Creating A Personality

[Malice Queen]

I don't know about you all, but I have SO much trouble writing out a personality for a character! Usually when RPs require them I TRY my best to AT LEAST list traits that my characters have. Does anyone have any advice for writing a personality for a character?

 

[wonderandawe]

I take an aspect of my own personality and amplify it.

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

Something that I like to do is to think up three positive character traits, three negative ones, and three that are neutral or ambiguous (like something that some people would consider positive and others negative, or something that is sometimes helpful and sometimes harmful, or is neither particularly good or bad). Then, I write about how each of these traits manifest themselves in the character (for example, if they're often happy, how do they show this?), some stuff about how they/others feel about this trait, and what sort of impact it has on their lives. I find that this gives me a pretty solid foundation to build from and elaborate more on as I learn about the character. More traits can be added as well, but I try to keep positive and negative traits fairly balanced whenever possible.  Usually, I end up choosing these nine traits as the major things that define them, then add minor traits as I go to kinda flesh them out a bit.


I don't know if that will help or not, but maybe. (:

 

[Devious Dilbert]

Yikes.


Sometimes writing a personality is easy for me- And whenever that happens, THANK GOD. But I totally get personalities being hard to write out since I've experienced those times where I don't know at all how to put what I'm thinking into words. Whenever I had a hard time, I started with a list of adjectives. From there, I expressed how each adjective listed is reflected in what the character does/acts. Then I tried to expand a bit more by asking questions like, "What are the exceptions? And why?" "What do they think of this particular trait?" etc. etc.


(Kinda unrelated but might also be helpful- don't be afraid to give your character contradicting traits if that's what you have in mind. People contradict themselves all the time- it's perfectly normal. Just make sure your explanation for why makes sense. Somebody can both have a hilarious side and serious side. Perhaps your character just reads moods well and can switch back and forth.)


Example adj: Honest.


"Honesty is one of the most upheld values that this character has and they take it upon themselves to be as candid as possible. They are frank, straightforward, and not afraid to give their full opinion uncensored when asked. The only times the character may lie is when they are asked to reveal personal details as they are uncomfortable talking about themselves due to whatever, blah blah blah-"


Something like that.


Another thing that I tried out recently, and I really enjoy actually- is kind of telling a character's personality through a conversation with the 'narrator'. I like to set it up in a way where the narrator describes the character and the character responds to it. It kinda makes the process more fun and less frustrating in my opinion.


A real short example from an actual cs of mine:


...Fighting the system was never in his blood. In nature, he is a bit on the submissive side, docile, and a born follower. But this never bothered him, in fact- it's quite nice not having to make decisions. Nobody gets mad at you when you're not the one making the stupid choices. He's never called the shots around anywhere. And he's been just fine without doing so.


"What a cool way to start this off by calling me a beta!"


(It gets mildly amusing when you have a jokester character. LOLOL.)

 

[Malice Queen]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, you really helped me out! ^^ Shall I let you see whatever personality I produce thanks to your wonderful inputs?


DD, your suggestions seems really fun and interesting I may alter it a bit and use Alba's method to start out! Thanks again!

 

[Devious Dilbert]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, you really helped me out! ^^ Shall I let you see whatever personality I produce thanks to your wonderful inputs?


DD, your suggestions seems really fun and interesting I may alter it a bit and use Alba's method to start out! Thanks again!

Yes yes.


And also, thanks.  :smile3:  If you need any more help, advice, opinions, whatever- just ask.  :smile4:

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, you really helped me out! ^^ Shall I let you see whatever personality I produce thanks to your wonderful inputs?


DD, your suggestions seems really fun and interesting I may alter it a bit and use Alba's method to start out! Thanks again!

Sure thing! Hope it goes well for you! (:


Something else I might add, kinda going off Dilbert's suggestion, is to see if writing your CS in first-person helps. I usually prefer third, but there have been times when I found it easier to explain in the character's own words, through what they did and didn't say. It kinda helps to show how the character sees the world rather than trying to figure out to explain it objectively. It can also be pretty handy for figuring out a character's "voice". That may not be helpful at all, but it can be a fun little exercise.

 

[call me rae]

I find it easiest to either use my own personality - basically imagine how i would act behave in whatever the world is.


OOR i just imagine my family members or co-workers in the setting. 

 

[Faricarnon]

"I write my backstories before anything, and it acts as a guide for the rest" I believe the same mentality can be applied here, no? Writing the story to your character first, then figuring out what type of personality she/he has after usually works best for me. I don't know if that helps, though.

 

[Malice Queen]

It sure does It's better than what I usually do xD I try to AVOID writing personalities as much as possible! I tend to have a good idea of how I want to play the character I just have a hard time putting the personality into words, it's easier to act it out. Heh...

 

[punkinblackk]

(Why are all the dragons dead?)

 

[Umbrie]

don't worry about tracking the exact number of traits your character has, start small and ease your way in, you can only cover so many traits at a given time, remember to seek traits that don't contradict each other. for example, a pacifistic berserker isn't a good combination,

 

[Birdsie]

I usually go like this: Think what character I want to make. Imagine how they look, behave, act, speak. Move it into paper/screen.


In practise: I just think: I want to make a goofey, derpy clown with magical abilities that goes around joking and having fun with people, but deeply cares for them underneath. Nearly never serious.

 

[JRPG]

@Nunali I use this http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-personality.htm and then write my personality according to the traits I got for the character.