailed character profiles... I've (more than once) stopped writing in the middle of a story, and then I go back to it months later, so it's helpful for remembering.

Naming, for me, is very different depending on the genre. If it's realistic and modern, I don't want names too out of the ordinary, so I just pick one. Sometimes I'll look for a name that means something, but not usually... And for fantasy, I usually want something unique, so I just sort of... Mix letters and sounds together until it "feels right" or whatnot.

ZappaBark · 12-21-2005, 09:42 AM

I tend to work with my characters in combination with plot. Let me explain. First, I create a very general (and short) outline, perhaps 1/2 page long per character. It's just the usual stuff: name, motivation, brief physical description, etc. Next, after I've worked with the plot a little , I write a (roughly) page synopsis of the story from each major character's point of view (even for major characters that are not "point of view" characters). I always include a character background in this synopsis to give the characters a "history" (i.e. what brought them to the moment they begin to participate in the story). I like doing this because I find it really helps me to develop a feel for what each character is experiencing, even if not every feeling they have makes it into the first draft. For me, this method has the added benefit of helping to solidify and tighten plot.

I've found that I haven't used most of any of the detailed character outlines I've created in the past. I've even gone so far as to search for headshots that match my physical descriptions. In addition, I believe that most readers decide for themselves, for the most part, what characters look like and sound like despite description, unless, of course, a certain physical attribute is integral to the story, such as a handicap or deformity.

As for names... Because I come from a computer background, I created a computer program that uses US Census data to create a selectable number of random names of varying rarity. I typically create a list of about 200 names to choose from for each work.

Anyway, just my $0.02 and probably worth as much

-ZB

Kira the wanderer · 12-21-2005, 07:54 PM

Well I create characters before story lines... its a bit odd but I make the basic outline of their world and go from their. I know it'll be a good story if the character has a good name that I like. A strong name makes a good character. SOmetimes I can not find that name and other times it just comes to me.

For characterization I let them write themselves. I make mental note on what points they will have sertain changes and know their personalities very well. Whether or not their developement goes to plane is up to how they act, sometimes they write themselves in ways I wouldn't imagine. It depends on both you and that character.

radronOmega · 12-22-2005, 02:07 AM

1) When writing your story, how do you go about character development? Do you create outlines? Or just let the characters write themselves?

-well when I write ficticious stories I usually have an idea about the main characters, and as I write i create new sub-characters to fill in as a supporting staff. (many of my stories involve having several ongoing storylines such as the book "left behind" and the movie "love actually" with several main characters that intertwine, so I have to create characters as i go in order to mold the storylines together at the end)

2) How do you choose your character names? Do you just go with the first name that pops into your head? Do you name them after someone? Do you do a name and meaning search on the net and find one that best suits your character?

-first i find the setting. From there i google names that are from that region. I then use my creativity and mix them up or use a name that not many people know about. Creativity is always fun hahaahha.

JustinMullins · 12-22-2005, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vianne Lee

I've a few questions.

1) When writing your story, how do you go about character development? Do you create outlines? Or just let the characters write themselves?

2) How do you choose your character names? Do you just go with the first name that pops into your head? Do you name them after someone? Do you do a name and meaning search on the net and find one that best suits your character?

1) What I do is before I even begin writing the story, I think about each character and try to decide on how I want their personality to be. Then when I get enough of a good idea on them, I'll start writing. Sometimes I'll just write short scenes using some of my characters and have them react in a certain way to see if I like it or not. (Like how they react in a given situation or whatever)

2) As far as how I name my characters, I always name at least one of my characters after someone I know in real life. Otherwise, I usually just pick names that sound good together or that I like. But, sometimes I try naming my characters with names with special meanings instead of just randomly putting a first and last name together.