How to make a good OC

Part 5: Story

Now we are at the part where you create a story for your OC. Let's begin with what not to do (mixed with things to do)

• It's important not to make a total copy of a story by someone else. Coincidences happen, but if it's too similiar people will be suspicious, no matter what. It is totally okay to take inspiration though! And remember to admit that you were inspired, if anyone asks. It makes you seem like more of a thief if you try to hide it, even though you mean well.

• Having no consequences / only harmless results from the actions of your characters. This can make the story really boring. There will be no excitement or action for the one listening, reading or seeing the story, since they know the character, usually the main character, isn't going to get any permanent or serious consequences. Don't be afraid to give them big results from what they've chosen to do.

• Making the story unnecessarily edgy and melodramatic. Most of us love action and drama, but sometimes it gets too much. It can get a bit childish. This can be funny if put in a comedic light, but if you're trying to be serious, don't make dialogue like, "You will pay for your crimes, you evil overlord!", with the response being, "Oh, silly little being! I am not evil! I am just putting the world back in order, as it should be! Hahahaha!"

• Adding in too many clichés / tropes. It's fine to have one or two of these, but some can be very annoying. For example, remember the cliché where a character finds out they're adopted and get angry despite the parental figures being nice and gentle? Maybe take a cliché and make it opposite. Wouldn't it be much nicer if there was one character who didn't get mad after finding out they're adopted? It could be wholesome instead. Of course, you can use clichés for comedic purposes. Or make the cliché make sense. Maybe the adopted person was stolen, and although the adoptive parent(s) are nice, they killed people to get the adopted one. A twist!

• Rushing or taking things too slow. This can make the pacing of the story feel odd. Either it's too fast, so that too much is happening with no breathing space, like bim and bam and boom. This can work in the climax of your story, where there's lots of tension (preferably), but throughout the story, it's not recommended. And taking things slow can bore your listener, reader or watcher so they turn away from an otherwise good story. So check that you make things happen at a good pace at the right time.

Now, with that out of the way, we can move on to the things you can do.

• Have more than one character allowed to be comedic. There are different types of humor, and one simply can't have them all. And almost everyone has their funny moments. It's always nice to include more than one type of comedy. You can have the sarcastic type, the silly one, the prankster... Then one can't go through your story without enjoying at least one of the comedic things! This applies even if your story isn't meant to be a comedy. It doesn't have to be complicated jokes or moments, just small things to have some light among your adventure, drama, romance, action, horror or whatever genre you're basing your story on.

• I really encourage listening to songs to get inspiration (and motivation)! Songs is what has inspired like, 50% of my stories! Viva la Vida by Coldplay for example let me get an idea that my character Hatari wanted to be king, as he was ambitious and part of a rebellious group, but after Tamu showed him her world, he realized that all he knew about them was wrong, and he refused the offer to become king after a war between the kingdom and the rebels. The line, "Oh, who would ever wanna be king?" specifically sparked this idea.

• Make your characters relatable to your target audience, through their actions, dialogue and thoughts. People, especially teenagers and young adults, often seek after someone like them. Some say you should have a role model, but from my experience, not many care about looking up to characters. It works for toddlers and children, but as they get older I have seen that many prefer relatable things. However, you can have a relatable character while also making them someone to look up to - the character can have social anxiety for example, and work through it with all their strenght. This could encourage anxious people to get through it as well. Be warned though, if you give your character an illness or disorder, you have to do research, as to not upset those with the actual illness or condition. It's similar to what I wrote about LGBTQ+ representation in the previous part.

This is the end of my book of advice. Hope you enjoyed, took some notes, or realized you're looking for something else. Good luck for all of you! Remember that it's okay to just have fun with the creative process, you don't need to follow most advice. If you enjoy edgy gay furries with neon rainbow hair, go for it! As long as it's not genuinely offensive or harmful!