The way I usually build characters is by thinking up a story plot for example: A girl in France finds her mother after 12 years. I'd think, French name... Madeleine Then I would think she's finding her mother; lets make her similar, Brown Hair Brown Eyes? Anyway, if people are finding it difficult too makes characters then I suggest that they get Sims 2, because you build characters and you are in complete control of them.
Hehe, first time I've ever heard a recommendation to acquire Sims. My sister used to play it when she was like 12 and it was really bad as it took so long to load. You click a button, go off to bake a cake, come back click something else, go for a little walk around the town... But if it works for you, just ignore me. But in my opinion Sims' character creation is very limited compared to imagination or real life.
All though limited in creation it still helps. Cause its fun to make some super hype neat freak. Hey PinkWode, I do that sometimes make characters then fit stories around them
Sims hehe, thats only really giving you a visual basis surely, why not just take someone you know and just exagerate on some of their more interesting personality traits
Sims is depressing. Every time I play it my character(s) spend all day, eating, cleaning, going to work, and (occaisionally) sleeping. Maybe I just have poor time management. God, I hope real life never turns out like that. As for literary characters, they just happen. Usually it starts with a single trait or a scene I imagined in my head and grows from there. The MC usually comes before the story, then the story overshadows him/her, sometimes to the point that I don't even incude that character in the final product, or s/he is reduced to a minor role. Other characters begin to pop up as the story develops. If I can't fit them in, I set them aside to use in a different sory. They're like seeds; I plant them in a setting and a plot grows. As for names, I come up with them last. For me, it's the hardest part and the only part that involves conscious effort.
I don't set out to build characters. If I need one, they'll come to me, and develop over time. If I just try creating one for the heck of it, they'll never fit in anywhere. I know if I tried the Sims thing I'd just end up with a bunch of cardboard cutouts that don't fit any of my stories. For me, character creation is a lot more organic. It grows on its own in the back of my mind; I can't artificially fabricate a character. That's just me though. If the OP's process works for someone else, that's good too.
yeah, because do you really plan a story scene by scene and know the character entirely (excluding commissioned work)? Because I once tried it when I was writing and even though your audience doesn't know about your character, I feel that it really limits what you can/should make the character do...and I also forgot to tell the readers what my characters were like as I knew already.
Well, maybe not Sims, but some of the RPG stuff my kids play certainly gets them into inventing or developing the characters. They draw them, too (my eldest is 18). In fact, they develop whole worlds around them. A bit nerdy, I guess?
Nerdy is Good ;-) Sims characters may be two-dimensional, but players tend to read complex motivations and stories into them. The character development takes place in the player's head.
First you need a plot, then create the characters to fulfill it. Most authors create characters from real people they've met. If you haven't personally met anyone to fulfill your storyline, look to characters in other stories; whether books, TV, or current events.
Yeah, me too, I want some inspiration and watch a great movie but all I can think of are plots so similar a five year old would realise...really irritating seeing as they're such good ideas...meh
Yeah, I think I'm too narrow minded when it comes to ideas...I need to live life but I can't due to civilization...as in school, law and whatnot.
I'm fine with creating characters and story and everything, but I'm horrible at writing actual stories (that are not short stories.) i just try to write the beginning and it comes out all wrong; wording and mood is completely off. So it doesn't work well when i try to develop characters before I start writing the actual action. i think you should read Mercy's thread about developing characters, though.
I'm not, as I know roughly what I'm going to do for the whole story and characters but every time I write it just doesn't satisfy me as the film I'd been mentally creating is so much more awesome than what I've written...meh
Yeah, I used to do that, but I'm always doing really well, then can't think of the right word when I know in the back of my mind that there is a perfect one...It knocks me out of my role... -_-'
