I made my own Ship Meme! (It's not very unique, I just wanted to draw the little character level things)
There are many things that I could stand to improve in as a writer‒say, everything‒but I have been told that one of the things that I have halfway down is creating characters. Since I started sharing my writing a year or two ago, I have heard time and time again that my characters are alive, so I sat down today, thought about my character process, and put together my strategy. Getting to know your characters is a lot like getting to know real people. You must spend time with them‒or in the case of characters, think on them. You must consider how all of their traits feed into other ones, and how they affect them. It’s easier said than done, but I do believe that with some practice, it can be as natural as getting ideas, and far simpler than English grammar. So here is the list that I compiled of things to consider‒in order of what I believe to be more important to less important. Flaws Quirks Interests Preferences Kind of vague, isn’t it? Here’s the more in-depth version with one of my characters being used as an example. Flaws‒Aaand this is the one that makes people people. It’s also the one that writers seem to enjoy to leave out, and I think I know why. This is why: Flaws make people less-desirable, (while some won’t admit that they think that, it’s the underlying reason for all of the picture-perfect characters in books), and people are afraid of people not liking their characters. But with that said, people are not interesting without flaws. Character‒These are the more plot-affecting flaws, usually. They’re the problems such as “not knowing when to shut up”, “finding other’s misfortunes hilarious”, or even “a tendency to lie about everything”. The latter is one of the character flaws of my character, Riley. Psychological‒These are the flaws that give the characters more depth of mind, in my opinion. Personality disorders and disabilities are good additions to any character, even though they in themselves are not good things. For example, Riley is a borderline sociopath. That makes her very complex, as well as creating a great deal of tension between her and the other characters, Physical‒I don’t find this one to be the most important, but it adds some depth as well. Imperfect people are much easier to sympathize with than the golden people we read about who have perfectly symmetrical faces and flawless physique. I don’t really enjoy reading about those people, unless there is a good reason for it. (i.e., the character is a model or the result of a genetic experiment. In which case, perfection is almost acceptable. ;) ) Riley is short‒not quite 5 feet tall‒and weighs more than would be acceptable according to most modeling agencies guidelines. Which doesn’t quite fit the cookie-cutter character list, if ya get me. Quirks‒My personal favorite. As a person who is quite quirky, as well as loving adversity, this has always been the category that I don’t run out of ideas for. So now are your characters not only imperfect, they are also unusual. It’s starting to sound like a nightmare for every Mary-Jane in the world! (It’s starting to sound real. *gasp*) Speech‒I personally love different voices. Accents, improper uses of long words, improper grammar‒they make speech a fun thing to listen to. Not lawful, (grammarly speaking,) but fun. (What fun is obeying every rule? Not much.) Riley’s manner of speech and her isms are subtle, but “there” enough that she doesn’t sound like the others. For example, when someone asks her a question, the order in which she replies is unusual. Like this: “Are you okay?” “I’m okay, yeah. It’s been a weird week, but I’m okay. Man, I’d like a break.” And that’s the way she talks. She never says yes, just “yeah”, and she directly refers to people as “man”, even if they’re not. Mannerisms‒These are not my strong suit, but I know that they’re important. Things like wringing your hands when you’re nervous, clearing your throat when you have nothing to say, and pursing your lips are all different mannerisms‒and all people have them. That should make it obvious that all characters should have them, too. Riley smirks a lot‒very generic, I know. Don’t judge my lack of creativity, hehe‒and when she cries she does so without making any noise. (I really need to work on giving my characters mannerisms.) Fears‒(This one probably could have been placed with the “Flaws”, but I thought it more of a quirk, since it isn’t exactly something that is wrong with people.) Fears are the darkest parts of people’s subconscious. They influence the character’s behavior, the other characters’ behavior, and the plot of the story. They’re very important, in other words. In my recently finished manuscript, Riley has a horrible fear of water, caused by an accident in her teenage years, which entangles itself throughout the entire story and gives her character some flavor. (She seems completely