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OBLIGATORY SELF-BASED CHARACTERS
Posts
Solitayre
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CloseThere's an adage that every writer eventually writes themself into a story as either Christ or Faust. Often times we don't even realize we're doing things like this!
Anyway, I think it is pretty normal to insert a little bit of yourself into a character sometimes. For instance, I have a horrible snarky sense of humor, so in anything I write, my characters often end up with that as well. The advantages of this are obvious; it's much easier to write something we're familiar with than trying to identify with something we know nothing about. Though it's certainly a bad habit to get into to name a character after yourself and have them become the most awesome character ever, as long as you aren't using a character as a stand-in for yourself or for obvious wish-fulfillment, using parts of your own personality in your characters is pretty harmless, and can be useful.
Anyway, I think it is pretty normal to insert a little bit of yourself into a character sometimes. For instance, I have a horrible snarky sense of humor, so in anything I write, my characters often end up with that as well. The advantages of this are obvious; it's much easier to write something we're familiar with than trying to identify with something we know nothing about. Though it's certainly a bad habit to get into to name a character after yourself and have them become the most awesome character ever, as long as you aren't using a character as a stand-in for yourself or for obvious wish-fulfillment, using parts of your own personality in your characters is pretty harmless, and can be useful.
Verge of BE:D is totally me.
Kidding.
Honestly, I think this is sort of stupid and it reflects writing incompetence.
Also, such characters tend to reflect idealized version of oneself, which is pretty childish and somewhat neurotic. "This character reflects how cool I am inside".
Kidding.
Honestly, I think this is sort of stupid and it reflects writing incompetence.
Also, such characters tend to reflect idealized version of oneself, which is pretty childish and somewhat neurotic. "This character reflects how cool I am inside".
Crystalgate
694
post=205184
I haven't based a character completely off of myself, but I do put elements of my personality into each of the characters that I write, both the good and bad traits.
Same here. It's near impossible (nor useful IMO) to avoid getting at least some part of yourself into your characters, but I try to avoid basing a character to heavily off of myself.
post=205189
There's an adage that every writer eventually writes themself into a story as either Christ or Faust. Often times we don't even realize we're doing things like this!
Anyway, I think it is pretty normal to insert a little bit of yourself into a character sometimes. For instance, I have a horrible snarky sense of humor, so in anything I write, my characters often end up with that as well. The advantages of this are obvious; it's much easier to write something we're familiar with than trying to identify with something we know nothing about. Though it's certainly a bad habit to get into to name a character after yourself and have them become the most awesome character ever, as long as you aren't using a character as a stand-in for yourself or for obvious wish-fulfillment, using parts of your own personality in your characters is pretty harmless, and can be useful.
Soli's right about this, we all fall prey to it sometimes. I tend to try and give my characters flaws that I don't personally 'think' that I have myself to try and set myself apart from them, such as being too confrontational (for instance). You could perceive this as trying to put myself above my characters, but really, inserting character flaws is what makes them appear more human.
Well if you go too far in the other direction, trying to make sure that none of your characters are anything like you, I think your writing will suffer for it. Honestly, the real issue at the heart of this problem is people forgetting to give their characters flaws. As Sbester said, flaws are what make characters human. They're what make us sympathize and identify with them. Flaws make characters better. If you write a super-idealized character who is perfect in every way, that character is likely to seem obnoxious and unappealing whether they're based on the author or not.
Also, flaws that make your character more awesome aren't really flaws.
Yes, this kind of behavior is often childish, but I really only find this happening in the really extreme end of the spectrum. It's rare that I read something where a character is an obvious stand-in for the author, except a hundred times more badass (RaZor comes to mind, and we all know my feelings on that one...)
Like anything else in life, it's about finding balance! Don't set out to say "this character is me only cooler," but don't be afraid to use your own experiences to help fill out a character, either.
Also, flaws that make your character more awesome aren't really flaws.
post=205190
Verge of BE:D is totally me.
Kidding.
Honestly, I think this is sort of stupid and it reflects writing incompetence.
Also, such characters tend to reflect idealized version of oneself, which is pretty childish and somewhat neurotic. "This character reflects how cool I am inside".
Yes, this kind of behavior is often childish, but I really only find this happening in the really extreme end of the spectrum. It's rare that I read something where a character is an obvious stand-in for the author, except a hundred times more badass (RaZor comes to mind, and we all know my feelings on that one...)
