What types of characters do you find fun to write?

[Naruzeldamaster]

When I make characters I tend to like taking fragments of my personality (or fragments of personality from people I know/have met) and like, anime-ify them. I'm not sure how to put that into words for the non anime watching crowd here, but essentially I like taking a defining trait, or a small/unnoticed trait, and turning it up to eleven. Then I combine it with a few tropes that fit that character's role in the story.

As for the exact type of character I like writing, I like writing energetic characters. Which I find somewhat odd because in real life I'm horrid at dealing with high energy people. (not in a bad way but it zaps my social energy real quickly) I find it engaging and fun to experiment manifesting that 'energy' part of their personality in different ways, and it gives me loads of options for a classic straight man/wise guy act. Maybe I like writing high energy characters because it gives me a way to engage with those personality types without mentally draining myself.

 

[pmmg]

Well...those that have a comedic element to them are probably the most fun.

But...I dont often write comedy. I would change fun to a different word, which for me, would be meaningful. I like writing the scenes where the characters or growing in their relationships. Changing in small ways, and cementing their attachments to each other. This usually happens in the non-action scenes of the story, when things have slowed down, and its time to reflect.

I get the most enjoyment out of the whole of the work though, and not just individual characters.

 

[osimur_wil]

Roguish types, those with rough edges and devil-may-care attitudes hiding a tragic figure underneath. It's a good mix of a charming personality and pathos, I think. Makes for good inter-character banter.

 

[dollyt8]

Roguish types, those with rough edges and devil-may-care attitudes hiding a tragic figure underneath. It's a good mix of a charming personality and pathos, I think. Makes for good inter-character banter.

This is definitely my favorite as well! I have a side character in one of my books who is just like this, and I was originally planning to kill him off, and I basically couldn't manage it because I liked him too much and he was too great for bouncing off the other characters (also because the gal who is alpha reading it for me informed me she wouldn't finish it if he was going to die).

 

[Daan Doornbos]

As for the exact type of character I like writing, I like writing energetic characters. Which I find somewhat odd because in real life I'm horrid at dealing with high energy people. (not in a bad way but it zaps my social energy real quickly) I find it engaging and fun to experiment manifesting that 'energy' part of their personality in different ways, and it gives me loads of options for a classic straight man/wise guy act. Maybe I like writing high energy characters because it gives me a way to engage with those personality types without mentally draining myself.

I enjoy writing 'flawed characters' and villains most. Probably because they make me feel different things, if that makes sense. The scenes where characters grow are indeed also very rewarding.

Rogues would probably fit the 'villain' type

 

[Mindfire]

My favorite characters are usually also my protagonists. And they're a fairly diverse bunch, but the one thing they have in common is that they all have "shonen" energy. It's a difficult thing to define, but you know it when you see it. And I love writing it.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Unreliable narrators. Perspective is everything, and the whole world can change when seen from another side.

 

[MudDobber]

I really enjoy writing about characters who are hiding something as well as characters who are dangerous. This is not because I am a deviant, it's just that since I was a kid in movies and stories these were always the most fascinating and interesting characters who had a multitude of skills and put themselves in the most precarious situations. I also like to write about mysterious events like the use of alchemy, magic, and clandestine activity. And insofar as writing about elements of one's own character I do that as well, but from a neutral point of view. I won't infuse my thought and personality into a story, but I may analyze those elements are offer them up in a different way in the scenes and stories I write.

 

[Gurkhal]

I like to write calm and reflective characters

 

[writeshiek33]

When I make characters I tend to like taking fragments of my personality (or fragments of personality from people I know/have met) and like, anime-ify them. I'm not sure how to put that into words for the non anime watching crowd here, but essentially I like taking a defining trait, or a small/unnoticed trait, and turning it up to eleven. Then I combine it with a few tropes that fit that character's role in the story.

As for the exact type of character I like writing, I like writing energetic characters. Which I find somewhat odd because in real life I'm horrid at dealing with high energy people. (not in a bad way but it zaps my social energy real quickly) I find it engaging and fun to experiment manifesting that 'energy' part of their personality in different ways, and it gives me loads of options for a classic straight man/wise guy act. Maybe I like writing high energy characters because it gives me a way to engage with those personality types without mentally draining myself.

i tend to write kids for some reason because I like psychology of putting them in different situations and not typical character traits

 

[Super Fantasy]

Characters that resonate with their environment.
Perhaps two characters are very different, although they have only a few common traits, this might make the traits they do share seem more vivid when elaborating on said traits.

 

[Mad Swede]

I like writing all my characters. It's making them all individuals with their own personalities, backgrounds and aims in life which is so much fun.

 

[Filifjonken]

Ones that are odd to others but not themselves, who are unconventional in the way they talk, act and the decisions they make.

 

[CupofJoe]

I like to write "the strong silent type" but it has been remarked more than once that my characters come across as sociopathic rather than stoic and taciturn.
I do find it is fun to write characters that don't say very much.

 

[Orc Knight]

Given I grew up much on Power Rangers, Xena and Buffy among others, badass women is always fun for me to write. And well, the monsters too.

 

[Berenike]

Unreliable narrators. Perspective is everything, and the whole world can change when seen from another side.

Love unreliable narrators. A Scanner Darkly is probably my favorite example.

 

[Berenike]

A couple of others have already mentioned it, but flawed characters or characters who have failed at many things. I find that the most interesting to read characters are those that are realistically flawed, and they are fun to write because it gives you more defined parameters. There are so many good examples in fantasy, but my favorite has to be Jaime Lannsiter in A Song of Ice and Fire. His character was interesting before he got his own POV chapters, but they added so much depth to him. Game of Thrones didn't do him justice in the end.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Unreliable narrators. Perspective is everything, and the whole world can change when seen from another side.

I haven't quite figured out how to write those yet, they're fun to read but I'm bad at writing them.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I haven't quite figured out how to write those yet, they're fun to read but I'm bad at writing them.

It's a matter of getting deep into your character's head and letting them tell the story. 3rd Person Limited, Past Tense. What is their voice instead of yours? What are their truths, not yours? Where does their pain live? Who do they hurt? People do not believe what they see. They see what they believe. What does your character see? What does the character beside them see?

I like to call it 'method writing,' because it's basically method acting only the audience is different.

Keep in mind that you're letting your character take the lead and letting them shape the narrative. They'll tell you where they come from and where they are and where they're going.

Eventually.

 

[Super Fantasy]

Characters that stand out from the crowd.