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 Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:17 pm
 So I want to get back into creative writing, but I haven't done it in so long I feel a little rusty. I'm much more experienced as a poet, but I'm really interested in getting back into prose, 'cause I wanna write a book.
The first thing I always do when I'm trying to write a story is round out my characters. I believe good characters write themselves - that is, you already know how they will react to a situation if you have thoroughly fleshed out their personality and history; nothing seems out of character or forced. So I'm gonna use the next post to type out some blurbs about the main and supporting characters and the kind of world they live in, and I'd like you guys to tell me if they're believable.
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:18 pm
Scenario
The world in which the story takes place is deeply in tune with the world's elements: earth, air, water, fire, light, and life. For each element, there is a human-like manifestation of that element; though mortal, they are referred to as goddesses, and they live separate from humans in a province all their own.
Each year, a priestess of the predominant faith and an escort of royal guards would visit each region, gathering offerings from the villagers for their annual ritual. The offerings would be taken to an oasis in the desert and sent into the lake on a raft. The water would change in clarity according to the goddesses' approval of their offering: the less murky it was, the better their year would be.
Twenty years before our story started, disaster struck. There was an assassin among the escort and the priestess was slain and her body thrown into the oasis, painting the water a deep, opaque red. By autumn, there was a food shortage; by winter, there was a war. Five years later, all the countries were under the control of a single empire, and the oppressed denizens miserable and poor while the empire's home country flourished.
The story follows three sets of vagabonds, each on the run from different places and for different reasons, each with a piece of the truth behind the events that took place over the last two decades.
Together, their information could start a rebellion. That is why they have to die.
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:19 pm
Protagonists
Jenna is a strong, brave, hard-working 18-year-old living and working on a farm in Ciscar, the poorest country. She reads adventure stories and practices horseback archery in her spare time, though one day she wants to learn how to handle a sword. She is stubborn, impulsive, gullible, and naive, and very often fails to see the 'big picture'. Her role is to be persuaded and manipulated by the other characters in the story; though she very strongly believes she thinks for herself, she is little more than a puppet to the charismatic and intellectually superior.
Thom (working name) is Jenna's fraternal twin and polar opposite. He's lazy, easy to spook, and sharp as a tack. He prefers to stay inside and cook or sketch, but he's always along for the ride when Jenna decides to do something crazy (usually so he can be the first to say 'I told you so'). He's also very shy and easily embarrassed, sometimes to the point of going against his better judgment for fear of humiliation. His role is to protect his sister from endangering herself, but before he can do this he needs to learn to stand up for himself.
Rowan is a 16-year-old thieving genius; she started stealing before she could read. She travels with her parents' band of gypsies under the guise of a musical troupe, then finds and steals an unnoticeable amount from the town's treasury during the performance. She is proud of her prowess and doesn't really care who she's ******** over; it's because of her that her entire troupe eats. She can get cocky and her sense of humor is a little off-color, and her friends are only worth what's in their wallets on any given day. Her role is to advance the story by enticing Jenna to put herself in potentially endangering situations.
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:21 pm
Minor Characters
Artemis is the middle-aged ex-champion of the Emperor. She is a skilled and experienced warrior, undefeated in one-on-one combat and capable of leading armies to victory despite ridiculous odds. She is wanted for treason; twenty years ago she defied an order to murder the young prince, instead fleeing with him. To this day they are on the run, living in hiding as ascetics. Despite being branded a traitor, she still feels a strong moral obligation to uphold the law. Her role in the story is Thom's mentor and Rowan's nemesis.
Prince Hillel is the son of the emperor, presumed dead by the majority of the world. The only people who know he is still alive are his father and his guardian, Artemis. His death was ordered because he possesses an ability that frightened his parents; he is able to open a portal to the Afterworld, effectively permitting the living to enter it (or the dead to enter the world of the living). His role is to advance the plot; he and his ability are the goal of the main antagonist.
The Goddesses are so minor that the majority won't even get an entry each. With the exception of Lianelle, they are not permitted to communicate with denizens of the Midworld. Their names and the reasons they are worshipped are reflective of the elements they preside over. Lianelle, the wise goddess of light, observes the world and advises world leaders when summoned. Pyralis, the beautiful goddess of fire, watches over romance and war. Diantha, the kind goddess of earth, protects children and crops. Tempest, the playful goddess of wind, sows mischief and guides travellers. Vera, the tranquil goddess of water, provides inner strength and ensures peace. Ayane, the enigmatic goddess of life, oversees the Afterworld and judges souls that wish to return to life.
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:14 pm
Eh I'll write about the minors later, there's lots and I'm tired. What do you guys think about the prot's? Some of the flaws might seem endearing when you just read them off a list, but when you put them all together, things get ugly fast.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:39 pm
Lets leave the names behind ,shall we?I realy like this request that you have posted,and I beleve that I could be made into something nice!I will also try to speak in the maner of posibility ( it might hapen ).
So,as I said I will use no names,only sister,brother and thief...
