How to make an OC!

Personality

Note: This is probably the most difficult part of creating a character and creating realistic characters is a huge part of writing and if you can do it well then... well done!

Simple profile.

Name, Age, Gender, and Occupation. All of these categories will affect your character's choices. Fill it out, starting with the protagonist of your story. As an example, we'll use: Luke White, 15, trouble maker, school rebel, popular, in a gang. Jack's age, gender, and occupation all affect his personality. Notice how you quickly assume that he's a troublemaker who drinks and deals drugs and such.

Name: Luke White

Nickname(S): Knives

Age: 15

Gender: Male

Occupation: Gang member

Choose a good name.

Names can affect a character's personality, and Luke will probably have a nickname. Let's try Knives. How do you think Knives the gang-member compares with Luke the gang-member? For example, a fantasy story will sometimes have characters with names from Greek mythology, 'Demetrius' for example. Sci-Fi stories will have characters with techno names, such as the world 'Techno' itself. However, be creative and don't merely mimic the custom for the genre in which you're writing.

Nickname: Knives

Reason for name: Much more comfortable with a blade then a fire arm. Playing with butterfly knives is a habit of his so he is skilled with a blade.

Create a longer profile.

Create a background for Luke, how long has he been in a gang? Why did he join the gang? What are his desires? What are his fears? What are his goals? Environment and events shape our personalities, using these tools will help shape a personality.

Gang status: Second in command

Gang time: Been in gang since its creation

Joined gang because: He likes living on the edge the gang commonly take part in illegal activities.

What are his desires: Making the gang become famous

What are his fears: Gang disbanding

What are his goals: Become a known and dangerous gang

How has his past affected him?

How has his background affected his personality? Has he lost a loved one, resulting in him joining the gang? Possibly he joined so that he could get tougher, and protect those he loves. Think up some major flaws that possibly came out because of his backstory. Use those flaws as you write. Memorable, unique, and relatable. Those are the key characteristics of a good character. This can be developed alongside the history/backstory.

Backstory: When Luke was young his Mother and Father died in a car accident. He and his older brother began to live with their aunt and uncle. When Luke started his new school he got bullied. He was bullied by people at school and his older brother, he began to grow depressed. When he entered secondary school his worries grew worse but he decided he would build himself a new persona as not many of the people in his primary school were going to the school he was going to. He began to become a rebel, a bad boy, he ignored teachers and was unruly, he became the most popular kid in school and was invited to join a group that a few other rebels had created. His brother continued to bully him and it got worse and worse by the day. Eventually Luke convinced his brother to go to the park with him, his brother agreed so he could just beat up his brother without their aunt and uncle seeing. Luke lead him to a forest area where he and his gang beat and stabbed him to death. Luke was proud of what he did and managed to convince everyone that a strange man killed his brother.

Add Knives into a plot.

Think of a beginning, and an end. Think of an antagonist to go with Knives, and make him as similar as possible, with key differences. They could even be so similar as to have been friends, were they in the same gang. Develop more characters as you go. Make them as human as possible. The name of the game here is relatability.

Other gang members:

"Scopes" - Specializes in fire arms - member

"Ripper" - Like Knives, uses customized blades made to rip skin - Member

"Punch" - Buff guy, can bring and take a punch - member

"Ace" - No specialization in weapons, he is pretty much great at everything - Leader

And don't forget; when you're writing your story your character won't stop developing. They should learn from their mistakes and if something happens... Stick with it! If they get a scar across their left cheek in a battle against a giant crab you could use that later.

"Woah! What happened to your cheek!"

"...Giant crabs..."

"I told you to stay away from those waters!"

Keep that in mind!