Before we get to the actual tips, I have to show you guys something. Watch the video.
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Please excuse my language. Now then, I'm going to tell you guys how my characters got to the point where they are now. I don't want to say perfect, but definitely not 2D and fake. There's no such thing as a perfect character, just like there's no such thing as a perfect person in real life. In fiction, they're called Mary Sues and Gary Stus. In real life, I like to call them fake-ass bitches. (OwO)
I'm not a professional. I'm in no way claiming that this is the right way to characterize. This is just what works for me.
Imagine a character. Just a blank character that you're going to fill in with me. If you're having trouble picturing a blank character, use this guy:
I hate making lists. But if that's how you do things, then go right ahead. List the defining characteristics for your character. If you already have a flat character or just someone you think might be in danger of being 2D, use them. Fill out a character sheet if that helps. I just like sticking traits onto blank people like the one above. Do that literally if you want. Print him out and stick Post-Its with traits written on them.
You might have something like a girl who's super nice or maybe an asshole kind of guy who everyone just adores. Why are they like that? Why is the girl nice? Why is the guy a jerk but everyone loves him? Why?
Don't give me something like, "Well, that's their personality." That's not a good enough answer.
You have to explain why they're like that. Otherwise, I'm not going to sympathize with them. A character doesn't have to be likeable to be a good character. They have to be believable.
Shall I take Jaeden Isaac as an example?
Let's see, Jaeden has a pretty exotic-looking appearance, but his attitude is just awful. Pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside. He's my take on the "tall, dark, handsome stranger" and the "insufferable ass". Sounds like your typical male lead from a paranormal romance novel, huh?
What makes Jaeden different from the PR novel dudes? Why should you like him?
Well, unless you're screwed up in the head, you wouldn't get near the guy. He's not likeable. The man tries to kill his "best friend" Nathan on a regular basis, for God's sakes! To support his side of the argument, Nathan loves pissing Jaeden off. As in dyeing underwear pink annoying. Jaeden happens to be a trigger-happy bastard and has a temperance as cool as the sun. What makes him different? He's not just pretending to be tough. He doesn't just claim he'll kill you. He will. With a spork. ("I like sporks. You can stab someone's eyes out with them and scoop them out after.")
Despite his...prickliness, Jaeden has a few redeeming traits. He does care for a few people to an extent (and then brushes it off with some callous response because he's Jaeden). He took a shot for Nathan...and called him a thrice-damned idiot while he was about to lose consciousness. I don't think everyone's perfectly balanced. For every good aspect, there's a bad counterpart. No, I don't believe that. If I listed all of Jaeden's good traits and put his bad traits next to them, I'm sure that the bad side would be longer.
Let's change the question to, "Why is he believable?" A villain isn't born evil. Their life shapes them into what they are. With that in mind, we can shape our own characters. How does their past affect them now?
Showing any sort of weakness is deadly in his world. You rely on someone, that person could stab you when you're down. He had to grow up tough and show a brave face to the world. Now that he's relatively safe, he can't figure out how to take that mask off. He doesn't know how to interact with people, nor does he care enough to learn. He's in a war. You don't have enough time to learn basic human interaction. Just shoot your enemies in the head and get it over with.
I'll tell you something useful. You can take people from real life and base your characters on them. When you watch a show, movie, drama or anime, pick a character and ask yourself why you believe their motives and personality. What makes them human? Just keep asking yourself questions like that.
Talking to fictional people in your head is optional, but it's seriously entertaining. Especially if your characters are all psychopathic and violent.
To Summarize:
- Take a character, blank or otherwise.
- List their traits
- Balance (don't make a character completely good or completely evil, but don't make them completely neutral)
- Why are those traits believable?
- Optional: Talk to them
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