Character Creation (part 1)

How do I create an original character? (part 1)

Well, one thing you could try is thinking of, traits, personality, physical looks, or jobs, and then make a character based on this. There are numerous ways to practice trying to create characters by playing games utilizing the things above. But I think we should start with the basics.

THE BASICS OF CHARACTER CREATION

Characters are THE MOST IMPORTANT part of a story. Interaction between characters, how they handle situation, environmental stimulus, all deals with characters. You always want your character to do SOMETHING or else your reader will get bored and not read/watch your story or clip or cartoon. They don't necessarily have to talk (silent shorts with just music are still entertaining and awesome), but there has to be some sort of dynamic interaction be it between people, animals, or the environment.

So first thing to do to think of a character-think of a trait, job, personality, or feature. Then make up a background for them, a life, a name, what they look like, anything! After you have a least a little something in mind, you can follow some of these guidelines. You want to have at least a visual in your mind of the character, and maybe some basics on their background before you do the next step.

The next thing to do is work on your character's personality. To do this you can make up questions and then answer them based on what your character would say/do. You can also look on personality quizzes and do them based on your character (try blogthings.com). Really try to think in depth about your character. Never make your character perfect! This is a huge no-no in the creative world. A perfect character is not entertaining or fun. Let your character have flaws, or maybe quirks that make them weird. This will make you character more dynamic and interesting.