My character building process is what I like to consider unique. My process has developed since I have first started writing, but this is where I am now. ![]() All writers know that to have a good story you need to have a well built character with a background, a name, a personality, a quirk, and, of course, a flaw. But here’s the thing, it’s not that easy. In fact, it takes excruciatingly long periods of time. For me, it takes about a good 5-6 days just to get a main idea down for a singular specific character, even then, I am still adding more to them. However, I don’t find it all that bad because you can continue to work and paint your character which ever way you want. So, I want to share my character building process with all of you, but beware, this may take a while. ![]() ONE- The first thing I do is picture the character in my mind. This usually happens out of the blue or when I am in the stages of falling asleep or thinking about a story that I plan to write or already have rough drafts for. When I picture my character, I look for everything: His/her skin, hair, eyes, age, height, clothing, etc. What do they look like? How would I explain them to other people? What do they hate about themselves? Do they have any special features (ex. Wings, horns, slitted eyes)? You can never be to sure how you want them to look as they are constantly changing in your mind. TWO- The next thing I do is figure out how they react to certain things or how they act in general. It is imperative that you know your character. Do they jump or scream when frightened? When they become angry does their face grow red? When they smile, do they glow? Are they mean, kind, depressed, carefree, egotistic, funny, mischievous, respectful? How do they act when someone makes fun or calls them a name? THREE- After those are done, I plan out names and nicknames for them. When doing this, I like to research for their name. For me, this step can last 2-3 hours or 2-3 days. I want their name to represent who they are or how they react or when and where they were born such as this name: Evelyn Nicole Carey Her name means “wished for child”, “victory of the people”, and “dark” or “black”. I named her this because she is an only child living with her mother, one of the female leads that saves the universe, and has dark hair. FOUR- After I build the basics of my character, I plan other characters that will be significant or important to my character, like family, enemies, friends, or romantic interests. Most of the time, I end up building the character’s friends and enemies first before building their family. This helps me find out more about my character when they are around others, because, let’s face it, no one acts all sweet and innocent around their friends like they do with their parents. FIVE- For the last step, I arrange my characters history/background. You'll want to know where they came from, what their goal is, why they want to complete this goal, how they made their friends/enemies, and their family history. What did they experience growing up? Did they lose a parent? If so, how? How many siblings do they have? What makes them act the way they do? Did they ever do (___)? And that is my character building process. So I’ll leave you with more questions to help you build your character.
Why do they keep secrets? Who or what makes them happy? What do they love/hate the most? What is their most beloved treasure? What is their most/least favorite food/drink/hobby? What do others see in them first? What do they like most about themselves? Who is their best friend and why? What do they like to do in their free time? Do they relate to someone you know? Express yourself, Ashlyn Nicole
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About The AuthorsAshlyn and Alexa are two aspiring authors and artists who decided to band together and create something to share with the world.
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April 2018
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