Jump to content

Do you write your characters, or do they write themselves?


Silhouette
 Share

Recommended Posts

Exactly as the title asks.

I have two characters in particular that are my babies, I drag them from site-to-site and I know everything there is to know about them. They've become such a big part of my life that they honestly feel [i]alive[/i] in my head, to the point where when I'm writing a post, sometimes I'll get a flash of a feeling or words that dictate how I'm going to write. It's not as weird as it sounds I swear haha. But I take it to be my characters telling me how they want themselves to be written... And it's definitely ended up with some interesting posts. I always say my characters surprise me, and it's because they do. They want me to do things in posts that have me facepalming in the back as I write it out xD I truly do feel like they've come alive and write themselves through me,

 

I'm just curious if anyone else feels this way, or if I'm just a bit of a weirdo haha. So, do you feel like you have 100% control of your characters and they just have to do whatever you want them to, or do you feel like somehow they have a will of their own?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I typically write them, as it takes a lot of time

and understanding for me to reach a point where I know a character enough to have that sort of intuitive understanding of how they function. It’s happened with a few of my

novel characters, but never a rp character. 

Aure entuluva! Day shall come again! - The Children of Hurin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Makes sense, I'm similar in that these two current characters of mine are the only ones that have really reached this level of "self-writing" for me in 14 years of writing. New characters I make, I definitely don't feel a connection to. As for novel characters, yeah I can see how that would be different. And as a reader it's more enjoyable for sure when you feel like the characters are their own identities, rather than just the author's musings haha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They write themselves, 100%.

Reality is an illusion. 


 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine, after a while, also write themselves. To the point they can keep secrets from me and surprise me and shit. -eye roll- Honestly it's partially annoying lmao I be like "Okay, so this post is probably going to be x" and then I start typing and they just go in a completely freakin different direction. Asses.

 

There was something I saw a few months ago about how writers have been quite adamant their characters have a voice and will of their own for quite some time, like back into the middle ages or further if I remember right, so it's just the condition of being a writer to have this happen. It sounds like it should be weird, but it's actually quite normal, s'just a #lilwriterthang

  • Preach it! 1

nusignature.png nusignature.png

I am the darkness, always watching, always listening, ALWAYS THERE.
(If you're interested in Plain of Ice, message me, it's private. Bleach site, non-canon.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I genuinely only stick with characters that I feel this level of "self-writing" with these days. I've been writing for a really long time, specifically roleplaying, and I sort of developed this level of connection with my characters and the sense of intuition early on. I think it's a fairly common perception, because roleplaying is most definitely an escapism for a great majority of people. It goes beyond a hobby, albeit for some it can definitely turn into a career. 

 

There are often times when I'm making a reply, and I've planned out specific scenarios or goals with my writing partners, and the character ends up taking it in a direction I hadn't expected or planned for in the first place. 

  • Preach it! 1

1388779713_Tamnera.png.43d9196b9e1ead95cbfcda92b755a4a5.png

Tam'nýer—a' is an 18+ Premium Jcink Original Fantasy World

Operated for 3 Years - LGBTQIA+ Friendly - POC Friendly - 3|3|3 Rated

Custom Races, Original Flora and Fauna, Lore and Story Driven

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of my characters write themselves because I've had them a long time and I'm of the same mind with them. Some of the newer ones I generally have to write for a time before we get a feel for each other. I still have some that come more naturally then others but for the most part I like to think it's an even balance.

spacer.pngDecadence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When characters are new there is this sort of side-eyeing each other as I write them and then they begin to take over and they write themselves. It's why profiles with their backgrounds are never fully the truth as the characters reveal things to me as we get to know one another better.

 

One of my fav moments of this was a character I made then scrapped after a month. Two months later his story was still going around in my head so I created him again and he just took over. It was literally like he stopped me writing up his background and said "let me show you who I really am"  And he is now one of my characters that I know everything about since his birth. He has just found out he has a half-brother. It was a HUGE moment.

"You tie the knot, I'll start the fire."

~ The Amity Affliction

 

spacer.png

 

The World Withing - Modern Supernatural Roleplay (JCINK 18+)

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I largely find that my characters write themselves. I definitely have a type when it comes to character archetypes, and so I usually find little issue in meshing with their mindsets. Every once in awhile, I'll go through a sort of adjustment period where it takes me a few posts/threads to find a character's voice, but normally I just let them run with whatever is going on. 

