But I have a question about creating lead characters. Whenever I try to create the main character for a story, he or she always comes out as basically me in a different set of clothes. The character acts and reacts about the same as I would in that situation. For instance, it's hard for me to write about somebody who's really outgoing, because I'm rather shy, and I just don't know what it's like to be able to go up to a complete stranger, or even someone whom I know only slightly, and simply start a conversation. It's also hard for me to write about someone who doesn't share the same basic values that I do. Example: I don't drink alcohol, so none of my main characters drink it, either. I can write about secondary characters drinking it, but not from the POV of the main character.
Does anybody have any tips for 'jumping over your own shadow' and creating characters who are radically different from yourself? I'll gratefully read any advice you have to offer, and thanks in advance!
[This message has been edited by Jane Jinn (edited March 04, 2003).]
[This message has been edited by Sharp (edited March 04, 2003).]
Fortunately, I don't have to be accurate when I do this, since the character isn't really the person I know. (In fact, I always change their name and physical description. I wouldn't want the person to come to me later and say, "I wouldn't have stolen the Cursed Ruby, and you know it!") The character is my perception of the person. And as long as I'm true to my perception, the character should be fairly believable.
Ni!
As a test, I did several personality tests online (there's a thread about this somewhere, very interesting) as if I were my character. And I was very pleased to find out that the test recommended exactly the same career for this character as I had given him. I was amazed to find out, also, that he turned out to be very different personality-wise from my INFP. When you're finished writing about Mr. Character, I suggest you try something like this and see how you did. I think you might be pleasantly surprised.
One unique thing ... yes. That's a good start. I'll never read OSC's books the same way again -- I'll always be looking for that one unique thing about each character.
Brinestone, that's quite a challenge! Both thinking about alcohol and being outgoing ... now if I could just find a plot that goes with it, I'll be on my way.
Thank you, everybody, for the good advice.
Take a simple conflict or situation---it doesn’t have to be terribly original this is just a writing exercise---it can even be something that happened to you, write the story (like a page or two) the way that comes naturally, you as the main character and all. Then go back, now that you have the story written out, and make the character as much unlike you as you possibly can. When you do it again, with another story or character, forego the “character as you” first draft and just make them someone else. It can even be the same character from the last one—just with a different situation.
Did that make sense???
Not to bust your balls, but I think this problem could steam from the whole fan fiction thing, and writing pre-established characters. But it probably helped you beef up your plotting skills, so now you just have to put two and two together.
JOHN!
[This message has been edited by JOHN (edited March 04, 2003).]
Shawn
[This message has been edited by srhowen (edited March 04, 2003).]
Jane, if you are just writing with one character POV, then you should draw on yourself as much as possible to create the character's internal and unique reality.
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Whenever I try to create the main character for a story, he or she always comes out as basically me in a different set of clothes. The character acts and reacts about the same as I would in that situation.
The trick is (yes, there's a trick) finding the right costume to make yourself into the character. You don't drink? What would have had to be different in your past for you to have been a drinker? You're not outgoing? What kinds of experiences would have made you outgoing rather than shy?
Sometimes you just won't be able to get past certain ingrained character traits. You simply can't imagine what would cause you to...participate in human sacrifice (by the way, for the majority of Americans, this requires only imagining that a human fetus is actually human). If you can't imagine yourself doing or believing in something no matter what, then don't try to portray a POV character that does and believes those things. You'll just end up getting it wrong, and your audience will notice that you've produced a wooden, unrealistic caricature.
So go ahead and keep trying on those clothes.
I don't know if that's the reason, but that's where I first started noticing it, especially when I moved away from the pre-established characters and started trying to write original characters that fit into the fan fiction background. Looking back, I can see a lot of myself in the pre-established characters, too, though.
Survivor, you wrote: The trick is (yes, there's a trick) finding the right costume to make yourself into the character. You don't drink? What would have had to be different in your past for you to have been a drinker? You're not outgoing? What kinds of experiences would have made you outgoing rather than shy?
That's a good tip. I like that a lot! Thanks! :-)
And thanks everybody else, too. I've really been given a lot to think about and new things to try out.
I love comic books, and if I ever make a name for myself as a novelist don't think for a minute I won't use my stroke to get my hands on a few monthly titles.
It's like the cover band full of twenty somethings that sneak their own stuff in every once in a while, compared to the cover band of forty somethings who only plays other peoples' stuff and say over and over "We're gonna be huge one day, man." While they play the same dive bar every weekend.
JOHN!
quote:
If they just happen to act just like Captain Kirk, well, you know, these things happen.
They certainly do---they certainly do….
I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Then just build on that and make him or her your own.
Anyway, I'm trying out some of these suggestions already in my latest fanfic. (The plot idea that I came up with just happened to be in fan fiction -- maybe the step to original fiction is going to take longer than I hoped.) I'm having the main character think about alcohol, and it's not as hard as I thought. I couldn't fit in the part where he was really outgoing, but I decided that he liked a particular kind of alcohol the way that I like chocolate, and suddenly it wasn't such a big step anymore. I guess the main thing was to just get over myself, roll up my sleeves, and do it.
But thanks again, everybody!
[This message has been edited by Jane Jinn (edited March 08, 2003).]
I think another way to go with this problem is to try to expand the circle of people you really know -- from youself only to include others close ones. I often say to myself -- this character is like this friend, only not so..., but more... So, I ask myself, what would she/he be doing in this situation. Maybe I can recall a simiar situation and the behavior of this person in it, then do some modifications. Though Crad warns you that these people can recognize themselves in your writing, but maybe you just try to change them drastically. Anyway, there's a whole sectionj in CHACACTERS AND VIEWPOINT on exactly this topic.
One way to wean yourself off of the fan fiction characters might be to read some good old fashioned mythology (Greek, Roman, Norse, etc.) They typically have partially developed characters that you can use for your own purposes and flesh them out more. Also, this would put you back into "mainstream" fiction because mythology based fiction is generally considered superior to fan fiction even though it shares many aspects.
An interesting tatic is if your character is boring throw him a problem. The problem can be anything from zoophobia to transexualism -but it should reveal the character. [in retrospect, I didn't express myself clearly. What I meant, was if your character is boring give him a fault/challenge/gift. Generally giving him a gift leads to a challenge.]
[This message has been edited by Phanto (edited April 10, 2003).]