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Q&A

Posts tagged characters

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Q&A When naming a character, is thematic naming or realistic naming more important?

Or is there a way to strike a balance between thematic naming and realistic naming? Thematic: When the name relates to the character directly. Example: someone who only wears black clothes has th...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by shitty_author‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A "Real people don't make good fictional characters". Really true?

I came across such statement here on Writing SE and I don't agree much with it. But what I'd like to know is why would it be "impossible" to make good characters using real people. Searching about...

10 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Yuuza‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How Much Focus to Give a Supporting Character?

I've been working on my pet project a lot over the last six months, and I thought I had most of the kinks worked out- but I think I found a problem with my most important character. The story has ...

5 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Wendigo King‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Sympathetic Racist

So when designing characters an important part of them is flaws and how they overcome them or rise above them. And so I wanted to make a character(one of the main characters, either supporting the ...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Amoeba‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it a good idea to make the protagonist unlikable while making the supporting characters more likable?

My protagonist is a very shitty person that makes bad decisions for the wrong reasons. They do eventually redeem themselves, not because of their own decisions, but because the supporting character...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by shitty_author‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters
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Q&A Listing character traits

I wonder if when talking about characters (in a book with a third perspective narrator) one can list their personality traits. I realize how that might be taking something away from the story, as I...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by A. Kvåle‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What to avoid when foreshadowing a death?

If, for example, I plan for a character to die in the middle of the story, and let's say I'd like to foreshadow his death by dropping a few hints here and there, what should I avoid when dropping h...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by DarkYagami‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is Jaime Lannister a "telling not showing" example?

Warning: spoilers of A Song of Ice and Fire. I was reading through this site that you should avoid telling what a character is by using other characters, example "Dan is the funniest person I know...

2 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by IamVeryCuriousIndeed‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to create good character names? [closed]

I find that a problem that I run into quite often is the fact that I can't create names that sound real, but also have a nice ring so that they fit the character. Does anyone have any suggestions o...

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Ally Hess‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to write about Autism and Intellectual Disability?

In a novel I'm writing, I have a minor character who is either autistic, or has an intellectual disability. (I know they're different. But like I said, he's a minor character, so I haven't really d...

0 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Galastel‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question research characters
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Q&A Intentionally misspelling words in dialogue

I have a piece of dialogue which sounds great in my head, and the way the character says it is important, but it never looks right when I type it out. At first I tried this: “Looking and lookin...

4 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Grace‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it acceptable to use props I saw in a movie in my story?

I was watching a movie and, in multiple scenes, the characters were using a set of coffee cups that I haven't seen before. I realized my Main Character is the type of person who would have and use ...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by iamtowrite‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to deceive the MC

My protagonist is finally meeting with the big boss of a mafia. At least, he thinks he is. The boss actually sends someone to pretend to be him. I'm writing from the protagonist's (limited) POV. I...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Caspian‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to describe POV characters?

I want to describe my first person perspective character who's narrating without doing the Wattpad "mirror scene." How would I go about this?

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by thelonelywriter‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to trick the reader into thinking they're following a redshirt instead of the protagonist?

I'm currently planning a "magical girl" story, and I thought of an interesting way to start it, rather than launching straight into the backstory. It opens with a woman in her mid-thirties, complet...

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by F1Krazy‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Dropping subtle hints about a character's sexuality

I have a character who is assumed to be straight, but after a few months reveals herself to be bisexual. I don't want her to just come out of nowhere and say that without any kind of hints first...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by GordonM‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters
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Q&A How do I draw attention to a girl's chest without making it overly lewd?

So, I have a group of main characters, and the current viewpoint character is going to introduce a... very well-endowed character. How do I write this so that I get the point across that she's that...

6 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Kale Slade‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it okay to have a character that has the same first or last name as another famous character

But not like having the same full name but rather same last name like for example having a character named Kevin Snow which has the same last name as Game of Thrones character Jon Snow Other examp...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Anime Writer ‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question naming characters
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Q&A Can I keep my characters in my book or should I just give up with them?

My OCs (Original Characters) were stolen by an older person. She may or may not have copyrighted them. A few years ago I was like 13 and I posted some characters I made up and I really love them. O...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Bree‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Can I use prominent people in history to as characters in my fiction?

I am a little puzzled. I want to set my story in a real era that happened; like say, the American civil wars during Lincoln's time, and involve the then prominent figures like Lincoln and McClellan...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Felix Abonyo‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What is a good way to name characters?

Okay, here's what I want: I want a check list or step by step list I can use while trying to name my characters. I often have trouble coming up with original names, especially last names, and this ...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by BlippThePanda‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question naming characters
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Q&A Protagonist's race is hidden - should I reveal it?

I'm currently on the fourth draft of a novel I'm writing, which features two protagonists. One of them, is, in my mind, black. I say, "in my mind" because at no point in the story do I ever explici...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Hyperion‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How important are good looking people in a novel/story?

I've read many books where the main protagonists are described as good looking people with Greek god looks, plenty of sex appeal, the perfect figure and all that. As a reader, how important would i...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by srini‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A An LGBT main character, but the book isn't about LGBT issues

So I'm in the very early stages of plot development on a new story. It focuses on a (nonbinary, hence the they/them pronouns) witch named Kem who recently discovered their powers and met some frie...

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by weakdna says reinstate monica‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Why is character lifetime proportional to character development so often?

