Where Do You Get Your Characters?

  • hengstin.

    hengstin. (250)

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    Most of mine are real guys who come from Germany.... Shifty

    But the original ones, they just pop into my head, I use a name generator to name them, and I use an arithmancy calculator for their personalities. Cute
    February 4th, 2010 at 02:55am
  • stupify.

    stupify. (100)

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    I think of them as I would a character in movie. I might write the first chapter of a story, and then imagine the character doing the things. I see how they've done (whatever) in my mind, and base their personalities on what I imagine.

    Then, I pick a name with a meaning that has a not-so-obvious relation to them somehow. And I make sure it flows in the dialogue I perform in my head between characters.

    And, voila: a new character. Cute
    February 4th, 2010 at 03:47am
  • This.Useless.Heart.

    This.Useless.Heart. (115)

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    Im Foolish Not Brave:
    My characters just sort of pop into my head with their life stories. I honestly don't know how they come to be, but they come to me to tell their stories.
    That's sorta how I see mine. I thought I was like the only one. Like, sometimes if I don't know something about a character I just wait for them to tell me, so to speak.
    February 4th, 2010 at 04:42am
  • Gubface

    Gubface (100)

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    Mine are mainly Welsh, because then I know the exact dialect they would speak, and then they, to me, would be genuine. I'd love to write as a German person though.
    February 17th, 2010 at 06:13pm
  • Spaztastic

    Spaztastic (640)

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    Most of my characters come from the plot. I get the story idea first then develop a story. Sometimes movies or other book characters inspire them. However, with my current story, the characters are all based off people in my life in one way or another.
    February 18th, 2010 at 01:01am
  • Vintage Trouble.

    Vintage Trouble. (100)

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    Sometimes it can be from other people that ive talked to or met or it can be a random person in a street that i dont even know or it could just be from my imagination. Yeah, anything really xD
    February 26th, 2010 at 10:51pm
  • Hoofbeat

    Hoofbeat (100)

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    Remy LeBeau:
    Characters are a huge part of the story, for me. So they're very important.
    Well it should be like that for everyone! Because honestly, if you screw up your characters, goodbye story and goodbye readers.
    March 3rd, 2010 at 08:51pm
  • spector

    spector (250)

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    My characters usually come after the plotline, or during it. I never plan characters before the plotline.

    When I first write a character in fanfiction, I have to know something about them; for example, when I first got into writing (and reading) Green Day fics, I couldn't read/write any until I had watched many interviews, read up on them, listened to their music, etc. I have to know the character to be able to write it.

    A lot of the time, though, characters just fit for me. When I was writing Puppy Dog Eyes earlier today, I knew it had to be Ryan and Brendon before I'd even finished with the plot in my head. They just fitted.
    March 7th, 2010 at 12:08am
  • ChuBecca

    ChuBecca (100)

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    Usually, my characters are just made up. A lot of times I'll ask my self "What would have happened in this situation if that had been done in stead" and sometimes, my characters come from those things. It's a bit confusing, I know.

    But on my newest story and probably my favorite one I've written, my characters have been kind of inspired by the ruthless Mercer brothers and my love for the boroughs of Pittsburgh, PA.
    March 28th, 2010 at 09:53pm
  • silk tea.

    silk tea. (400)

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    My brain.
    March 28th, 2010 at 09:55pm
  • malkin.

    malkin. (105)

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    The major characters of my stories, the original fiction, that is, are actually based on the rockstars I write about. However, I tend to take their appearance and add a different personality to them, or change the appearance as well. So basically all male characters at some point start as a rockstar. The major female characters usually have a bit of me in them, mostly my thoughts and behaviour. And the rest of the characters, minor ones, are usually somehow derived from the plot. They just... happen.
    March 28th, 2010 at 10:36pm
  • albus severus.

    albus severus. (100)

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    Usually my characters come from my imagination, if not that they're based on people I know.
    March 29th, 2010 at 11:52pm
  • Anchii

    Anchii (100)

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    My characters sort of create themselves, really.
    I can't really explain it.
    They come from anywhere I can see, hear, or whatever I feel at the moment.

    Unless of course I write an one-shot.
    I usually use me as a character.
    Not sure why that is it.
    March 30th, 2010 at 12:00am
  • little motorkitty;

    little motorkitty; (630)

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    Geography wise: Most of mine are from Scotland, like moi Shifty Though one or two are English/American. Oh, and my newest character Ivy is from Spain Cute

    Inspiration wise: Normally people I admire turn into my characters. Or they are how I wish I could be, or somebody I wish I knew. They kinda come from what I want to have XD
    March 30th, 2010 at 12:03am
  • hairdie

    hairdie (100)

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    My characters come from songs. When I hear a song I imagine the singer so I imagine this person who would go with the voice. I listen to the lyrics and try to see if a person lies within the lines and I go off from that.

    That or they come purely from my imagination or based off pictures I see. I twist and distort the image to become what I imagine. It's weird thought process.
    March 30th, 2010 at 01:19am
  • UsagiChaan

    UsagiChaan (155)

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    My mind tehe

    Seriosuly, though. I usually make them American or Canadian. Some here and there are Asian or European. Most of the hockey players are, well, whatever nationality they are,
    March 30th, 2010 at 03:25am
  • The Brightside

    The Brightside (500)

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    They're my alter egos. Sometimes they're things I wish I could be, but more often than not they're just more fucked up versions of my reality.
    April 1st, 2010 at 09:52am
  • fauxpunker

    fauxpunker (100)

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    Everywhere. Coworkers, friends, family, strangers observed while out and about, off the top of my head, you name it. Anyone and everything is fair game for a character idea.
    April 2nd, 2010 at 05:21am
  • liam payne.

    liam payne. (250)

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    My characters just... come to life once I give them a name. Like, I pick a name and then their personality flows from that.
    April 2nd, 2010 at 05:29am
  • teafoam

    teafoam (100)

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    Willow Coult, from Under a Willow Tree, came from my best friend. She didn't give me the idea, but every aspect about Willow traces back to my best friend.
    Most of my main characters come from people I know, simply because I want my story characters to be as real as reality can get.
    April 2nd, 2010 at 08:49am