I list down five different fictional characters I love, then write down five or six of their most prominent personality traits, flaws, and quirks. The point is to take the things you love about your favorite characters and the things you hate to put into crafting your own character. Since it is different fictional characters and not five from the same show or novel, it makes things much better, because there is more variety.
I select and choose the amount from the list (how many I desire) to build my own characters from there. I take a few from each of the five characters that seem interesting enough for my own characters. I can use the list for other characters too, besides my MC. I can add five more characters to repeat the process again.
I go from there with the character I am trying to build based on that list. It can work for main characters, supporting characters, and minor characters.
When I figure out my characters, which is nothing at all, I just go with the flow of the story. It’s off-putting because even if it is the first draft or even second draft, the characters are so poorly written. I grasp that I am not a planner/planster, just a strict discovery writer/panster, yet I still want to understand who my characters are based on their personalities, weaknesses, strengths, quirks, what bothers them, and what makes them smile.
I am fine knowing that, first then the plot and everything else later.
Sometimes I just outright steal a character from some show, comic, movie or book and give him a totally new appearance and name. Then I make a list of things like:
• what’s his goal in my universe?
• what’s stopping him from achieving his goal?
• what happens if he fails to achieve it?
• what’s his motivation for that goal?
• what does he want vs. what does he actually need?
• what’s his darkest secret?
• what’s he afraid of most?
• what’s his greatest desire?
Another thing is selecting five or ten characters is too much. I think choosing one or two characters meshing them together then putting them in my stories is better.
Since I’m a pantser through and through, I just…start
Sometimes, and this is very rare, a character comes to me already with a solid personality and with solid traits which are all mostly positive stuff. I then have to figure out their insecurities and flaws. So, when I’m writing the story, I put them in situations that are bad for them to see how they would react.
Yeah, yeah, I’m the writer and the character is not real, but I think their natural response comes out as I’m writing.
A very forgiving person might come to their limits and break when they are taken advantage of in a really bad way. A person who jokes a lot might crumble when the joking doesn’t bring smiles. A person who thinks they are tough, when faced with a situation that pokes at their vulnerable side, might try to run from that situation.
That’s kinda what I’ve been doing. The reason I made this thread was because I was worried that I would struggle to build a decent to excellent character, from start to finish.