Hollywood movies are a good example of this, but also many books feature the rule. When the plot revolves around life and death situations, the first to die are the characters with least developme...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Vorac‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to write a gay character from a first person perspective (Twist: The person doesn't know that they're gay!)

Remember that story I mentioned in my previous question? Yeah, well one of the characters in it is gay (one of the main characters). But the problem is... They don't KNOW that they're gay until the...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by AnAspiringAuthor‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters
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Q&A First person POV "mom:" vs. "mother"

This may seem like a duplicate of Changing the way one addresses a character in a dialogue to create variation, but it the answers there did not apply. My question is: When writing in the first pe...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by RE Lavender‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What exercises will help me write my co-author's character?

I'm working on a novel together with my co-author, K. K's come up with this great character - a sassy were-cat name Garlic. Unfortunately, I'm having a really tough time writing for Garlic - K has ...

0 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Standback‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do you develop a strong female character?

Are there specific characteristics that one should strive for when trying to develop a strong female character? Is it truly dependent on the genre of the book, or are there certain elements that ca...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Steven Drennon‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters gender
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Q&A How often do writers develop characters before plot, and why?

As someone who writes a little as a hobby, this is something that I haven't really thought about until just recently, but... Is it common for a writer to develop characters before actually coming ...

3 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by JAB‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Example of a fictional story without any characters (the story being 1000+ words)

Guessing that there is no such example, but if there is, I'm very interested in knowing about it. Just as a short example, just to make it clear it's possible; the example is not intended to be a ...

6 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by blunders‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to describe the point-of-view character without using mirrors

In fiction, the main character is often the first person we meet in the story. Given that the story is written from his/her point of view, how would you describe what they look like? The classica...

2 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Koen Van Damme‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Resources for character development

I'm weak at building characters. What resources are there to create rich characters? I'm thinking beyond name generators: Quirks, biography, diseases like allergies, hobbies and jobs, wealth, omen...

4 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Aaron Digulla‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What if a dark protagonist doesn't want to change?

Dark protagonists. Heroes who are evil, pure flaws, or exhibiting only weakness or darkness, rather than strength or light. There is one basic assumption I would like to make about such characters:...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How can I establish the nature of a person/group without action?

How can one establish the nature of a person/group to the reader without relying on actions to 'show' it? For example, if I have a group which is evil, how could I convey that to the reader without...

8 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question fiction characters
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Q&A Why do readers enjoy reading about "bad" or evil characters?

I've changed a secondary character into a murderer, and it changes everything. This change also opposes my core philosophies, that life and art should strive to reach something higher - not somethi...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to make a character's personality trully distinguishable/memorable?

Before anything, please pardon any grammar (or other kinds of language) mistakes I might make, for English is not my mother language. I'm making a fictional world, medieval-like with a wide variet...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by dsc‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to handle a character's failure?

I've been writing fan fiction for 7+ years, in an attempt to weed out the beginner mistakes and know what works. In one of my fan fictions, the main character failed to make the right choice. The r...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Two protagonists where one is dark - a mistake?

I'm currently writing a tale with two protagonists. One of them is a dark protagonist - that is, technically evil. The other protagonist is not evil. I'm wondering if this will cause the reader to ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Why do Popular Fantasy Novels of Today Feature Teenagers?

This could be a misconception of mine, but I've noticed that the popular fantasy novels of today seem to nearly all have main characters who are children or teenagers. I have a list of some off the...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Just how Different are Male and Female Readers?

It is my belief that male and female readers are more or less the same. There are differences in how we view things, but those differences do not stop us from liking the same book or movie. I can s...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters readers
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Q&A Is killing a character to further the plot necessarily a bad thing?

I've heard quite a few complaints about character deaths being used to further the plot. They say it's boring and overdone and mention that there are plenty of other ways to get to the same point w...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Summer‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Adding a PoV after the first novel in a series

I am currently developing a series of fantasy novels, and have discovered that I will likely be adding a second point of view in the second or third book (five books total in the series). Up until ...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Dialogue identifying the character that is currently speaking

I am writing a novel, and I am trying to find the right dialogue tags for identifying the character that is currently speaking. Here are some examples of two forms, and I am unable to decide which ...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by driima‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Main male character description

I've been asked to write a story as an assignment. It should have as the main male character an unusually smart, clever, insightful and thoughtful guy who is somewhat reserved and mysterious. The p...

4 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by user9933‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it ok to reference names of real world people?

The protagonist in my autobiographical novel is a girl on spiritual adventures. I have the idea of her looks in my mind, but I don't want to dedicate words to explicitly express her looks, so is it...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters
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Q&A Software for developing and organizing characters

I'm looking for a software that helps me develop and organize the characters for my novel. What I want: something like a filesystem, with a file for each character it should have or allow me to ...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A writing with color, skin tone

I'm trying to describe a character in a story and I'm having issues describing her appearance. She is a black woman with specific (vitiligo like) markings and I don't know how to write that. I do...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by Kali‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Please evaluate the effectiveness of both voices, which better brings the character to life?

I am working on a scene (one of many) and I am having trouble with voice (in all of them). I find first person handy in some situations and third in others. Below are two excerpts from the same s...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by James‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A The polymath's dilemma...?

The main character of a YA story I am working on is fast becoming a polymath, i.e. someone with a broad base of skills and interests across unrelated areas of endeavor. I really like how this char...

4 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by HedgeMage‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