collected and arrogant, but water turns her into a frightened child.) Interests‒These are fun, but a bit harder to think of. I mean, it’s pretty simple to give non-cliché interests to characters. But at the same time, it’s a lot of fun to give them things to do aside from carrying the plot on their shoulders‒and it’s even more fun to think about. (I daydream a lot.) Hobbies‒Ah, yes. The silver lining of the cloud of the subject. Give them a love of art, of sports, of literature‒is there anything more fun than designing lives? My only advice: to go crazy. Don’t rationalize the hobby thing. That’s the fun of it. (Riley loves to prank people, play video games, and be dramatic. She would have more hobbies, but her life hasn’t been very supportive of normal pastimes.) Dreams‒Some characters have more dreams than others. Not all characters have to have many dreams. After all, not all people dream about a better future, learning how to fly an airplane, or solving world hunger. Some people are just more grounded in the present, are more rational, and for that reason don’t dream. But for your more fanciful characters, dreams are the icing on the cake. The hopes, dreams, desires, and etc. are the things that drive the plot forward. Riley, however, unlike her fellow characters, doesn’t really dream at all. She knows what’s up and doesn’t really think about the future. (It’s a dangerous habit to get into. Just ask her.) Preferences‒The less important category of individual qualities, preferences are the finishing details of the character. But details are fun. Don’t let their lesser importance stop you from making them unique. =) Style‒This encompasses two different things‒clothes and other appearance factors. What is your character’s style like? How do they wear their hair? If relevant, do they wear makeup? What kind of clothes do they wear? Do they dress eccentrically? These are all fun things to consider. Riley doesn’t wear makeup or do her hair, and she dresses very casually. These things make her much more real, personality-wise. Her personality and her style match perfectly, which is the way it’s supposed to be. Dislikes‒Haha… how fun. Give them something to hate. Find a food, an animal, or basically anything that they can’t stand, and let them do the rest. Whining makes it authentic, if the character is prone to that sort of shenanigans. Riley doesn’t like nosy people or following rules. Does that help you? I hope so‒that was my intention with sharing the list, anyway. Tell me what you think! And I’ll see you all again next week, with another post. (Don’t know what about yet, though.) ~Alyssa
TweetPin2EmailShare When it comes to writing a story, there’s no denying that the characters play a large part in the process. The plot is the story, but without good characters,... Read more »
Character Archetypes: The Ego Types. Character development. Understand different character types & their unique traits to build characters and conflict.
sim dump by rhdweauni0
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
TweetPin2EmailShare When you’ve put a lot of time and care into crafting the perfect character for your story, it can be difficult to give them any trait that could be... Read more »
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
Unleash the power of your anti-hero! Explore our top 5 tips for creating a character that's flawlessly flawed and irresistibly complex. Perfect for writers looking to add depth to their storytelling.
Another hard thing to come up with for your characters are jobs. The written world is full of doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Janitors, plumbers, and builders are always the one to offer words of wisdom. Authors tend to enjoy writing about authors. And don't even mention retail work or food service. It's all been seen and done a million times, but there've got to be more options. Problem is, it's hard to find them. But don't worry, I've gone ahead and done that for you. Below are 45 jobs you might not think of or may have never heard of, but I assure you, they're real. Whether they pay well or not, well, that's a question for another day. Do you know of a weird, unusual, or wacky job? Leave it in the comments! Job Job Description Acupuncturist Inserts needles into everything but veins Airline Gate Agent Last call for boarding [your flight and you're halfway across the airport sucks to be you, pal] Arcade Machine Repair Plus side, you get to play it when you're done fixing it. To "Test it." Art Selector Picks out art for walls at places like hospitals. Auction Buyer Goes to auctions in the name of big-name buyers so others won't be tipped off to items of value Backstage Support Helps stage actors with quick costume changes, prepares props, etc Bailiff All rise Bird of Prey Trainer Falcons, owls, hawks, eagles: these are your coworkers City Councilman Like a congressman, but at city level Clinical Research Coordinator Coordinates, organizes