A Real Character

[Thaedrian]

Ever have one of those characters that seemed to develop a mind of their own? A little ornery, odd, eccentric? Perhaps they learned to fill an unexpected pair of shoes? For all the unlikely loves, outrageous personas, and the ones that just won't die.

Discuss the characters in your life here.  

[Mr. Eccentricity]

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Yay, a new discussion thread! =D

Oh gosh, my characters... I guess the one that's been there the most is Gareth. Sure, I've had Kethavain, my wind-esque elf, for a long time, but Gareth has always stuck with me at my core. He can be angry when I choose not to, and he can say things I would never say out loud, no matter how much I want to, ha ha. xD Gareth's such a fun guy to play, especially when he shows his self-hating homophobic self. And it's therapeutic. I haven't received too much hate for my sexual orientation, but when it bothers me, I can always unleash my frustration through Gareth.

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

 

[Thaedrian]

Mr. Eccentricity

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Yay, a new discussion thread! =D

Oh gosh, my characters... I guess the one that's been there the most is Gareth. Sure, I've had Kethavain, my wind-esque elf, for a long time, but Gareth has always stuck with me at my core. He can be angry when I choose not to, and he can say things I would never say out loud, no matter how much I want to, ha ha. xD Gareth's such a fun guy to play, especially when he shows his self-hating homophobic self. And it's therapeutic. I haven't received too much hate for my sexual orientation, but when it bothers me, I can always unleash my frustration through Gareth.

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

Do you usually have Gareth in a certain genre? Or does he just follow along wherever? I have never even thought of this {writing} as thearpeutic but that's probably where my gingers come from.... Certainly to a lesser extent! I mean, it's not like I have ever had anyone insult me or anything. I just hate being told by complete strangers that they want my hair. How awkward. <_<;;

But... you made a homophobic character? Really?? How did that come about? @_@  

[Piktra]

I don't know actually. I'm relatively new to roleplaying seriously, seeing as when I first joined this guild I was fickle and my literacy was not quite up to par. With most of my writing, though, I never really go with a major plan. I just start writing and I just start powering out words. All the thoughts and actions that come from my characters are usually thought up in less than five minutes, and just as I go along. Even this post right now is doing it. I really don't know what I'm going to write until I've written it.  

[Jokerman-EXE]

One of my very first RP characters, a guy named Markus Shae, is just like that. When I created him, it was something like my first or second RP, and he was predictably a very one-sided character. Not a lot of depth, or development, at all.

So I put him on a shelf and went on trying out new characters. A few years later, I stumbled on the old RP and started reading through it again. I picked the character back up and tried him out again, and found that I could use him in most different genres pretty easily. So for a couple years now, he's just been growing and developing in different situations. I almost feel like he's a real person.  

[Thaedrian]

Eggfish

I don't know actually. I'm relatively new to roleplaying seriously, seeing as when I first joined this guild I was fickle and my literacy was not quite up to par. With most of my writing, though, I never really go with a major plan. I just start writing and I just start powering out words. All the thoughts and actions that come from my characters are usually thought up in less than five minutes, and just as I go along. Even this post right now is doing it. I really don't know what I'm going to write until I've written it.

As I hear more and more stories and have my own experiences with writing, I am beginning to think there really isn't a set way any of this happens. That might seem an obvious revelation, but it wasn't so much that i thought everyone would go through the exact same process or anything. I simply thought that one or two things would remain consistent but they really don't. Some people swear by outlines, some prefer writing from the seat of their pants, as it were. There's really no right or wrong. Curious, though, that there should be such a great many differences in styles.

Still, it may just be that your character has yet to be born. I think in time we will all develop quite a following. Mine tend to act like younger siblings so I think of them as ducklings. Hehe, what a thought! A string of ducklings following you about. With the writing I've done, there are some ugly ducklings... haha, I'll stop rambling now. xD

I just meant to say it would be interesting to get your thoughts on this in a few years. If I remember, I'll come bug you then. =)  

[Thaedrian]

Jokerman-EXE

One of my very first RP characters, a guy named Markus Shae, is just like that. When I created him, it was something like my first or second RP, and he was predictably a very one-sided character. Not a lot of depth, or development, at all.

