Its facinating that Most great characters with or without a backstory cannot be great without dimention. Backstory can really be anything. but I think it all demends on there choices in life. There desires. There reaction to the situation. Thats one thing that I think make characters at there best.
Characters like any other friend/person take time to get to know their author, their author gets to know them. They need to get to know each other.
Choices actually come from knowing the character. If a choice is out of character then it should not be used.
Im sorry. What I meant was the characters love and interests cause the choices he makes. When you get to know the characters then thats when you have to decide the choices they make. But you can give them a revolation which makes them make the right choice. Heres what I mean. Blake Harris Greatest achievement has to be anything but a Cybernoid. Everything else seems to have great value. My idea of great happyness has to be purity and going good things in life. Confident and proud is my state of mind. My favorite occupation has to be inventing. My most treasured possession has to be my inventions I really don’t consider falling in love with someone. My journey is to be pure. People accuse me of being prideful which I am not. Cybernoid’s are the one who are prideful. I am happy when People say great things about me. I hate being judged. My biggest fear is failure. I feel guilty when I judge someone. I know that is a pointless thought but It happens. I don’t necessarily despise Cybernoid’s, but I know they have no chance of coming back to human society. I regret I regret making Cybernoid’s. I’m fine where I am. I already have a talent. I would like to live here where I am now. I get depressed for those who are not pure. But I am willing to help them out. I love mans ability to improve reality. Nothing much. But me being fascinated with Cybernoid’s needs to go. I hate how people call me a hypocrite. I value friends who are there for me and not against me. My favorite character in fiction Is Bat-Man. I admire people in the community of robotics. The most overrated virtue is admitting people are not perfect. What a bunch of garbage. I don’t lie. I am proud. That was me. You hypocrite. You awesome man. That all I can say really. What to change about my self. I wish I hated cybernoids. My favorite names are Gus and Bob. I would love to die when My journey is completed. If I were to die and comeback, What reward is there. Forget it. My favorite motto is definitely, I knew you could do it. To be more specific this is an interview I made up. (Its not perfect yet. But this is just an example. And This man is not going to be like this forever.)
I did understand - I let my characters decide how they will make that decision - I never make a completely concious decision on their behalf (OK yes I made Socrates learn to sew). Generally if they don't want to do something it doesn't get written.
acrimen... no offense meant and i tell you this in the most caring/helpful spirit, but you badly need to do a spellcheck on your posts, if you want to be taken seriously as a writer... and if your queries and mss are this bad spelling-wise, they'll be tossed at first glance, by any agents/publishers you send them to... love and hugs, maia
As for Elgaisma. I think you have a point. If a character makes a decision it doesnt have to always be based on there character. I do think that an interview does help have people get to know the character. But the best ending for a story are (In my opinion) the ones who learn a valuable lesson in life and work on some things that made them flawed in the first place.
true but these decisions for me aren't ones I make consciously. My characters will flatly refuse to do things or will insist on doing something else. For example I keep trying to save one character's life however he is detemined to die on me.
I have four main novel stories at present and two more planned: 1. Rite of passage fantasy about a seventeen year old boy who goes from rebellious prince to king after his sister kills his father and his brother abdicates to live with his lover. 2. Same story told from the point of view of the said brother - they barely meet. His is about accepting he doesn't want to be king and that he wants a different life with his partner. 3. Is about the brother and his partner - brother finds out he is not the King's son. He is actually the son of the Lord of Evil - who isn't the Lord of Evil it is a case of mistaken identity the man is actually a vegatarian pacifist living the life of a monk. His sister invades his mind makes him do horrendous things then he rescued by his partner. His partner turns out to be the son of the Lord of Evil who has been living amongst them as a mentor to young people for several years. 4. Is about same character as 2&3 - his partner's not quite death causes schism in space and time - which splits twenty historical figures in two - he brings them up as children but their existence threatens the whole universe. 5. Merlin is dating Alice (inspiration for Lewis Carroll) - she has green hair and is a rebel whilst also being heir to the throne. She travels to Earth and celtic britain with him. Then he returns with her. 6. Totally unrelated - gay man and a woman their partners die in a car crash. Somehow end up going home from the hospital together and she gets pregnant.
Well, I have one were a robot species known as the cybernoid has been corrupted by a virus who keeps them as an army. While fighting against man, one robot runs away with guilt and comes to submit himself to human society. I also have man in my story being prideful like the other robots without knowing. They want to be different from cybernoids since they are human like. I want to make this into a book, but it has alot of work to do. Such as character development. And finding spots for other characters. I have to say, having one idea and you having many makes mine look like a long way to go. Great job.
Mine all came out of the first book - they involve as you work on yours they will change and grow. You will get other ideas. Somethings I do is talk to them. One keeps a blog, I keep scrapbooks given me ideas of what they look like and where they live. Word boxes where I place words they would use and I wouldn't. However nothing develops a character better than writing about them.
I was going to make it into a movie. But it would have been expensive and risky. But I thought of making it into a book and I decided to start there. Talking to them also give you a perspective to how they will behave. I talked to Blake Harris, Who is one of the main protaginists. I am not satisfied about how he acts. I might want to reboot him a bit.
I do not want to be an offencive guy. But I am getting a slight picture that you actually think your characters are real. If not, I must not be reading correctly. I am bad at forums anyway.
When I am looking after my kids no my characters are not real. When I am writing my book hell yeah they are real They have form, they have opinions etc They tell my stories for me. I know they are my creations, however when I am having moments of quiet I talk to them. They argue, let me know what they are upto etc. You want to give them depth you need to get to know them and you need to let them live a little.
Oh I see, an story guy named lee unkrich does the same process. I was typing to my character as if I was on I'm to check up on him. So I am basically doing something simular Anyway, good luck on your stories.
Ok, I haven't talked in a while. But I kind of need help. I have two visions of Blake Harris in my story. 1. A prideful man who is facinated with cybernoids yet keeps it in secret. 2. A man who disagrees with the prideful people yet does not make a stand. Loves cybernoids. I cannot decide what is the best fit. What do you think.
How about mixing it around a bit? He is prideful, but doesn't know, he hates others who he sees as prideful. He loves cybernoids but keeps it secret.
Sometimes. In a plot-driven story, sometimes the character is carried along, despite any decisions he or she makes. The more plot-driven (thus less character-driven), the less often a character decides the direction of the plot--he or she reacts. Also, not all characters develop or change or grow. Usually the protagonist and even some of the main supporting characters do, but in essence all are tools the author uses to tell the story. Each has a function or purpose. This article may make more clear as to my final point: Seven Common Character Types
