Re: Last Person to Post Here gets nada
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2026 1:46 am
I was watching a pretty good video about writing characters.
When people first create characters, they tend to create a cool look or gimmick. This guy is Fist Master, master of the nine secret deathpunching techniques! And he wears a really cool overcoat. And he has bandages over his hands! Ooh, and he exclusively wears red.
Okayyy...but take a step back. Lets just start with a guy. Where does this guy live? What's his family like? What does he do for a living? What significant events happened in his life? This is the backstory.
Next, let's get into his head. What motto does he live by, if any? What are his red lines - things he'd never support and would actively oppose if given the opportunity. What's his idea of paradise - his ideal way of life.
Finally, let's see him in action. Something simple, like ordering a coffee. Are they polite to the staff? Do they get upset if the barista misspells their name? Do they give a ludicrously complex and specific order or just order a plain black coffee? (I guess maybe this guy shouts his order while punching the air)
Let's say there's a cat in a tree. What does he do? Try to track down the cat's owner? Climb up there himself? Nothing? Notify the landlord that his neighbor has an undeclared pet?
Let's say that he's dancing to music alone and someone walks in. Does he get embarrassed and stop? Does he keep dancing? Does he invite the other person over to dance?
What's something they don't like about themselves? Do they have any unusual habits or interests?
Basically, once you figure out the backstory, personality/beliefs, flaws/quirks, and actions then you can get to their anime protagonist lifestyle and it'll have a much better chance of landing than someone who started out that way.
When people first create characters, they tend to create a cool look or gimmick. This guy is Fist Master, master of the nine secret deathpunching techniques! And he wears a really cool overcoat. And he has bandages over his hands! Ooh, and he exclusively wears red.
Okayyy...but take a step back. Lets just start with a guy. Where does this guy live? What's his family like? What does he do for a living? What significant events happened in his life? This is the backstory.
Next, let's get into his head. What motto does he live by, if any? What are his red lines - things he'd never support and would actively oppose if given the opportunity. What's his idea of paradise - his ideal way of life.
Finally, let's see him in action. Something simple, like ordering a coffee. Are they polite to the staff? Do they get upset if the barista misspells their name? Do they give a ludicrously complex and specific order or just order a plain black coffee? (I guess maybe this guy shouts his order while punching the air)
Let's say there's a cat in a tree. What does he do? Try to track down the cat's owner? Climb up there himself? Nothing? Notify the landlord that his neighbor has an undeclared pet?
Let's say that he's dancing to music alone and someone walks in. Does he get embarrassed and stop? Does he keep dancing? Does he invite the other person over to dance?
What's something they don't like about themselves? Do they have any unusual habits or interests?
Basically, once you figure out the backstory, personality/beliefs, flaws/quirks, and actions then you can get to their anime protagonist lifestyle and it'll have a much better chance of landing than someone who started out that way.