 

I tend to write very stream of consciousness, and it definitely contributes to this - though I don't know exactly which developed first for me.

spacer.png

home. | guidebook. | canons. | discord.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This used to be a thing with me, back in the day, the characters "writing themselves," but I do think you have to be careful with this approach. In essence, this is Method acting — You understand the character on an instinctive level and let "them" react through you. But there can be what we always called "bleed" back in the day — That overlap of character emotion with your personal emotions, which I've seen (and experienced) leading to drama and upset because the OOC/IC lines get blurred. Not everybody takes it that far, but I do think it's worth being aware.


I also have to say, it can be really annoying when "they write themselves" is thrown around as an excuse, which I've also seen a lot. I get that we mean figuratively here in this discussion thread, but if I'm writing with you, giving me the metaphorical shoulder shrug and shoving blame for insensitive decision-making onto the character just doesn't fly. In the real world, you are the one in control. We all have reasons for making decisions in RP — Whether you like going full Method or not, I think being able to articulate them is not just helpful/respectful to your partners, but helpful to your own writing and development goals, too.


For me personally, I find being more cognizant of plot and development goals, and then letting the instinct inform the progress of those (rather than dominate/dictate them) is a healthier way to go about it.

  • Preach it! 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would it be pretentious if I said they write themselves? I mean, dialogue is HANDS DOWN my favorite part of writing scenes with multiple characters. I absolutely LOVE seeing how they react coming to life. Truthfully, as I write the scene, it's almost as though the characters themselves are speaking. The back and forth between characters are often the aspect of writing I have to think about the least -- it feels more natural to go off instinct rather than playing mental chess with myself trying to figure out how a particular chunk of dialogue should go. It's a blast, honestly.

output-onlinegiftools-2.gif.27f54d3db458a355aed79097c05c01ce.gif

"For You Are An Architect; A Worldshaper."
site | discord

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
On 4/19/2021 at 1:35 AM, Keaton said:

This used to be a thing with me, back in the day, the characters "writing themselves," but I do think you have to be careful with this approach. In essence, this is Method acting — You understand the character on an instinctive level and let "them" react through you. But there can be what we always called "bleed" back in the day — That overlap of character emotion with your personal emotions, which I've seen (and experienced) leading to drama and upset because the OOC/IC lines get blurred. Not everybody takes it that far, but I do think it's worth being aware.


I also have to say, it can be really annoying when "they write themselves" is thrown around as an excuse, which I've also seen a lot. I get that we mean figuratively here in this discussion thread, but if I'm writing with you, giving me the metaphorical shoulder shrug and shoving blame for insensitive decision-making onto the character just doesn't fly. In the real world, you are the one in control. We all have reasons for making decisions in RP — Whether you like going full Method or not, I think being able to articulate them is not just helpful/respectful to your partners, but helpful to your own writing and development goals, too.


For me personally, I find being more cognizant of plot and development goals, and then letting the instinct inform the progress of those (rather than dominate/dictate them) is a healthier way to go about it.

 

I really just want to echo everything said here. It leads to uncomfortable situations when you go into someone's DMs and ask if they could adjust their reply a little because the plot is derailing too much / you're not comfortable with the reply you got and they just go well it's my character and they acted how they're gonna act. Except, your first thought of what your character would do is not necessarily the only IC reaction they would have? Stepping back to consider ok, what was the purpose of this thread to begin with isn't making the reaction OOC, it's just figuring out a way to make both RPers happy.

 

I'm not at all accusing anyone of this thread of anything, but I have seen this kind of "the character writes themselves, I'm just a vessel for their thoughts" mentality used to back up some really horrendous behavior. The worst was when one rper gaslighted his partners into plots they weren't comfortable with because you agreed to write with this character knowing what he's like, you should've seen this coming. I won't get into more detail because it was some really disturbing stuff, but I firmly believe that rpers are 100% in charge of their character 100% of the time. Writers aren't vessels; we're filters, and in rp, one of those filters needs to be our partner's comfort and desires.

 

All that being said, I don't think it's a rper's job to force a plot to work if it just doesn't fit right. But I don't think the answer to that is "I'm gonna have my character react in ways that don't align with what we discussed without asking you if it's okay, and when you call me out on it I'm gonna tell you that my character is just reacting ICly and I can't control what they do" because that's just being passive-aggressive and not communicating the issue. If you bring up that a plot isn't really working for you and you want to change it and then they start to guilt-trip you, then that's their bad.

