How do you make your characters seem more real?

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How do you make your characters seem more real?
Tweet Topic Started: Dec 5 2010, 10:21 AM (1,024 Views)
Wolfgurl989	Dec 5 2010, 10:21 AM Post #1
Don't close your eyes, don't give into the fright Posts: 7,940 Group: A Rank Legend Member #9,781 Joined: February 21, 2009	Ok, so I have been researching on how to make your characters seem more real to your readers. I came across one interesting tip and that was to use an astrology sighn for your character. I never thought about that, I'm really into astrology, and it always seems that the sighn reflects the person with that sighn perfectly and almostly freakily accurate. So that's one thing I'm going to use, but what are some other things you can think of to make characters in short stories seem more like actual people and not 2d words on a page?



RabidChoco	Dec 5 2010, 10:34 AM Post #2
Sandopolis Act 2 Posts: 2,402 Group: S Rank Hero Member #6,608 Joined: March 11, 2008 Gender: Male Country: Belgium 3DS Friend Code: 1521-5016-9168 Steam ID: RabidChoco Game Currently Playing: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth	What I do, for the roleplaying and the stories... I act them out sometimes. It seems to help.
	Indeed, there is nothing more repulsive than these monsters that defy nature and are known by the name of witcher, as they are the offspring of foul sorcery and witchcraft. They are unscrupulous scoundrels without conscience and virtue, veritable creatures from hell capable only of taking lives. They have no place amongst decent and honest folk.


Lord Eileanach	Dec 5 2010, 10:35 AM Post #3
. . . Posts: 2,778 Group: Former Monarchs Member #10,054 Joined: June 13, 2009 Gender: Male Country: Brazil Steam ID: Eileanach	Well, this is an interesting question. I don't know what site you use to read up on a personality description of the zodiac signs - I used a site before and was creeped out by how scarily accurate it was. Basically my character (apart from her origin story) has the same personality, thoughts and feelings as me, she is just better dressed and fluffier so I can't get more real than her just being me. I also try to base other characters on people I "know" I don't mean fully but if you know people in real life who are particularly interesting or a particular quirk it is nice to use that because it is our quirks that make us who we are. So focussing on people's idiosyncrasies and little ticks and quirks adds a spark of realism to them too.
	~Eileanach~ Oh, stop the world I want to get off!


Wolfgurl989	Dec 5 2010, 10:43 AM Post #4
Don't close your eyes, don't give into the fright Posts: 7,940 Group: A Rank Legend Member #9,781 Joined: February 21, 2009	So if you basically expand on one trait to include specifics?? For example, if they have an anger streak: they love getting into fights, but don't like hurting innocent people, they black out when they get angry meaning they have no idea what they are doing. WHen they get angry their skin around their ears and neck will get red, making them more prone to high-blood pressure and strokes. things like that or am I missing the point??? also: what do you mean by "I act them out" like...in your head or you get infront of a mirror and physically act them out?



RabidChoco	Dec 5 2010, 10:45 AM Post #5
Sandopolis Act 2 Posts: 2,402 Group: S Rank Hero Member #6,608 Joined: March 11, 2008 Gender: Male Country: Belgium 3DS Friend Code: 1521-5016-9168 Steam ID: RabidChoco Game Currently Playing: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth	A little of both. I try to get in their headspace; and I think a lot better when I'm moving around, so sometimes I end up brainstorming my characters by trying to act like they do.
	Indeed, there is nothing more repulsive than these monsters that defy nature and are known by the name of witcher, as they are the offspring of foul sorcery and witchcraft. They are unscrupulous scoundrels without conscience and virtue, veritable creatures from hell capable only of taking lives. They have no place amongst decent and honest folk.


Wolfgurl989	Dec 5 2010, 10:52 AM Post #6
Don't close your eyes, don't give into the fright Posts: 7,940 Group: A Rank Legend Member #9,781 Joined: February 21, 2009	So like making up a split personality and making yourself beleive you ARE them. Heh...thats a good idea... How do you do characters of the opposite gender tho?



Lady Miracle	Dec 5 2010, 10:54 AM Post #7
[insert something cheerful here] Posts: 8,037 Group: Former Monarchs Member #9,289 Joined: August 20, 2008	Give them a personal touch. Have them feel or confront certain problems people do-- people feel hunger, depression, exhaustion, love, frustration, elation, etc. I have seen a lot of characters that are either too godmodded to feel pain or too "cool" to cry or give a damn, but a realistic character is capable of suffering no matter how strong, level-headed or anti-social they are. They can feel happy at some point or another, no matter how dreadful their life may or may not be; no need to always be such a drum-hum because this or that happened to this or that loved one. They mourn their losses; they grow up, mature and face changes. They have their believes challenged, they face all sorts of dilemmas, not just fighting evil all the time or trying to get their dream girl/guy. Jsut be a bit more creative, spontaneous and varied. EDIT: Wait I got majorly post thefted. Edited by Miracle, Dec 5 2010, 10:56 AM.
	The Muffin Man's wife and a


RabidChoco	Dec 5 2010, 10:57 AM Post #8
Sandopolis Act 2 Posts: 2,402 Group: S Rank Hero Member #6,608 Joined: March 11, 2008 Gender: Male Country: Belgium 3DS Friend Code: 1521-5016-9168 Steam ID: RabidChoco Game Currently Playing: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth	Wolfgurl989 Dec 5 2010, 10:52 AM How do you do characters of the opposite gender tho? Rarely, if ever. I understand that gals have different motivations than guys, but I just don't understand what motivates girls.
	Indeed, there is nothing more repulsive than these monsters that defy nature and are known by the name of witcher, as they are the offspring of foul sorcery and witchcraft. They are unscrupulous scoundrels without conscience and virtue, veritable creatures from hell capable only of taking lives. They have no place amongst decent and honest folk.


