Character Survey Thread

[IndigoBlue]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."

I rarely ever base any characters on myself or people I know. I happen to hate my own personality so I try not to have one of my characters be the same as me, as I would hate trying to describe the character in my own words. In general, I think that it's very awkward, and that creating a character with a unique personality is part of the fun in writing a story.

2.Do you prefer writing male of female characters? Why?
I love writing both. Each gender has their own unique bits and pieces that are interesting to write about. Honestly, I am not your average girl. Writing about guys are actually sometimes preferable to girls. It's nice to switch off between genders once in a while, as it gives the story more different points of view and ideas that the other gender may not notice as much as the other.

3.How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?

I do get attached to my characters, but not enough so that I won't have the will to kill them off. Sometimes, I even DO want to put the character through heart-breaking experiences because I enjoy the thrill of manipulating characters and feeling my own heart throb when re-reading what I wrote. Even though I did create the character myself and love putting them through different tragedies and problems, I do remember that the story would honestly be boring if there wasn't some character that changes, gets killed, or learns something. Besides, I usually look at my plot first, then mark those who I will kill later and those I plan to keep, so I try not to get too attached before the big tragedy ;)
Getting too attached, in my opinion, is a big problem. It kind of makes the writer not want to put their character through any stress or problems, and would in general, make the story have no problem. And a story with no problem would be very boring. Now that I think about it, it actually wouldn't even be considered a story in my opinion. Just a recording of someone's uninteresting life.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?

THIS is the part that is way different than my own style of writing. I happen to get VERY attached to other people's characters. I cry if the character is heart-broken or in pain. Sometimes I throw the book across the room when the character gets back-stabbed. Back-stabbing is something I react weirdly to each time. If a character is good first, then back-stabs, I immediately hate the character for life. And then the back-stabbing character turns good, and then I immediately love them again. It's a weird love-hate relationship.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?

I love doing both. Creating a plot and creating characters are the two most important things in a story. If you were to force me to choose, though, I would probably say that I do both at the same time. It sounds confusing, but it really isn't. I start off with a plot, and some characters that I've created and don't know where they would fit in. And then as the plot progresses, I stick characters is their places, occasionally tweaking their personalities or adding in other minor characters that would improve the story.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?

I honestly don't know. Making a character just kind of comes to me. I mix and match different traits, and try to find a perfect fit. I find creating characters more fun than developing the plot.

[Nerruse]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."

Not directly; that would be a Mary Sue. But every single character I have ever written or ever will write has some aspect of me in them somewhere. It would be impossible to write them otherwise simply because I wouldn't be able to relate.

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?

My protagonists usually end up as female. I don't plan it that way, I think it's just so much more natural for me to write my own gender that I don't even think about it. Just like how even when not stated in the story, pretty much every character I write is left-handed in my mind, because I am. I do have a lot of male secondary characters, though.

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?

Well let's put it this way, if I wasn't interested or invested in my characters I wouldn't be writing about them. That said, I wouldn't shy away from killing someone off if the plot required it. Getting attached to a character is a sign of the character being realistic and/or easy to relate to, so I wouldn't call it a bad thing necessarily.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?

Very. Unfortunately most of the ones I really like die, though. In fact I often use my level of attachment to a character as a prediction of if they will die or not lol. I'm right more often than not.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?

That all sounds pretty clinical. I start with an interesting character doing something interesting and take it from there. I don't plan much unless I feel it's absolutely necessary.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?

The only characters I consciously create are for RPs and things like that. Most of the time I just look at the setting, get a basic idea of what type of character I want to write about and usually one will pop into my mind. It works for me most of the time. But really every story is different so I never approach it the same way every time. I do try to jot down notes to myself as I go along though, so I don't suddenly change their eye color or something.