So I put him on a shelf and went on trying out new characters. A few years later, I stumbled on the old RP and started reading through it again. I picked the character back up and tried him out again, and found that I could use him in most different genres pretty easily. So for a couple years now, he's just been growing and developing in different situations. I almost feel like he's a real person.

Oh, that's wonderful! I love these stories so much. You never know what odd bit of writing will turn out to be a new love. That's how Ender's Game (Osron Scott Card) came about.

Does his personality stay pretty constant from roleplay to roleplay or do you find yourself tweaking it here and there? Or even drastically changing parts of it? I'm curious as I have a similar situation with Evelyn. Her appearance tends to change quite a bit, as does her age, which affects her personality. More the latter than the former. So I am curious if you have experienced something similar or something altogether different. Also, I am terrible at summing up my thoughts into something resembling a few sentences rather than a large paragraph so my apologies for that.

It is fun to hear about these characters. The ones closest to our hearts are the most telling, after all. What a frightening thought!  

[Metal-Ridley]

Ffff... Whoa, I'd have a lot to talk about in here. I've been RPing for a good ten years now and in those years, I've had quite a few characters. Some stuck more than others, but I would easily have about five or six characters I could talk about... Lets just pick one, for now.

The character I have in mind right now is Frédérique DuRêve, also known as Fey. She's a character I'm currently playing with in Indentured Advocates in the guild (although she's been stuck for the longest time now), but she was initially created for a Dungeons and Dragons-ish roleplay with my friends a year or two ago. Initially, she was supposed to be a quieter and a bit more secretive kind of girl, an elf in my friends' roleplay. I only changed her from elf to human for Indentured Advocates, but Fey eventually turned out to be a character I wasn't expecting to play. Instead of being quiet and secretive, she turned out dreamy and very, very flirty. I love the way she turned out, actually.

The fun thing about Fey is that while she's a big flirt, I'm really terrible at flirting, but somehow she seems great at it. Maybe that's because, being a guy, I know what a girl could do to drive crazy so I unconsciously type it up when RPing as her.
Ah! I hope I can get to RP as her again soon in Advocates, I kind of miss her...

As much as I love Frédérique, though, I could easily have talked about Smile, Crowe, Yumeri or even some of my characters that have never been used in any online roleplays!  

[Jokerman-EXE]

Thaedrian

Jokerman-EXE

One of my very first RP characters, a guy named Markus Shae, is just like that. When I created him, it was something like my first or second RP, and he was predictably a very one-sided character. Not a lot of depth, or development, at all.

So I put him on a shelf and went on trying out new characters. A few years later, I stumbled on the old RP and started reading through it again. I picked the character back up and tried him out again, and found that I could use him in most different genres pretty easily. So for a couple years now, he's just been growing and developing in different situations. I almost feel like he's a real person.

Oh, that's wonderful! I love these stories so much. You never know what odd bit of writing will turn out to be a new love. That's how Ender's Game (Osron Scott Card) came about.

Does his personality stay pretty constant from roleplay to roleplay or do you find yourself tweaking it here and there? Or even drastically changing parts of it? I'm curious as I have a similar situation with Evelyn. Her appearance tends to change quite a bit, as does her age, which affects her personality. More the latter than the former. So I am curious if you have experienced something similar or something altogether different. Also, I am terrible at summing up my thoughts into something resembling a few sentences rather than a large paragraph so my apologies for that.

It is fun to hear about these characters. The ones closest to our hearts are the most telling, after all. What a frightening thought!

I'm glad someone knows that I'm talking about! blaugh

As far as age and appearance go, Shae has stayed pretty constant. His personality has shifted a lot over time, though the core of it remains the same. Where I've seen the most growth is his backstory, and how it relates to his current character; the more I add to his past, the deeper his present gets - which is pretty much how real life works, isn't it?  

[Thaedrian]

Metal-Ridley

Ffff... Whoa, I'd have a lot to talk about in here. I've been RPing for a good ten years now and in those years, I've had quite a few characters. Some stuck more than others, but I would easily have about five or six characters I could talk about... Lets just pick one, for now.

