Questions tagged [characters]
Questions that involve people in a work of fiction, including character development, motivations, design, points of view, and representation.
838
questions
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Do I need to develop layered characters to write a good story?
In one of the books I have on writing, the author says that in order to tell a good story, you need to create characters with three layers. I forget exactly what those are, but I just want to write a ...
2
votes
4answers
98 views
How to make my evil genius, evil and likeable?
I am working on a story from an 'Igor'/lab assistants' point of view. They work for a modern day 'Evil scientist', Dr Levo.
Igor has a good working relationship with Dr Levo.
I want the audience to ...
-2
votes
0answers
43 views
What is Hanukkah like? [closed]
I’m writing a chapter of my story involving two of my characters who are Jewish and are celebrating Hanukkah. However, I’m not really familiar with how Hanukkah goes.
I am aware they light candles on ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
When in the editing process should I edit characters and their arcs?
When in the self-editing stages should I edit my characters? I have researched a bit on this but I haven't found any time to do that. I have mostly found how to do that, rather than when to in the ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
How do I know if I've introduced too many characters too quickly? [duplicate]
In my book, I start out by introducing the main character, her uncle, and her mother in one scene. The next scene involves her grandparents, and the next is about five more characters after that. The ...
25
votes
19answers
6k views
How can I handle a powerful mentor character without killing them off?
I'm writing a book series that involves people with various superpowers. One of these characters and is more or less the mentor of the protagonists. This character is the leader of the "good guy&...
3
votes
3answers
173 views
How to give out a character’s backstory without info-dumping?
In my story, I follow a group of characters traveling across a post-nuclear wasteland. I’ve written all the characters (there are 7 of them in the group) their own unique backstories and whatnot, and ...
0
votes
2answers
110 views
What would happen if a character died of an allergy? [closed]
Ok, I know this sounds really weird. I just don't know where to ask. Anyway, one of my characters sneaks into the woods and gets bitten by an insect (it's a long story). She has a severe allergic ...
3
votes
5answers
154 views
How to write a character with an accent
One of my characters is Russian and speaks English as a second language. I know that people with Russian accents tend to leave out words like “the” and “a” because they don’t exist in Russian.
My ...
1
vote
1answer
97 views
How to construct the “inner layers” of a character: a doubt on construction of the psyche of fictional characters and bibliography suggestions
First of all, this is a question that was asked aiming good bibliography suggestions and tips.
Secondly, my question could be cast into the famous interrogative sentence: "How can I construct ...
2
votes
1answer
158 views
Realistically writing culture shock for this character?
I wanted help writing a character for my setting.
Basically, in this story I’m writing, I have a character named Christina. Basically, she lived in an underground bunker, in a post-apocalyptic world, ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
Two of my characters have the same names as two characters in a comic book/show. Should I change one of them?
So I'm currently starting to write this idea that I've had in my head for a long time and a couple of months ago, I realised that my main female characters have the same names as the main female ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Introducing secondary characters
The dilemma I find myself in is introducing secondary characters. Say, this character - a family relative - only exists fleetingly in my story. The first time I introduce the character, I mention it's ...
9
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I write complex and believable characters?
How do I write characters that are more grounded, complex and believable so that readers can resonate with them and makes my novel more compelling?
How should I elaborate their dialogues and actions ...
3
votes
2answers
147 views
How to create unique dialogue for characters? [duplicate]
So, one of my problems is that I have trouble giving my characters unique voices. They usually all sound the same. I may say that they have a certain dialect or accent, but it doesn't come through in ...
1
vote
2answers
107 views
How to add various social themes in the story?
I'm working on my first novel, which revolves around revenge and violent cycles of human nature for more than 1.5 years.
While working on some sections of the book, I feel like how do I add more depth ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
How do you refer to someone in a formal essay?
I'm writing a formal essay on a book. The book is about a real person, but they are referred to by their first name throughout the entire book. When writing the essay, do I stay consistent with the ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
What kind of plot structure or format does “South Pacific” follow?
In the movie, "South Pacific," the (probable) protagonist is one Lt. Joseph Cable. His problem is that he gets killed before the end.
About 10%-15% into the movie, we meet two other ...
0
votes
1answer
106 views
Writing an emotionless character? [closed]
I need help writing a character that doesn't like other people and rarely shows emotion due to high amounts of emotional trauma?
He would let a person die if they were no longer of any use to him.
14
votes
1answer
4k views
Doubt on the trope “power trio”: what are their psychological basis?
I will gather some non-standard characters in this question. Suppose then the Powerpuff Girls, Team Sonic, Totally Spies, Kanker Sisters (Ed, Edd n Eddy), and so on.[1]
Every time we can identify some ...
9
votes
6answers
2k views
Naming Side characters
So, basically, how do you name side characters? I get that you should give the main characters meaningful names, but finding suitable names for all of my characters is distracting and time-consuming. ...
0
votes
2answers
111 views
To facepalm or not to facepalm
How would you describe a facepalm in a more formal sense?
For example, he rubbed his head with his hand. Or, he rubbed his temples.
Basically, my character here is really annoyed at the stupidity of ...
3
votes
5answers
137 views
How to show a character with multiple personalitites?
To preface this, I have seen the question multiple personalities characters speech in text and I feel that my question is different enough, to warrant a separate question.
In my book, a character has ...
2
votes
3answers
162 views
How do I create a mysterious character? What personality traits and ways does he need to be mysterious? What attitudes must he have to be so?
How do I create a mysterious character? What personality traits and ways does he need to be mysterious? What attitudes must he have to be so?
1
vote
2answers
103 views
Characters with apostrophe names
I have created a world, and one of the cultures has mainly apostrophe names - Vax'Ildan, Vex'Ahlia, Soih'Ym...