[TOrideleKeto]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
My characters are rarely based off me. When I was younger, they would, inevitably, look like me, but with mystical powers . However, some of my characters share a few of my qualities, like a fondness for beef jerky or an interest in the sciences. Stuff like that. But, those are the stories in my 'write to be published' pile. I assure you, that the stories out of that pile that I wrote years ago have a more heavy resemblance. I always wince when reading those, though they do have amusing illustrations.
2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
I prefer female characters, generally. Probably because I'm female and I know how a female would treat other females and other males better that I know how a boy would treat other boys and females. But, on the flip side of the coin, I do have many male characters I like to write about, such as Bouillon Fred, an imaginary friend, Fanamerix, the ghost of Aloshia's deceased brother, and Josh and Jay, two boys who have been taken prisoner in a cybernetic world for slave labor. Not all in one story.
3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
The character I've been writing the longest is Alsoshia. We've been through two epic fail comic books, fourty-some rough draft pages, and now an over ten thousand word revision that is only in it's second chapter. Truthfully, she's a real part of my life now, and I can't imagine having to kill her off. She will inevitably get wounded in battle, and see things she loves die, but I won't make it all bad for her. I see in her future her reclaiming her kingdom, gaining passage to the ghost-world to visit her dead friends, and possibly getting a boyfriend. Don't tell her, though. I want it to be a surprise. One day we will be published, Aloshia and I. I think that would be nice.
4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
I can get very attached to other people's characters if the stories are well written enough, and are long enough that I can really get to know them. When I am attached enough to a character or their story, inevitably their voice begins to speak to me in my head, commenting on daily life. I am not kidding. And not just books, movies also. It has to be a very special movie or TV show, though. Like Star Trek.
5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
It depends. Alsohia and the rough outline of her story were born together. As I thought about her, and wrote, more little details were born. That's the way it should be, I think. However, my story about imaginary friends was created from a dream, and as I write I create the characters to fit the dream's storyline. For my thwo Sci-fis, one is based off a story of transferring memory, and I create the characters to fit my idea. As for the Cybernetic-prisoner story (Mouse) I just have the rough outline and add my current ideas as I go along.
6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
I don't really know how I create my characters. They just come to me in a rough form and I smooth them out a bit. Aloshia came to me via drawing assignment. The assignment was 'draw a superhero that you create' so I did. That's how Alsohia came to be. But then she was very rough. It took me about a year or two to get he sorted out.

Sorry to write a book.

[CrystalRose]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
No, not really. When I was younger, I used to have characters with the same appearance as me, but not so much anymore.
I do notice that a lot of my characters have a penchant for sarcasm...kind of like me.

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
Most of my narrators are female...I'm a girl.
It's easier for me to know how a girl would react in certain situations than a boy would, so my female characters are more realistic.
Though, most of my supporting characters are male.

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
Hmm...I try not to get too attached, but it happens.
It's necessary to get a tiny bit attached to your characters...Otherwise, it's like you're writing about a complete stranger.
On the other hand, when I get too attached, I kind of tend to take any criticism as a personal affront...I don't want that!

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
Meh. I don't usually tend to get attached, but...there are some kind of characters that you can't help but root for.
I love caring characters, and even ones that might start off cold but gradually make progress throughout the story.
I also love it when the author fleshes out every character. It can make you fall in love with a supporting character and even make a 'bad guy' likable.
For example:

The barbaric enemy soldier you're about to kill. Does he have a family waiting for him to come home? Maybe he really hates the cause he's fighting for, but wants to be loyal to his country.

The quiet guy in the background, always doing what you tell him to, nothing more. What is he working for? Does he have a family he needs to support? Is he secretly wishing for a promotion?

That kind of stuff makes me fall in love with characters.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
I've done both. But I find it easier to come up with the character first, then make the story. Otherwise, it kind of feels like I'm forcing the character into a plot.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
Hmph. Well, this is kind of weird, but I'll tell you it anyway.
I usually start off with the character's voice. It's not something that I deliberately do. I usually create the voice when I find a cool phrase or sentence floating around in my head, which I place as the first line of the story.
Based around my first line, I grab a sheet of paper and start writing anything I know about this character. His/her traits, their attitude, family, etc. Only the relevant information, though. At this point, I really don't care when their birthday is, I just want to get the essentials out of the way.
After that, I take a look at their traits and try to flesh out the character a little more:

They're shy. Is it because they're genuinely afraid of people, or are they just being polite and modest?

They're brave. Are they really fearless, or do they have nightmares about that last mission every time they try to sleep?

After that, I consider myself pretty much done. All that's left is the physical characteristics, but, in my mind, these don't matter as much as the mental ones.

Also, I'm not a fan of those 'form' sheets. I mean, some of the simpler ones help me remember things, but, honestly, I don't care what their zodiac sign is, or their score on the Myers-Briggs test.

Sorry that this was so long. I did my best to break it up, but I don't know if it worked.
Oh, well. Would've been even longer if my computer hadn't eaten the first version.

[umbreon241]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
Well, this one's kind of complicated. With a small percentage of my characters, I'll start out with their actions based off what I would do, and branch out from there. I had one character who was like me, but I then I ended up turning her more angry and untrusting, though with a soft side.

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
Female, because I am female and it is easier for me to play girls more correctly than guys. I'll try to add in guys to even out the gender a little, though girls are still easier for me to play.
And girls are easier for me to draw. :tard:

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
I get somewhat attached, though not a lot. I have no problems with torturing a character physically/emotionally. However, while I do kill off characters, it's not usually the main ones/the ones that will be important to the plot.
I do think getting too attached is a problem because getting very attached is basically a recipe for a Mary Sue/Gary Stu. The author will keep giving them new powers to help get them out of bad situations, etcetera.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
Much more attached than I do my own.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
Hmmm... It really depends for this one. I roleplay, so generally I have a story set out for me, so it's up to myself to design the characters.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
First I come up with a personality. Then I put a name to it and design a basic appearance. After that, I go into a general backstory before making up the smaller events in their lives. As I go, I'll be changing their appearance by bits and pieces. Got into a lot of fights as a kid? Give them some scars from that.