 

I just want to reiterate that this isn't a callout for anyone in this thread who said their characters are in control, but I saw this reply and it really resonated with me.

Edited by reuwille
  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The short answer from me is that when they are simply 'characters' I am writing for or as, then I am fully driving that boat - and if they think they are 'real people' then they want to be channeled through my brain and fingers (yes, I'm that weird person).

 

The better, longer answer:

 

There's such a thing as simply reacting or writing from a gut or subconscious level, without using - to quote @reuwille (hi we echo each other a lot lets be besties kthxbai) - filters to make those words and actions ring true to the characters themselves, and then just writing some purely, consciously manipulative and purposefully 'eff stuff up' things just for the wrong reasons. Be it drama, character growth, creating circumstances that force growth or breakage, etc. Like anything else in life, all of these things can and do occur on a spectrum - and as good authors (to coin a phrase, writers are people who write things, while authors are those who create something original) our job is to steer it between those two axis of "neurotic possession by an imaginary being" and "dogmatic obsession with some utterly brilliant story arc that has simply become our sole reason to exist".

 

The really awesome - and dangerous thing - about cooperative writing is that we are not alone in this endeavor. Unlike solo writing, cooperative writing means that we absolutely MUST leave room to accommodate other people  (whether that be a group or a partner) - their thoughts, their actions, their feelings are all just as important as our own character's perspective and motive, and I think that is usually where players struggle. Getting into a characters head is hard - doing so in a way that leaves room for OTHER people (and THEIR characters) to also fit? Good God, that is asking a lot, and sometimes people just aren't capable of doing so. Nor are they capable of clearly seeing their own limitations - hence defensive statements like 'MY CHARACTER IS JUST DOING WHAT MY CHARACTER DOES OK YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE SIGNING UP FOR OK'.

 

From my point of view, if a character thinks and feels 'real', then they have real thoughts and feelings that they want me to document for them, which I try to do to the best of my limited abilities. If it's a newly generated character finding their voice, or just some random 'ghost' I have chargenned (character generated) for plot or partnering reasons, etc., then I have to struggle a lot harder to make them read and sound just as genuine and authentic, but it is all stuff dredged from my own consciousness and effort with little to no creative 'muse'.

Edited by psychodrow
axis not axes
  • Agree 1
  • Love 1

spacer.png

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think to some degree my characters write themselves, and those that don't tend not to last very long in my roster. I do certainly like to throw my characters into situations where I can manipulate them to see how they react (for example, throwing them in the middle of the forest when there is a full moon and a giant pack of werewolves approaching), but that's to gauge how they would react organically to the situation. It takes longer to find the voice of some characters than others, but ultimately most of my characters have a voice and a story, I just need to manipulate the circumstances to best tell that story. One of the greatest joys for me when it comes to roleplaying is discovering things I didn't know before.

 

Like Acacia's biological father was really a business mogul, not the man she thought it was.

Like Kalina's familial blood curse that is destined to destroy her when the appropriate configuration of 11s is met.

Like Raven's accidental imprinting on a friend as a result of trauma the two went to together.

Like Elsa's secret love for her best friend and mild disdain at the thought of being eternally bound to her lover.

 

Now, that's not to say that I don't write characters for a specific purpose - I've created characters for wanted ads and for specific plots or reasons before - but typically there is always that 'aha!' moment that says the story was always in my head, I just needed an outlet to facilitate it and then things start taking on a life of their own.

FBTAff-4.png
FBT is an original (modern) supernatural rpg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I usually feel that I write my own characters... except for two. Kesi (Oh, how I miss her) and Dalla. Kesi was an insane, tortured girl that ended up having split personalities due to trauma. Her core personality I called 'Child Kesi' so her brain never really matured past the age of 12. I would just freewrite my threads with her and go with no plan and come up with the most ridiculous things. For an evil character, she was one of my most comedic. 

 

Dalla I had all these plans and high ambitions for and she took them and turned them to 1000 and turned into the biggest drama queen I've ever written. She's snooty, she's posh, she makes terrible decisions and she demands all the attention from both all the characters around her and the writer herself. So rude, but so Dalla. 

 

Usually I do have to think, and I find myself really considering my character's actions. Kesi and Dalla? They never did a single thing I wanted to- and that's why they're one of my very favorite characters. 

Signature.gif.f990d17d00a304eecbd3578bd5de4cf5.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use, Guidelines and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.