for, and recruits for medical research Coffin Handle Installer There's a job just for installing coffin handles. Who knew? Convention/Concert Organizer Someone has to arrange the shows, schedules, panels, etc. This is them. Court Reporter Records all statements during court Cover Artist Designs book covers Docent Guides at museums, zoos, etc Dog Food Taster Yes, this is a job for humans. Ethical Hacker Try to hack into systems that shouldn't be hacked or broken Fortune Cookie Writer You will be paid to write one-sentence blurbs. Golf Ball Diver Someone has to go into the water traps. Those balls cost money. Google Streetview Driver We see 'em rollin', we hatin' try to do something stupid to immortalize ourselves Herbalist Why use Advil when you could have St John's Wart? Hospice Caregiver Whether at thier home or a facility, these people make their patients' last days comfortable. Jelly Bean Flavor Maker Someone had to figure out how to make those grass jellybeans taste that way. Jingle Writer That song during that commercial you hate? Someone wrote that. Karaoke Cab Driver It's a cab, with karaoke, and you're behind the wheel. Landscape Architect Makes your yard worthy of a magazine, if you can afford it. Museum Curator Manages and oversees the collections of a museum Mystery Shopper Determine how well a business's employees are performing, secretly. Celebrity Obituary Writer Newspapers have obituaries ready for more people than you'd suspect. Orthoepist Studies the correct pronunciation of words Party Costumer Dresses up like cartoon characters or movie characters for children's birthdays Patent Lawyer Determines legality of patents Pet Psychologist What's eating Fluffy? Phlebotomist Inserts needles into what the Acupuncturist doesn't Physical Penetration Tester Try to steal things from places that shouldn't have things stolen from (hospitals, labs, etc) Political Cartoonist Making fun of the news, one politician at a time. Professional [Thing] Tester Think of an object. There's someone to test it. Mattresses, toys, water slides, anything. Professional Cosplayer / Booth Babe Cosplays for a living, either personally or for a specific company Professional Queuer Don't want to wait in line for the new big thing? Pay someone else to do it. Prop Purchaser/Builder Buys/Builds props for TV shows & movies Radio Phone Operator "101.5 ROCK. You're caller 7. Try again." (also handles guest callers during downtime) Search Engine Optimizer Determines how accurate search engine results are Snake Milker Collect venom for the creation of antivenom Social Media Manager Handles famous person's social media accounts or presense Stunt Actor Taking the hits so the pretty faces don't have to.
Discover 20 unique sun-inspired names for your characters, each with its own cultural background and story. From ancient mythology to modern interpretations, find the perfect name that embodies strength, radiance, and the power of the sun.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
"Discover powerful fire-inspired character names . Uncover the meanings and symbolism behind each name, perfect for crafting fiery and unforgettable characters in your stories."
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
Character Archetypes: The Soul Types. Character development. Understand different character types & their unique traits to build characters and conflict.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
At the heart of every good story is conflict. In plot-driven stories, this conflict is primarily external in nature . The protagonist fights to overcome a series of obstacles and/or defeat an antagonist in their quest to achieve a particular goal. For example, in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Game
シンデレラ役はあたしのもの。
Dive into 20 unique and creative water-inspired character names. Perfect for writers, gamers, and enthusiasts seeking originality. Ideal for character development or naming projects. Get inspired by the depths of the sea and the tranquility of rivers. Visit now for a splash of creativity
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
To create characters as real as the people around us, we must remember to forge for them their own unique voices. With individual personalities, cultural influences, experiences, and world views, its no wonder people verbally interact with the world in different ways, and so our characters should
Beautiful 'Lift' Poster Print by Zulfikri Mokoagow ✓ Printed on Metal ✓ Easy Magnet Mounting ✓ Worldwide Shipping. Buy online at DISPLATE.
18-year-old Harry Hambley is the artist behind Ketnipz comics. The UK-based artist chose a simple fun style to present his ideas. The main character of his webcomics is a unique but still relatable pink bean-shaped persona.
Reading books about other people with dyslexia helps kids feel less alone.
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Creating monthly collections of reference sheets since 2014!