I must admit, I'm one of those authors who is constantly working on their characters and always making more characters. I think it must be some kind of mental rule with me that in almost every single 1x1 roleplay I'm in, I must have at least ten or less than four OCs.

[Ookami]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
I almost always make my characters exceptionally different than me. To me, it's really important for characters to have depth and unique personalities, and a lot of times I feel like I can be way more creative when I'm not basing my characters off of anyone or anything. Of course, as Steve Jobs said (in a nutshell), creativity is just connecting things, so they have to come from somewhere. So really, my characters are a buildup of bits and pieces of all sorts of things, twisted around so that they're not as recognizable. I find ideas from everything.

Then again, when you think about it, it's impossible for any character not to have some of "you" in it, you know? I mean, it may be some hidden microscopic fragment deep within them, but it's still something that relates to you. I think that no matter what any writer does, they do it subconsciously. (This isn't really something that I've "noticed," more something that just makes complete and total sense in my mind. If you know what I mean.)

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
I'm not sure that I really have a preference, because you need both for a story to work. When I'm writing a story of my own, the main character is often a female (for some reason that even I am not sure of), but I have just as much fun creating the males. Sometimes, I'm actually more inspired for the male characters than for the females... I really don't know why. I'm a girl myself, so maybe that's why I instinctively make the MC a girl, but I honestly have no idea.

In MS roleplays, though, it's a whole other story. I have way more male characters on here, and when I can only create one character, it's almost always a male. Maybe it's because there are so few people on here that actually play males, but I don't think that's it... Even in 1x1s, I lean towards the male characters... I'm in three 1x1s right now, and I play male characters in all of them. Two of them, I write in first-person.

So, long, rambling answer short, I have no preference.

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
I do come to love all of my characters in some way or another, even the antagonists, but I won't hesitate to kill them off or make them suffer or whatever. I've even killed off my favorite characters in stories, without feeling bad at all. As for getting attached being a problem, it really depends. You should care about all your characters enough to spend time writing about them, even the antagonists/villains. If you hate your antagonists, you'll end up making your protagonists too perfect, in the sense that they always somehow "win" against the antagonists, if you know what I mean. "You" as a writer need to be able to play both sides. On the other hand, you don't want being attached to characters to cause you too be soft on them in your story. A writer needs to be able to make their character suffer if it's what will bring the best out of the story. Quite frankly, if my characters came out of the story and found out that I was the one behind all the horrible things that happened to them, they'd hate me... but hating my characters is out of the question.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
Times a million... if the story is good. If the story's no good, I won't care enough about the characters to even keep reading. When the story is good, though, I end up with strong opinions about almost ever character. For example, in the manga Fruits Basket, I'm totally obsessed with Kyo, and I hate Yuki just as much. In some stories, I hate the main character and route for the antagonist! Naturally, I side with the protagonist more often, but the main character(s) is/are rarely my favorite. I don't know why, I just always seem to get more attached to one of the others. (Such as my bffs Luna Lovegood and Finnick Odair!)

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
It depends on where my inspiration comes from. Most of the time, though, they come at the same time... sort of develop the two things together. When I plan my story way ahead of time, I'll create characters that I think go well with the plot... meaning, their personalities will react in interesting ways to events and such. I can't remember the last time that I made the character(s) first, but they probably changed so much by the time I had the plot worked out, that you could hardly call them the same character.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
To be honest, it's hard to sum up my character building into one method. I try to keep a notebook with me as often as possible, so that I can jot down ideas the moment they walk into my mind, before I forget. This could be anything, some random plot fragment or something about one of my characters. In my most recent story, I've been planning out my characters in webs, which worked out amazingly for most of them - except my MC! I ended up planning her out in school, filling out an RP-style form in my homework agenda. As for effective? I was able to finally get my ideas down on paper, I guessed that's effective enough... right?

Now comes the point that I would apologize for my long post, except, since everyone here is a writer, I think we all know that this is what should be expected from people that love to write about writing. Haha.

[shadowdeath]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
I have two characters [non-Magistream related] that are based off of two opposite aspects of my peronality, but they're just spoofs, really. The characters that I use seriously aren't based off of myself, though I do share a few personality traits, or maybe quirks, a taste in music or clothes, an agreement in religion, ect., ect., as my characters- but never more than a couple things.

