Munday Question
Dec. 15th, 2008 08:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sandandwaterEvery character starts with an idea. Where you go from there is unique to you, the player.
How do YOU create a new character from scratch? Do you have any rituals, a step-by-step guide?
Tell us about your character creation process, from vague idea to ready-to-write.
It varies depending on when and how inspiration strikes and whether or not they are intended to be a full-fledged character or an NPC, still there are certain things that I do with characters, doubly so for original, non-fandom aligned beings.
I start with a concept that can be their vocation, their occupation or even something as simple as the region they live in. From there it’s a vague physical description. Are they tall, short, thin, heavy—how physical are they? From there I tend to look for a PB that has the general feel I am after and finally a name. I like to choose names with some sort of relevance and meaning to the character’s main premise. Pippa, for example, is Phillipa, which means ‘lover of horses’. If you follow her journal, you know why it’s fitting.
I come up with all the incidental details at the start: Full name, height, eye and hair color, basic quirks or habits, date of birth etc. For me, a good test as to whether or not a character is ready to be placed into a situation where they can interact and role play is if I can fill out one of those random 50 question surveys without any thought or effort in the same manner I’d fill it out for myself. If I can do that in fifteen minutes or so, I know enough about the character to wing it in any given RP scenario.
Another thing I like to use for more detailed fleshing out, and then as a reference tool for myself, is a character info sheet that was given to me by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zippyknowsbest mun back when I first started LJ rping. It’s long and detailed and can at times be tedious to complete, but I find once it is done, I’ve committed certain things about the character and their personality tends to emerge fully and give me a better idea of tone and voice. You can find Pippa’s here: detailed character post.
How do YOU create a new character from scratch? Do you have any rituals, a step-by-step guide?
Tell us about your character creation process, from vague idea to ready-to-write.
It varies depending on when and how inspiration strikes and whether or not they are intended to be a full-fledged character or an NPC, still there are certain things that I do with characters, doubly so for original, non-fandom aligned beings.
I start with a concept that can be their vocation, their occupation or even something as simple as the region they live in. From there it’s a vague physical description. Are they tall, short, thin, heavy—how physical are they? From there I tend to look for a PB that has the general feel I am after and finally a name. I like to choose names with some sort of relevance and meaning to the character’s main premise. Pippa, for example, is Phillipa, which means ‘lover of horses’. If you follow her journal, you know why it’s fitting.
I come up with all the incidental details at the start: Full name, height, eye and hair color, basic quirks or habits, date of birth etc. For me, a good test as to whether or not a character is ready to be placed into a situation where they can interact and role play is if I can fill out one of those random 50 question surveys without any thought or effort in the same manner I’d fill it out for myself. If I can do that in fifteen minutes or so, I know enough about the character to wing it in any given RP scenario.
Another thing I like to use for more detailed fleshing out, and then as a reference tool for myself, is a character info sheet that was given to me by
zippyknowsbest mun back when I first started LJ rping. It’s long and detailed and can at times be tedious to complete, but I find once it is done, I’ve committed certain things about the character and their personality tends to emerge fully and give me a better idea of tone and voice. You can find Pippa’s here: detailed character post.
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no subject
Date: 2008-12-15 03:50 pm (UTC)It's more awkward for canon characters though. It's easier for OCs, fandom or not.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-15 05:05 pm (UTC)I can see where it would be really difficult for something on-going where the canon is still evolving or for a little less primary character that even the source creators have left vague or flat.