The character I have in mind right now is Frédérique DuRêve, also known as Fey. She's a character I'm currently playing with in Indentured Advocates in the guild (although she's been stuck for the longest time now), but she was initially created for a Dungeons and Dragons-ish roleplay with my friends a year or two ago. Initially, she was supposed to be a quieter and a bit more secretive kind of girl, an elf in my friends' roleplay. I only changed her from elf to human for Indentured Advocates, but Fey eventually turned out to be a character I wasn't expecting to play. Instead of being quiet and secretive, she turned out dreamy and very, very flirty. I love the way she turned out, actually.

The fun thing about Fey is that while she's a big flirt, I'm really terrible at flirting, but somehow she seems great at it. Maybe that's because, being a guy, I know what a girl could do to drive crazy so I unconsciously type it up when RPing as her.
Ah! I hope I can get to RP as her again soon in Advocates, I kind of miss her...

As much as I love Frédérique, though, I could easily have talked about Smile, Crowe, Yumeri or even some of my characters that have never been used in any online roleplays!

I have had a few male characters in the past but I always get the sneaking suspicion that I'm playing them wrong. In my experience, there are distinct differences in how women and men view the world. Being young and female, how am I to know how a forty-year-old male would react to things? Might seem a strange age to pick but one day when i was feeling brave I created a profile for such a character which is still sitting on my desk...

My question is, have you ever had trouble writing for Fey (lovely name by the way) simply because she is female? Or has that occured to you? I realize that I may just be overthinking this. I do that, sometimes.  

[Mr. Eccentricity]

Thaedrian

Mr. Eccentricity

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Yay, a new discussion thread! =D

Oh gosh, my characters... I guess the one that's been there the most is Gareth. Sure, I've had Kethavain, my wind-esque elf, for a long time, but Gareth has always stuck with me at my core. He can be angry when I choose not to, and he can say things I would never say out loud, no matter how much I want to, ha ha. xD Gareth's such a fun guy to play, especially when he shows his self-hating homophobic self. And it's therapeutic. I haven't received too much hate for my sexual orientation, but when it bothers me, I can always unleash my frustration through Gareth.

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

Do you usually have Gareth in a certain genre? Or does he just follow along wherever? I have never even thought of this {writing} as thearpeutic but that's probably where my gingers come from.... Certainly to a lesser extent! I mean, it's not like I have ever had anyone insult me or anything. I just hate being told by complete strangers that they want my hair. How awkward. <_<;;

But... you made a homophobic character? Really?? How did that come about? @_@

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Gareth is my most widely-used character in terms of genre. I believe he originated in a medieval roleplay, but right now he's in a futuristic and modern roleplay. Sure, I'll change his history depending on the story, but he's very flexible in terms of personality and the traits that define him. After all, there are gay people in every time period.

Well, in a roleplay he's either homosexual or a FtM transsexual. If he's homosexual, he'll have a self-hating, denial homophobia, which is common in homosexuals whose society is anti-gay. If he's a transsexual, he'll be completely anti-femininity, for fear of being found out as a biological female. It's also fun to play him because I won't disclose the information, so there's always a mystery around him. Playing mysteries in characters is always so fun, which is probably why I picked up the mystery roleplay and remade it. =3

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

 

[Thaedrian]

Jokerman-EXE

I'm glad someone knows that I'm talking about! blaugh

As far as age and appearance go, Shae has stayed pretty constant. His personality has shifted a lot over time, though the core of it remains the same. Where I've seen the most growth is his backstory, and how it relates to his current character; the more I add to his past, the deeper his present gets - which is pretty much how real life works, isn't it?

If you don't mind writing, I would love to hear some of his backstory. I agree with you on the relation between the past and the present--with a slight amendment. The content of a life is just as important to their development as the length of years and amount of information. Growing up in suburbia versus a war-torn third-world country. One lends a greater opportunity for personal growth than the other (in my opinion, anyway). Not entirely sure where i am going with this... sort of went off on something else entirely there. A very intriguing subject, on the whole, really. How an event may affect a person one way or another. How one person may rise above abuse while the other is in jail by the age of sixteen.