First we have the sister,the clasical protagonist of a book,she is lively,adventurous and stuff.Maybie a bit stereotypical,no?
Still in the terms of character progresion,I beleve that she has the best chances of dying or turning evil,wich is a clasical case isnt it?There is more in life than books,and the most spirited ones are the irst to fall into the murky deapths of cold,cruel reality.
The there is the brother,the character with the most potential of the 3 in my modest oppinion...So he is the smart one,with a lot more real outlook on life,yet not as down to the ground as the thief.He feels weak on his own and alvays looks for support in his sister ( eaven hen he mocks her,he does that to make himself feel a bit beter ),witch leaves him the person the most choices to make,for one he might not eaven be around for most of the book,or he might die or countless things that his character type leaves;As a matter of fact a path that is plausable is the total domination of the brother,in the means of importance to the story,because in most novels its alvays the underdog that gets to the top.
And last,and least to me we have the thief.This character is painfuly obvious,as we know he cant take his family with him,the most probable outcome is eather death or the capture of his family.Depending on the result of the two is his alighment to good or evil...As you can see,he has only 2 posible outcomes:good or evil.His role will most likely be that of a double agent or a turncoat,and thats all that I think realy matters about him.
Hope you liked my short character development analysis,pleasy say did you get anything good out of it!
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:40 am
BNik92 Lets leave the names behind ,shall we?I realy like this request that you have posted,and I beleve that I could be made into something nice!I will also try to speak in the maner of posibility ( it might hapen ). So,as I said I will use no names,only sister,brother and thief... First we have the sister,the clasical protagonist of a book,she is lively,adventurous and stuff.Maybie a bit stereotypical,no? Still in the terms of character progresion,I beleve that she has the best chances of dying or turning evil,wich is a clasical case isnt it?There is more in life than books,and the most spirited ones are the irst to fall into the murky deapths of cold,cruel reality. The there is the brother,the character with the most potential of the 3 in my modest oppinion...So he is the smart one,with a lot more real outlook on life,yet not as down to the ground as the thief.He feels weak on his own and alvays looks for support in his sister ( eaven hen he mocks her,he does that to make himself feel a bit beter ),witch leaves him the person the most choices to make,for one he might not eaven be around for most of the book,or he might die or countless things that his character type leaves;As a matter of fact a path that is plausable is the total domination of the brother,in the means of importance to the story,because in most novels its alvays the underdog that gets to the top. And last,and least to me we have the thief.This character is painfuly obvious,as we know he cant take his family with him,the most probable outcome is eather death or the capture of his family.Depending on the result of the two is his alighment to good or evil...As you can see,he has only 2 posible outcomes:good or evil.His role will most likely be that of a double agent or a turncoat,and thats all that I think realy matters about him. Hope you liked my short character development analysis,pleasy say did you get anything good out of it! Well, you're right; the sister does die. The story focuses more on the brother and the thief, and their struggle to persuade her to see things their way; the sister is like a puppet, she listens to whoever makes the best case because she's not good at making up her own mind. She has delusions of grandeur and wants to be a hero; she'll do anything she's convinced is noble or brave.
The names are really just placeholders. When I choose real names I want to pick something that alludes to their personality or foreshadows their fate.
(Oh, and the thief is female. She uses her gender to her advantage; they live in a time where no one would suspect a woman of being a thief. razz )
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:33 pm
Lady Psycho Sexy Well, you're right; the sister does die. The story focuses more on the brother and the thief, and their struggle to persuade her to see things their way; the sister is like a puppet, she listens to whoever makes the best case because she's not good at making up her own mind. She has delusions of grandeur and wants to be a hero; she'll do anything she's convinced is noble or brave.
The names are really just placeholders. When I choose real names I want to pick something that alludes to their personality or foreshadows their fate.
(Oh, and the thief is female. She uses her gender to her advantage; they live in a time where no one would suspect a woman of being a thief. razz )
Cool,so she does die...And I hope I have helped you wit the development of the characters in general!
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:05 am
I had originally wanted the thief to slowly 'brainwash' the sister into believing she was a hero and turn her into a vigilante to suit her own needs. Her goal would be to force the sister to be convicted for all the thief's crimes when apprehended for her own, clearing all suspicion on her troupe so they can settle down with their stolen wealth and enjoy a life without chase. This would make the story's theme center around mental manipulation, betrayal, and empathy (or lack thereof).
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:02 pm
A good idea,it does fit the most traits I have asighned to the three main characters,yet as I said,that was to be expected...Still I beleve that the brother is the one you would want the story to revolve around ,seeing as he has the most posibilities ( he can die,become evil,become a hero,become the new emperor,become one of the elemental beings,kill the Thief etc. )
While I beleve that the Thief will be doing evil or self benificial actions,and Sister being manipulated by everyone around her ( that usually happens to young,idealistic people ),he has the fredom of being neutral so that he can be similiar to the other two characters,and fuful a role they never could.
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