Wolfgurl989	Dec 5 2010, 11:01 AM Post #9
Don't close your eyes, don't give into the fright Posts: 7,940 Group: A Rank Legend Member #9,781 Joined: February 21, 2009	How'd you get majorly post thefted? But that makes sense



Lord Eileanach	Dec 5 2010, 11:03 AM Post #10
. . . Posts: 2,778 Group: Former Monarchs Member #10,054 Joined: June 13, 2009 Gender: Male Country: Brazil Steam ID: Eileanach	Well what I was meaning is more as well as how they personally act in a situation like you listed anger so let's say your character is an extremely ANGRY individual and now let's say for instance you are not an angry individual at all so you don't fully know how to "portray" that as you don't understand the motivations behind it however your best friend, for instance, is EXTREMELY angry. How do they show it, clenched fist, chewing on the lips, ears turning red, eyes twitching. I feel when I read something if the person gets the personality down to a T but cannot get the actions right I find it forced and unbelievable but when I read something where someone has clearly put in the thought and obviously watched or witnessed other people reacting it makes it all the more believable to me.
	~Eileanach~ Oh, stop the world I want to get off!


Wolfgurl989	Dec 5 2010, 11:05 AM Post #11
Don't close your eyes, don't give into the fright Posts: 7,940 Group: A Rank Legend Member #9,781 Joined: February 21, 2009	Telsa: LOLS! I can uderstand guys a LOT better than other girls, but visa versa, I don't understand what motivates guys sometimes. Like I get it mostly, becasue all of my life I've been treated as one of the guys, when i was really little I avoided ANY friend's that we're girls, sooo yeah Telsa: LOLS! I can uderstand guys a LOT better than other girls, but visa versa, I don't understand what motivates guys sometimes. Like I get it mostly, becasue all of my life I've been treated as one of the guys, when i was really little I avoided ANY friend's that we're girls, sooo yeah Edited by Wolfgurl989, Dec 5 2010, 11:05 AM.



HollyYoshi	Dec 5 2010, 01:35 PM Post #12
I object to your claims Posts: 15,025 Group: =SB= Queens Member #9,640 Joined: January 9, 2009 Gender: Female Country: United States of America 3DS Friend Code: 1891-1489-0768 Nintendo ID: Agent_Blaire Game Currently Playing: Yoshi's Island	I always like to give my characters little quirks. For instance, my main character is addicted to chocolate mints and always has to have a small container of them on hand. As well, another character of mine suffers from mild insomnia. Adding little quirks to a character's personality helps quite a bit when you want them to be more realistic.



Pedruben	Dec 5 2010, 01:52 PM Post #13
Currently attempting to return. Posts: 1,331 Group: A Rank Hero Member #11,430 Joined: September 20, 2010 Gender: Male Country: Portugal Game Currently Playing: Stronghold: Crusaders	I have 3 characters one female and two male. Most of the times I just say to myself: "with her\his\my personality and her\his back story what would she\he\I do." Funny is that I spend a lot of time day dreaming and just imagining how would my life be in this or that situation.
	Tumblr The Shack Family Chart in a nutshell.


Rene	Dec 5 2010, 01:54 PM Post #14
Marble Garden Act 1 Posts: 136 Group: B Rank Adventurer Member #11,562 Joined: November 14, 2010	If you're roleplaying them, think for every post: "would any person do or say this given the circumstances?" I often think "would I do this if I thought like them?" For example, I'm bisexual and I have a roleplaying character who is a homophobe. How do I deal with making him feel real and sympathetic? I try to find reason with what he does, even if it's not how I usually reason. It's important to not go to the extremes if you can avoid it. An aggressive character doesn't have to per se respond to everything like as if he or she had been called a fat and ugly cow, and a happy person doesn't have to smile and dance while being insulted openly. As for roleplaying the opposite gender, I like to think that boys and girls aren't that different after all. I think motivations has little to do with gender. However if you want it to be like most ficiton these days, make a girl want to have BABIEZ and a boy to want to protect his offspring and his mate. That should do it. Edited by Rene, Dec 5 2010, 01:55 PM.



Lady Miracle	Dec 5 2010, 05:48 PM Post #15
[insert something cheerful here] Posts: 8,037 Group: Former Monarchs Member #9,289 Joined: August 20, 2008	What Blaire said is also helpful. Real people have fears of certain things and certain conditions or complications. You could look into that. As for characters of the opposite gender, well, I'll be honest that I usually go by either what I see from this sort of characters in VG or the people around me. ^^;;
	The Muffin Man's wife and a


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