Burst
Scribe
Do you complete a profile for them before jumping into your story or do you create them as you write your story?
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Your characters
- Thread starter Burst
- Start date
Centerfield97
Troubadour
Personally I create them as I write my story. First I lay out generally who they are; perhaps they're a girl who lives on a farm, or a noble with a drug problem. Then I just start writing, and more importantly, rewriting. As I go I find my character grows organically, developing their thoughts, opinions, mannerisms, etc as the story progresses.
Some people prefer the character profile approach. I personally hate feeling restricted and avoid outlining any way I can, but this way works for a lot of people. I say try both and see which works for you.
Some people prefer the character profile approach. I personally hate feeling restricted and avoid outlining any way I can, but this way works for a lot of people. I say try both and see which works for you.
For POV characters, I have them pretty well fleshed out. As with any of my outlines though, nothing is set in stone & they're easy to change.
For secondary or tertiary characters, I develop them as the story progresses for the most part. I often realize I need an entirely new character for the scene I'm writing & I have to create that one on the spot.
With all characters (and setting) I spend a lot of time trying to make them "real" in second revision.
For secondary or tertiary characters, I develop them as the story progresses for the most part. I often realize I need an entirely new character for the scene I'm writing & I have to create that one on the spot.
With all characters (and setting) I spend a lot of time trying to make them "real" in second revision.
Vale
Scribe
I've approached this in two very different ways in the past.
In one of my shorts I knew various personality features of the character, a thief thrust into heroism, but didn't reveal a name or age. Instead the theme of an unknown hero in an unmarked grave drove it forward.
However with my current WIP I'm diving in completely, they have names now!
It all depends on the them you are working with.
In one of my shorts I knew various personality features of the character, a thief thrust into heroism, but didn't reveal a name or age. Instead the theme of an unknown hero in an unmarked grave drove it forward.
However with my current WIP I'm diving in completely, they have names now!
It all depends on the them you are working with.
writeshiek33
Sage
i have do it as i go otherwise i havev writers block
At the minimum I sketch out the basics first. All I need to know is the kind of character they are and the answer to this question, what do you want and why? After that, everything else just sprouts organically. Sometimes I fill in the blanks while I'm writing, other times when I'm away from the keyboard but just thinking about the story.
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I have a rough basic sketch as well. Then I let the characters grow from there as I am writing.
Androxine Vortex
Archmage
Same here. I have a character that I know is going to be X or Y and then build as I go.
J. S. Elliot
Inkling
Well, I alternate, admittedly. Sometimes I do behemoth profiles (my standing record is 12 pages for one character), while at others I jot down only the utmost important facts and let the rest come as I write. Mostly, it depends on my mood, but when I stumble across an important development, I can always open the smaller file and add onto it for future reference.
BWFoster78
Myth Weaver
I don't do much outlining, and I don't create character profiles. Instead, I think of a broad sketch of a character and put that character into a sticky situation. My story develops organically from there.
The positives to my approach:
You can jump right into writing. I find that wanting to find out what happens next is great motivation to keep writing.
Your don't have to stress about how to show character traits. Instead, you show how your character acts and that becomes the definition of your character.
The biggest negative to this procedure:
You don't truly learn your character until you've done a lot of writing. With my second draft nearly complete, I feel I'm still learning. This means a lot of revision.
The positives to my approach:
You can jump right into writing. I find that wanting to find out what happens next is great motivation to keep writing.
Your don't have to stress about how to show character traits. Instead, you show how your character acts and that becomes the definition of your character.
The biggest negative to this procedure:
You don't truly learn your character until you've done a lot of writing. With my second draft nearly complete, I feel I'm still learning. This means a lot of revision.
Helen
Inkling
I outline.
Figure out each one's arc from beginning to end.
"who they are" is only important in relation to how they'll change; their function in the story.
Bearman1
Scribe
I make a really brief profile for each of my characters, listing appearance and who/what they are. Then I like to add and add and add to their profiles as I write the story.
For instance I have a militia captain who has grown from a simple gruff man, to someone who has real commitment issues due to losing those close to him. That growth literally formed itself in my story. I had no idea it was a part of his character until his story unfolded.
For instance I have a militia captain who has grown from a simple gruff man, to someone who has real commitment issues due to losing those close to him. That growth literally formed itself in my story. I had no idea it was a part of his character until his story unfolded.
Addison
Auror
When I start writing my characters are at least paper cut out. I can see their arms, legs, if they're wearing a dress or pants. As I write they tell me more about themselves, giving themselves color, features etc. Rarely, like lightning striking my house, does a character present them-self entirely to me on day one.
Remember when writing a story you're not telling characters what's happening, they're telling you.
Remember when writing a story you're not telling characters what's happening, they're telling you.
I like to draw my characters then add personality. One fun thing I did a long time ago was draw characters, then based on their racial features, I looked up names—Celtic, German, Japanese, etc.
My current MC's name is Addison, which means "awesome." I try to have her live up to her name, so she's pretty extreme, though when I drew her she was kind of average in the physical sense. I love that about her because she's not break-through-walls awesome. She needs to improvise and use whatever weapons, tools, surroundings she can to meet challenges that my more physically powerful characters handle with brute force or skill.
My current MC's name is Addison, which means "awesome." I try to have her live up to her name, so she's pretty extreme, though when I drew her she was kind of average in the physical sense. I love that about her because she's not break-through-walls awesome. She needs to improvise and use whatever weapons, tools, surroundings she can to meet challenges that my more physically powerful characters handle with brute force or skill.
Guy
Inkling
I can only learn my characters as I write the story. Sometimes they end up being quite different from how I originally envisioned them.
When I started on my WIP I only had a pretty vague idea of who my main character was. As I wrote he evolved and changed and I got a much better feel for him.
When it became time to introduce the Other character into the story I didn't want the same thing to happen with her. What I did was I wrote a few short stories with her as the main character. The purpose of this wasn't to actually tell a story, but for me to get into the head of the character and get familiar with her. It forced me to think from her perspective and I got to know her a little better.
I believe that helped me make her a better, more well rounded, character right off the bat when I introduced her into the story.
When it became time to introduce the Other character into the story I didn't want the same thing to happen with her. What I did was I wrote a few short stories with her as the main character. The purpose of this wasn't to actually tell a story, but for me to get into the head of the character and get familiar with her. It forced me to think from her perspective and I got to know her a little better.
I believe that helped me make her a better, more well rounded, character right off the bat when I introduced her into the story.
SM-Dreamer
Troubadour
When I start a story, I have a concept idea of the main character. An impression, an image, either them doing something or feeling something. So when I write, I try hard to maintain that image, either working towards it, keeping it, or falling from it.
I do, after a bit of writing to shape up more of the story, start making sketchy character profiles. I'll add information as the story goes along. I always make sure that the concept is written down, so I can look back to it when I need to.
I do, after a bit of writing to shape up more of the story, start making sketchy character profiles. I'll add information as the story goes along. I always make sure that the concept is written down, so I can look back to it when I need to.
Bruce McKnight
Troubadour
I start with really generic characters, my idea of them is usually pretty shallow. Maybe one or two events shaped them, but mostly the characters start as cardboard plot devices. Towards the end of the first draft, their personalities start to emerge. I'll do character sketches after the first draft and my first revision is pretty much all about making changes based on the personalities of the characters.
