A Ranter's Advice on Writing a Story

HOW TO: Characters

Alright, now that we've been over a not-so-brief introduction on characters.  Lets learn to make them!

It may happen, but of course it's not very common that a character just pops into your head.  Therefore, me saying "you must actually sit down and think them through or even write it down" is by no means any over-reaction.

Before you start, think about whether you'd like to write from a male or female perspective.  How might this person or being look?  What attributes is this being good at and what are its flaws?  Try thinking of how this character acts and reacts to simple situations. 

If you are completely stuck, don't be afraid to take inspirations-not copies-of people in real life.  For example, maybe you're impressed by the way your aunt responds to her children or maybe you're disgusted.  Inspirations don't always have to be good things.

Here is a broad "skeleton" of a character in thought:

Gender:

Species:

Time/Era they Exist:

Where they live:

How they look:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Purpose in Story:

Attitude:

Description:

Name:

To practise writing in your character's tone; come up with a situation and act how they would.  It may not always be the best way to act, but it would be in your character's tone.

Let's make a character together, using the "character skeleton" above.

Gender: Female

Species: Human

Time: Late 1500s   This affects how a character behaves, or beleives.

Lives:  London        ***This will impact your characters language, attitude, religion and may also impact his/her looks, likes and dislikes.

Looks:  Has straw-coloured hair under her bonnet, blue-ish green eyes, a dimple on her left side and  slightly crooked nose.  She wears a light blue dress, bonnet, and 1500 London attire.     *Consider when and where your character is from

Likes:  Tea with her neighbour and friend, sewing her intials, her mother's clothes and mother's memories (including a silver candelabra which shall be significant in a scene.)

Dislikes:  Lord Samuel and his son Jeffrey who she is to marry, anything that makes her be more of a woman than a girl.

Purpose in Story:  She s the main character; tries to get out of an arranged marriage her father set up.

Attitude:  She is still sensitive about her late mother, and rude towards all the men her father brings as a potential husband.  Is down-to earth but stubborn.  She is a sinciere person, but not very open.

Description:  Not needed unless you have additional ideas that must be mentioned.

Name:  Elizabeth Darcy  *I put name last because it has to fit with when and where your character is from; and fit his/her personality.  This may change so don't fret.  Ps. Don't name someone from the 1500s Skylar Martin.