Ramble ramble. But yes, tell me his backstory? I'm curious as to the character of this character. =)  

[Metal-Ridley]

Thaedrian

I have had a few male characters in the past but I always get the sneaking suspicion that I'm playing them wrong. In my experience, there are distinct differences in how women and men view the world. Being young and female, how am I to know how a forty-year-old male would react to things? Might seem a strange age to pick but one day when i was feeling brave I created a profile for such a character which is still sitting on my desk...

My question is, have you ever had trouble writing for Fey (lovely name by the way) simply because she is female? Or has that occured to you? I realize that I may just be overthinking this. I do that, sometimes.

Well, I've had troubles writing up posts before but it was mostly due to the lack of inspiration and not the gender of my character. Obviously I don't know how a girl thinks, but I do my best to roleplay female characters the way I've portrayed them in the first place (well, aside from Fey who evolved differently than what I had planned). Obviously, some of my characters can be a bit cliché, but the clichés do help me when I type a post down sometimes and people don't seem to be bothered by it too much. Actually, Yumeri's one of those characters you could call cliché (well, the Yumeri I use in the guild) but I still got some positive comments about her.

I don't think you should worry too much when you're playing a character of the opposite gender. Just roleplay them the way you wanted to in the first place.  

[Thaedrian]

Mr. Eccentricity

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Gareth is my most widely-used character in terms of genre. I believe he originated in a medieval roleplay, but right now he's in a futuristic and modern roleplay. Sure, I'll change his history depending on the story, but he's very flexible in terms of personality and the traits that define him. After all, there are gay people in every time period.

Well, in a roleplay he's either homosexual or a FtM transsexual. If he's homosexual, he'll have a self-hating, denial homophobia, which is common in homosexuals whose society is anti-gay. If he's a transsexual, he'll be completely anti-femininity, for fear of being found out as a biological female. It's also fun to play him because I won't disclose the information, so there's always a mystery around him. Playing mysteries in characters is always so fun, which is probably why I picked up the mystery roleplay and remade it. =3

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

Well I ask about genre becuase I found I prefer to have a certain set of characters in fantasy with another set for horror, with some of that to a limited extent in regards to time periods. The point of my question being I'm curious to see if anyone else has similar preferences. That is the root of my eternal curiosity, afterall. Differences and similarities from person to person. Rambleramble.

Ah, that's a wonderful idea! Then, if anything were to come out, it would be genuine. Very cool.  

[Thaedrian]

Metal-Ridley

Thaedrian

I have had a few male characters in the past but I always get the sneaking suspicion that I'm playing them wrong. In my experience, there are distinct differences in how women and men view the world. Being young and female, how am I to know how a forty-year-old male would react to things? Might seem a strange age to pick but one day when i was feeling brave I created a profile for such a character which is still sitting on my desk...

My question is, have you ever had trouble writing for Fey (lovely name by the way) simply because she is female? Or has that occured to you? I realize that I may just be overthinking this. I do that, sometimes.

Well, I've had troubles writing up posts before but it was mostly due to the lack of inspiration and not the gender of my character. Obviously I don't know how a girl thinks, but I do my best to roleplay female characters the way I've portrayed them in the first place (well, aside from Fey who evolved differently than what I had planned). Obviously, some of my characters can be a bit cliché, but the clichés do help me when I type a post down sometimes and people don't seem to be bothered by it too much. Actually, Yumeri's one of those characters you could call cliché (well, the Yumeri I use in the guild) but I still got some positive comments about her.

I don't think you should worry too much when you're playing a character of the opposite gender. Just roleplay them the way you wanted to in the first place.

My one point of paranoia with this is I am worried that if I do something stupid, no one will point it out. I mean, really, as many jerks out there, there are plenty more people who will not say anything just to be polite.

Oo, who's Yumeri? And how is she cliched? Personally, I like cliches. The reason they became cliches in the first place is because they are popular. I mean, if everything is a cliche in a story (or a person) it can get annoying. A little cliche goes a long way. *nods sagely*