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
I have no preference, really. It honestly depends on the species I'm using. For examply, I have three vampires; two females, both power-hungry, one cunning, one analytical, and one male, who greatly dislikes his diet but is too much of a coward to die. I call him a "humanitarian vampire" even though he's not actually a humanitarian. [He solved his dilemma by feeding off of criminals, because animals taste bad to him, if you were wondering.] And so, when using vampires, I like playing males better- but take for example my characters with powers. There, I prefer playing females, because I tend to make them quirkier.

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
Not very attached. Enough that I don't like killing them off, and enough to fully understand them. But no, not any more than that. I think that getting too attached could be a problem, because sometimes one could take a criticism of their character to heart. I've seen it before.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
Less so than to my own characters. Yeah... Not much to say here.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
I think that the two work hand in hand. I generally make the story after the character, but the story doesn't pop out of no where- it more grows from the character. Likewise, I can take the plot of one story intended for character A, and imagine character B in it, and I'd get a different story... So actually, I suppose that it's the former.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
I find something I like, and a character grows around that. I have Adare who grew from her middle name, Dierdre, and I have Alene, who grew from her looks, and I have Neil, who grew from his personality. A trait strikes me, and the character forms itself around that. I do, however, think it's effective; it gives me, if nothing else, a variety of characters.

[Dauntless]

Are any of your characters based off of you?

I do have one specific character that is completely based off myself, but he basically is me though. Everything about his life is stuff I've lived, stuff he sees is stuff I've seen. Otherwise, I don't like to base characters off of myself, but I do like to base characters off of my friends. :3


2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?

I don't really have a preference. I find boys are easier to write (possibly because I am one) and for some reason whenever my main character is a boy, that happens to be the one story that gets completed. That being said, I enjoy the process of creating a female character much more.


3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?

I don't really see it as a problem, no. I guess what happens to me, is that I get so attached to my characters and then eventually I get over them. Honestly, I love every single one of my characters, and we all have a special connection.


4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?

Much more then I get attached to mine. Other characters are so interesting. Don't get me wrong, I love my own so much, but seeing how an author develops one of their characters is exciting for me. For example, I am so obsessed with Tris from Divergent. She's da best.


5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?

A little of both honestly. One specific character of mine, her name is Hailey, and I sorta built a story around her, because I loved her so much. But other times, I have this perfect idea for a story, and decide how I should make the characters based off of the plot.


6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?

They always have to be different. I will never have a main character that shoots a bow and arrow and gets caught in a love triangle, like Katniss. She's already claimed, I want my characters to be different.

[Kuchiki]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."

No, not really.


2.Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?

Male characters. Some female characters just piss me off! And I do find male characters being easier to write about than females.


3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?

like, really attached. Sometimes at school, I imagine my character walking down the hallway, and what people would think if they saw him...


4.How attached do you get to other people's characters?

Not very, unless they're appealing.


5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?

I formulate the story to fit my characters.


6.ow do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?

I dunno, really...I guess it's just a whole lot of inspiration mixed with experience.

[Faleep]

1. Are any of your characters based off of you? I notice this a lot with the so called "Keep Stories" where people call their character "my magi."
I normally use some traits of me and my friends to make the characters, it's easier to write about taits you know, and have experience with then to make up something.

2. Do you prefer writing male or female characters? Why?
Female. I am female, so I know how the female body works, so I can get real descriptive about things.Simple, right?

3. How attached do you get to your own characters? Do you think getting too attached is a problem?
I get very attached to my characters. I've been using the same people, Star and Moon,for forever and a day. I know alot about them, and I think of them as ever changing to fit the story. It's easier for me to write about these people, which I know very well, then to write about some random people.

4. How attached do you get to other people's characters?
I get very attached to them as well. I try to make a "bond" between me, me characters, and other people's characters. It helps me better round out my characters, and I can also see how other people write about their characters, then use that writing stile in my own writing.

5. Do you formulate a story to fit your characters, or do you write characters to fit a story?
both. The newest story I'm working on, I had a story in mind, but no people, so I fit somebody in there, and It worked out great! for some others of mine, I had a person I wanted to write about (like Moon)and I just needed a story. If I get stuck using one way on a story, I try to use a different way.

6. How do you go about making a character? Do you think it's an effective method?
The first character I ever made was Star...she was mostly based after me, and how I felt, but she grew and changed to try to "fit" everybody I met after that. My other person Narla, well, she was just a random name that popped into my head,and I put down on to paper, wrote about her, and I fell in "love" with the way she was. I also take one of my characters (say Star), and Change their name around a little bit, give them a new quirk or two, then write about them. It's so that the readers don't get tired or reading about the same person all the time, but the writer doesn't have the burn their brain trying to come up with a new person.