How to Make an [DETAILED] OC! + Roleplaying Tips and Advice

First Stages of Designing

Here we are, you're going to start making a brand new character! Excited to let all of these ideas come to life? It's good to start writing them when you're in the spirit. Let's start off simple with their name. Depending on where they are, you want to give them a name that fits. Of course, there is still the possibility that they could have been named something special to stand out. Like how the celebrities name their children, but it's unlikely for most of the time.

Where do they live? Perhaps somewhere in Japan, give them a simple name like Kotoko or Daichi. It's best to name them something more traditional to the location if they were born there. But what if they've moved from somewhere else? Give them a name that would be suitable for where they were from in the beginning. You don't have to follow this, however. Go ahead and name them something unique, but don't take it too far like Jonasephotarosukelynnyke Cujoshikujoketastar here. 

Second, how old are they? Depending on the age, this can make a difference in the way they'll make choices and react to certain things. Along with that, let's talk about their biological features... Let's try to keep genetics in this, so their race is their family's race. You could just have a basic design of the parents and make the character look based off of them, or design your character first and split the looks between the parents, too. It doesn't matter if the parents are dead or not, they must've been alive at some point to have the kiddo you're writing right now.

For basics of designing the physical appearance, here's a template to get things down. Even just the little facts can stay there. And remember, the environment that a character grows up in can change them! For example, if they live in a happy home and is well-fed, they could just be medium sized or maybe even a little chubby? Or if they've got siblings to constantly quarrel with, they could develop a bit of strength if they're one of the more physical fighters in the group.

Name:
Age:
Race:
Blood Type:
Height:
Weight:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Notable Markings (Birthmarks, Scars, etc.):
Type of Voice:
Other Distinctive Physical Traits:
Handedness:
Body Type:

This is just a way to get things down for their physical features down, both most important and a little less important information. But the purpose of this book is to help you make well-written, detailed characters for your story or roleplay! But now that you've gotten just their body figured out, let's move onto clothes! I know that getting the clothes down can be a bit harder, especially if you aren't really someone with a good fashion sense. Well, don't worry! Think about the place where they live. Is it cold? Give them a jacket. Are they a street rat? Cheap, worn out clothes will do. If they have decent money and a good home to live in, go ahead and search up shops that you think that they'd like and pick clothes from there. Get a feel for the character just from how they look, and that can be ideas for their personality as well. But please, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. When you try to come up with something cool for their design, also try to make it functional. If they're a warrior in high heels and have so much skin showing, how the heck are they gonna survive a fight...? Unless in the story that design choice ends up backfiring on them. Then the character can see that their outfit choices were a huge mistake.

What colors to give them, though? Try to stick with only a small handful at most, unless they're meant to be an obnoxiously colorful character. A lot of other books say that neon colors are bad, but that's just wrong. You can still make a good looking eyesore if done right, like with those little clowns from Dark Deception. But don't plaster every single color at once onto the character, and maybe look at some premade color palettes online. Heck, just join a Discord call and look at what colors you get from everyone's profile pictures in the grid. 

Always remember, the environment plays an important role in how they dress. Especially if you want to make a more realistic character.