How would this work grammatically - possessive and nicknames, in writing?
(To forestall ...
6
votes
4answers
160 views
How to care about the characters more than the world?
I have a very well-built up world with politics, religions etc, that I've built up over the course of my writing. But I have recently realised that I care more about the world than the character.
I ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
My characters parents are dead, what now? [closed]
In my book, my main character has unfortunately lost her parents. But before the plot, I have nothing. I don't want to do an orphanage, foster homes, or give her a family at all. The idea of her ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
How can I introduce a new POV late in my book?
In the book I am writing, the first seven chapters are from the POV of one character. In chapter 8, I am planning to add a second POV character. I will probably also add a third POV character in ...
5
votes
3answers
132 views
Writing Historically accurate diversity vs. Telling someone else's story
I am writing a story that takes place in a period of heavy political tension. It is a fictional world, but based off reality, especially American history. One of my main characters is a POC who joins ...
1
vote
2answers
99 views
Is this character too similar to a real person?
I’m writing this fictional story and based a character off this guy I saw in a documentary. He isn’t well known at all (other than being in the documentary). I did not use his name. His appearance is ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
Older Characters
I'm ten years old and writing a book series. I have trouble writing about older characters, and that's especially the older kids that are already dating. I don't know any people that could help me ...
2
votes
4answers
154 views
How do I write characters that aren't just a copy of myself?
I am finding it difficult to create fictional characters with personalities that are not a copy of myself. I'm having trouble trying to understand what others a character would do in certain ...
1
vote
2answers
72 views
Are there any good alternatives to “a fire inside” of someone?
I'm trying to express the idea of a character undergoing a realisation, thus feeling an idea along the lines of a "fire being ignited inside of him".
However, I was wondering, are there any better ...
1
vote
6answers
208 views
How do I write a computer-savvy/hacker character?
I have a character in my story for whom being computer savvy is supposed to be a major personality trait. The character works with computers for a living (even if their side job they do as part of the ...
9
votes
4answers
4k views
How do you prevent a character from being a creator's pet?
I have a character that I really like. They were originally intended to be the main villain for a particular story arc and then get killed off for good at the end, but I felt they were really ...
2
votes
2answers
138 views
I want to write about a suicide, how should I do it?
I want to have a book (or multiple) have a suicide in it, and I want to write the suicide. I don't know how exactly to go about that.
I know that very descriptive details or very graphic images/video/...
1
vote
2answers
50 views
Similar Character [duplicate]
So, I had a dream about this demon character named Sin (I physically saw his name in my dream) that goes to church. I wanted to make this into a story, but I feel like it's too similar to Rin Okumura ...
0
votes
1answer
144 views
I want to write a book, but I don't know if it's “too sexist”
I'm writing a story, and it's like this so far: A boy watches his family get slaughtered before him, he has to become a slave to survive, and then somehow ends up in the position to save a kingdom.
...
0
votes
3answers
1k views
I want to write a male character, but I am lost
I'm writing a new story. The main character is male. I know how to write from the viewpoint of a male (I am one), but I'm lost on writing him.
Here's the story so far: His family was killed, he ended ...
3
votes
2answers
154 views
How to write a character who is falling in love, but doesn't know?
So I have been trying to write a character that is oblivious to romantic advances because they mistake them for normal, platonic reactions. I know how they act in my mind, but I can't convey it enough ...
-1
votes
1answer
101 views
Do I kill my main character? [closed]
One of the main themes of my book is death and sacrifice. There's a lot of necromancy, ghosts, etc. The main character has already been brought back to life once before without her consent, which was ...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
Is it illegal to use a real person as a character in your story? [duplicate]
I'm writing a story where my character meets some of the world's greatest philosophers in a dream. He meets Franz Kafka, Dostoevsky, and Friedrich Nietzsche in dreams. Kafka only speaks in quotes from ...
1
vote
3answers
122 views
Writing mumbled speech
I've got a character that mumbles, and I'd like good advice on how to write his dialogue. He isn't a POV character, and I won't give him too much dialogue that would make the reading tedious, but it's ...
2
votes
2answers
102 views
Referring to groups and unnamed individuals from groups in a screenplay
The following extract is from a screenplay I'm writing. I could really use some advice on how to format it, particularly around referring to groups of people and an unnamed person from a group.
Bob ...
0
votes
0answers
84 views
Character Flaws: Treason
The 9th circle, aka, the deepest and worst part of Hell, in Dante's inferno is dedicated to traitors (from the least severe to the worst):
Treason against one's kin.
Treason against one's home (as in ...
-2
votes
2answers
123 views
What makes a complete monster fun?
My metaverse is really short on villains. That's a problem as there are many characters whose heroism is defined by the enemy they fight.
A noble savage can't work in a setting where civilization and ...
0
votes
2answers
60 views
Number of characters in ensemble for a musical
In writing a musical I have 3 primary and 7 minor characters - some of whom can be also used in the ensemble. There are four scenes in the two act play in which an ensemble consisting of, at most at ...
0
votes
2answers
82 views
How to make a childish character that isn't annoying to the reader?
I couldn't decide what type of dragon I wanted to write, so I decided to do a Rise of Skywalker and now my dragon is all the dragons. This isn't actually hard to achieve. The key idea is a character ...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
How to make my roleplay responses more lengthy/detailed?
How can I make my roleplay responses more lengthy and detailed?
For the recent months I've been roleplaying with several friends. our replies are normally two or three sentences. While I've shown ...
0
votes
3answers
159 views
Building a character out of a political caricature?
So, I wanted to spice up the MC in one of my stories by... making him into a stereotypical SJW. The catch is supposed to be why and when he's acting that way. I won't go into any detail because this ...
