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Writing Meme Day 9 - I am your god!
9. How do you get ideas for your characters? Describe the process of creating them.
Oh hell, I'm far too tired to think straight today. Had a really late finish to my writers' group meeting because we got into a debate about the importance of religion in eleventh century England, and then another debate about the importance of strong characterisation, which I guess kind of ties into this question. I won't rehash the debate though, since it was mostly everyone going "no, you're doing it wrong!"
Anyway. The simple answer is, I don't really know. I'm very much an organic writer who rarely plots much beyond the next paragraph. The best way I can describe my character creation process is "it's like the Big Bang." A few random elements come together, explode, and the end result is a character. It could be a name, a trait, an ability, a home city, anything. Sometimes they will just spring fully-formed into my head, like Lizzie from Wild, who absolutely appeared in my imagination as a fully-fleshed out person complete with history, mannerisms, problems, tastes in music, lifestyle and drug habit already in place.
And sometimes I'll struggle to get a grip on them because I can't find the right name. Yeah, I'd say the name is usually the key thing for me. If a name doesn't come to me immediately, I will struggle to understand or picture the character until I find the right one.
10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!
11. Who is your favorite character to write? Least favorite?
12. In what story did you feel you did the best job of worldbuilding? Any side-notes on it you’d like to share?
13. What’s your favorite culture to write, fictional or not?
14. How do you map out locations, if needed? Do you have any to show us?
15. Midway question! Tell us about a writer you admire, whether professional or not!
16. Do you write romantic relationships? How do you do with those, and how “far” are you willing to go in your writing?
17. Favorite protagonist and why!
18. Favorite antagonist and why!
19. Favorite minor that decided to shove himself into the spotlight and why!
20. What are your favorite character interactions to write?
21. Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
22. Tell us about one scene between your characters that you’ve never written or told anyone about before! Serious or not.
23. How long does it usually take you to complete an entire story—from planning to writing to posting (if you post your work)?
24. How willing are you to kill your characters if the plot so demands it? What’s the most interesting way you’ve killed someone?
25. Do any of your characters have pets? Tell us about them.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your OCs and post your favorite picture of him!
27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.
28. Have you ever written a character with physical or mental disabilities? Describe them, and if there’s nothing major to speak of, tell us a few smaller ones.
29. How often do you think about writing? Ever come across something IRL that reminds you of your story/characters?
30. Final question! Tag someone! And tell us what you like about that person as a writer and/or about one of his/her characters!
Oh hell, I'm far too tired to think straight today. Had a really late finish to my writers' group meeting because we got into a debate about the importance of religion in eleventh century England, and then another debate about the importance of strong characterisation, which I guess kind of ties into this question. I won't rehash the debate though, since it was mostly everyone going "no, you're doing it wrong!"
Anyway. The simple answer is, I don't really know. I'm very much an organic writer who rarely plots much beyond the next paragraph. The best way I can describe my character creation process is "it's like the Big Bang." A few random elements come together, explode, and the end result is a character. It could be a name, a trait, an ability, a home city, anything. Sometimes they will just spring fully-formed into my head, like Lizzie from Wild, who absolutely appeared in my imagination as a fully-fleshed out person complete with history, mannerisms, problems, tastes in music, lifestyle and drug habit already in place.
And sometimes I'll struggle to get a grip on them because I can't find the right name. Yeah, I'd say the name is usually the key thing for me. If a name doesn't come to me immediately, I will struggle to understand or picture the character until I find the right one.
10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!
11. Who is your favorite character to write? Least favorite?
12. In what story did you feel you did the best job of worldbuilding? Any side-notes on it you’d like to share?
13. What’s your favorite culture to write, fictional or not?
14. How do you map out locations, if needed? Do you have any to show us?
15. Midway question! Tell us about a writer you admire, whether professional or not!
16. Do you write romantic relationships? How do you do with those, and how “far” are you willing to go in your writing?
17. Favorite protagonist and why!
18. Favorite antagonist and why!
19. Favorite minor that decided to shove himself into the spotlight and why!
20. What are your favorite character interactions to write?
21. Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
22. Tell us about one scene between your characters that you’ve never written or told anyone about before! Serious or not.
23. How long does it usually take you to complete an entire story—from planning to writing to posting (if you post your work)?
24. How willing are you to kill your characters if the plot so demands it? What’s the most interesting way you’ve killed someone?
25. Do any of your characters have pets? Tell us about them.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your OCs and post your favorite picture of him!
27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.
28. Have you ever written a character with physical or mental disabilities? Describe them, and if there’s nothing major to speak of, tell us a few smaller ones.
29. How often do you think about writing? Ever come across something IRL that reminds you of your story/characters?
30. Final question! Tag someone! And tell us what you like about that person as a writer and/or about one of his/her characters!