How Easy Is Character Development? - Comments

I didn't understand, up until now, why i was tiring of mibba and quizilla and such. But you pointed this out and i was like "that's it". The underdeveloped, generic stories that have become so abundant on these sites are so predictable that they're hardly ever satisfying. Somehow there's always "the hot guy" and "the girl next door" who both happen to be rich, hate each other at first, then fall madly in love in a short period of time and live happily off of his fathers money for the rest of their lives...
It's so hypocritical of me to write this because I love those stories, and most likely won't stop reading them...

I agree entirely with your article. My very first fanfics absolutely ooozed of Sally Winters...Now, I like to believe I'm improving. But who knows?

I'm starting a story myself and was just wondering how much would be too much.
It's a fan-fiction, but it starts when they were five and really goes into what and why and how they are who they are.
It goes through the life process, you know?

I hate it when people just kind of "are".
Like "This girl does this and is like this and likes this and hates them and is this because I said so."
Okay?
It's missing depth.
You need to feel the connection with the characters and differentiate them.

Like what LeandraLoco-motion said, they need a base to build off of. It's hard to be original, especially on such a popular site. You just need to do the best you can to put you into it.

I agree with this article a hundered percent.
Sad thing is I suck at character development and the like.
So I guess I'm part of the group your critizing, lol.
Not to sound conceited though I have great story ideas but I suck at writing, my grammar is horrible, my puncutations horrible, and I don't know enough words in my brain so I always use the same ones over and over.
Some of us are like that.
Anyway that wasn't an excuse I was just pointing out something =D
I agree with LivexLaughxCheer, my best friend is a cheerleader and to be blunt about it, she's a complete nerd!
Good article, btw =]

Yep, I'd say your points are well founded and that your writing covers a lot. This comment though is more about how I think its really cool of you to be, wel, nice about this. I used to hear about some of the hatemail people would get about their stories on quizilla, and your way of understanding yet still informing I find to be a notably better way of presentation ^.^
Its like people just wanted to rant at anyone or thing, on qz... But anyway, a well written article~

This was a very nice article, long and informative.

Sadly, I am terrible with character development. Although my characters aren't exactly like the kinds you described, they're pretty one dimensional. =/ But I believe you can make it up with a good, and original, plot and style of writing.

It drives me crazy when I do read stories of Mary Sues though, where just about all characters love her at first glance. Ugh. Especially if their plots have no real meaning or motive.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for bringing up the cheerleader/prep/jock villiany.

I am a cheerleader. I have been one since the third grade. I am short, brunette, and very shy. When I graduated from the eighth grade last Tuesday, I recieved the President's Award for Academic Excellence. I just got my first kiss two months ago. I have had a total of four boyfriends, all who lasted over a month. I'm pretty close to the bottom of the social ladder. I have real interests, I actually hate shopping at times and I not only cheer, but also swim, play lacrosse, do theatre, and participate in this modeling thing at the local mall.

As you can see, I do not fit in the cheerleader stereotype. ALMOST NO CHEERLEADERS DO. Same for the "jocks." We are real people with real feelings. And, while you may paint us as the insensitive, self-absorbed, I'm-better-than-everyone-else jerks, you're actually proving that you are that person.

Sorry about that. I needed to rant and you are one person who's on my side. Thank you!

Character development is important, but how you are at it comes with time and practise I think. The more you write, the better you become. I'd hazard a guess to say 80-90% of the writers on this site are just starting out, some of them even not that serious about writing but just doing it for fun.

That being said, we were all amateurs at some point and we'll all always have room for improve. But learning the skills of writing comes with time and practise, it's something developed.

I agree.... mostly.

The character of "Sally Winters" or whatever has become way, way over done. But I mean, I can count on one had how many authors I've seen on here that could possibly ever be a published author. And I highly doubt they will get that way using this plot, m'kay? Chill out. It usually makes people feel a little better about themselves to know that they're capable of writing a story, pre-made plot or no. This is a website where people can write whatever they want to.

I'm not defending these stories, because I can assure you I get just as frustrated with them sometimes. But for God's sake, if you don't like the stories like this, DON'T READ THEM.

V "Some people just like to think they are."

That made me laugh a LOT!

Well people.
You should let those teenagers with "lack of knowlegde" write what they want to write. That is why us being only teenagers is a REASON, not an EXCUSE.
If you don't want to read it, then don't.
And I'm not defending those types characters and stories, I still think they're terrible, but like I said, not everyone is creative. Some people just like to think they are.

:D fantastic article, read through the whole thing and it's very well-written.

oh god, do I ever know what you mean with the whole 'Sally Winters' scenario. hah, pretty much describes half the things I've read [and, not gonna lie, some old ones I've written].
and I agree heavily with the cheerleader stereotyping, and the characteristic stereotypes of people who are 'preppy'. my best friend is a shopping-addicted, magazine-reading, The Hills-watching psycho, but she's not tall, blonde and a huge bitch.

I disagree with LeeandraLoco-motion; I don't think being 'only a teenager' should be just another excuse. being 'only a teenager' is what makes adults underestimate us, due to lack of experience and thus lack of knowledge. we can still be creative and still develop original characters, who, like real people, change and grow over time.
we live it, we shouldn't have to go to TV for reference.

mhmm, proves a point.
especially at the end with the cheerleader stereotype. I can't count how many times it's been used.

GREAT article.

Yes we are teenagers, leandraLoco-motion, however most of us are WRITERS. And the purpose of writing CREATIVE writing is to be CREATIVE and not re-write the same story over and over again. There are also plenty of good teenage writers, and yes you could make the basic plot better, however, most of us would not want to read it since we know what is going to happen by the third chapter.

it does annoy me, like alot. most of the people take their fav star or book characters and pretend that happens to them. i wanna yell, sorry but thats prolly not gonna happen to you.
but they're also making the characters ALL the same. seriously i get sick of it.
but for those of you do write that way whatever, keep writing i guess.

Why do I feel like yelling shut up to the computer after reading this?
Seriously. Tons of people might agree with you, but I think ideas like the ones you displayed give writers a simple idea as to where to start. A good writer can take these cliches and make them different. You can't expect everyone to be completely original. We're only teenagers after all.
The bottom line is: Writers will emulate what they see on T.V. or even what the see in real life, and they'll make a story about it.

Mmm, yes. :]

I think the only time poor character development and such is acceptable is when it's in harlequin romances - the only writing that truely rots your brain.

I agree with you completely (especially the whole cheer leading thing). Loved how you summarized 2/5ths of the stories on Mibba (I'm not bashing the authors, I know I have been guilty of that too, however, we need to start becoming more original with stories).