Like anything else in life, it's about finding balance! Don't set out to say "this character is me only cooler," but don't be afraid to use your own experiences to help fill out a character, either.
Of course you should use your own experiences, as you should use what you observe of other people's experiences. But that's besides the point. I was mostly talking about "hey, the main character of my game will be a powerful witty badass wizard called Calunio (what I would be if I were a wizard)". I don't want to overgeneralize, but I think doing this in a balanced way is the exception, not the rule.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
The writer of MS Paint Adventures (Andrew Hussie) said something once that just came to mind. He said he always tries to make all his characters be likable.
"I think the main thing is I would have a real hard time writing a character who I didn't personally like, or at the very least, find interesting. So in order to make it so I don't hate writing someone's lines, I make it so I like them in some way. And in doing so, I guess often other people do as well."
Another time he said that many of his characters' conversations are lifted directly from conversations he's had with people online. So basically, to make the characters be likable, he models them after the likable aspects of people he likes. Overall this seems like a pretty good way to write believable characters that the audience won't hate. However, I don't think it's the same thing as having a character who's literally supposed to represent yourself or one of your friends.
"I think the main thing is I would have a real hard time writing a character who I didn't personally like, or at the very least, find interesting. So in order to make it so I don't hate writing someone's lines, I make it so I like them in some way. And in doing so, I guess often other people do as well."
Another time he said that many of his characters' conversations are lifted directly from conversations he's had with people online. So basically, to make the characters be likable, he models them after the likable aspects of people he likes. Overall this seems like a pretty good way to write believable characters that the audience won't hate. However, I don't think it's the same thing as having a character who's literally supposed to represent yourself or one of your friends.
I don't really think this matters for most games, though I'd say it is probably a bad idea. I avoid doing this on principle.
Now if we talk literature or movies, or if you are actually serious about the story you are making in your game, I'd suggest steering clear. Narratively-speaking, you are supposed to know and love your characters, but from a distance; how they contribute to the storytelling, whether or not 'x' should be killed, how will 'y' act with 'z'. Basing characters on you or your friends can seriously blind you to these fundamental decisions, and very rarely are the quirks your friends have and the in-jokes you and your friends make relevant - or funny, or interesting - to the rest of us.
Now if we talk literature or movies, or if you are actually serious about the story you are making in your game, I'd suggest steering clear. Narratively-speaking, you are supposed to know and love your characters, but from a distance; how they contribute to the storytelling, whether or not 'x' should be killed, how will 'y' act with 'z'. Basing characters on you or your friends can seriously blind you to these fundamental decisions, and very rarely are the quirks your friends have and the in-jokes you and your friends make relevant - or funny, or interesting - to the rest of us.
Corfaisus
"It's frustrating because - as much as Corf is otherwise an irredeemable person - his 2k/3 mapping is on point." ~ psy_wombats
7874
post=205169
Another one I killed off in a plot twist after we stopped being friends in real life.
This in itself is pretty unsettling.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
post=205252post=205169This in itself is pretty unsettling.
Another one I killed off in a plot twist after we stopped being friends in real life.
Well I wanted to kill off a character in a plot twist, but I couldn't kill off any of my friends. Fortunately an answer presented itself!
I based lots of characters over friends and myself and then overexaggerate. It's much easier to write that way and make them more human :X
and
and
post=205305this or not some carbon copy of their favorite character or gender-bended or anything of that sort.
As long as the character insert doesn't become Mary Sue, I don't mind them.
MKID232
435
post=205305I know people hate it when I do this, but who's this Mary Sue?
As long as the character insert doesn't become Mary Sue, I don't mind them.
BD_Design
51
post=205616post=205305I know people hate it when I do this, but who's this Mary Sue?
As long as the character insert doesn't become Mary Sue, I don't mind them.
wiki it.
J-Man
4684
I try not to base myself off of any of my characters, however I did put myself in my latest installment of P5.
The wonderous chance to bash the creator of the game in the face, what more could you ask?
The wonderous chance to bash the creator of the game in the face, what more could you ask?
eplipswich
2728
post=205173
I don't think people would want a character like me: a shut-in who is socially inept, and whenever he does speak, he either is ignored or looked at funny at best, or hated at worst.
This type of character can easily evolve into a major villain, because of him constantly being neglected.
Anyway self-based characters are definitely good for a start for new game makers. But once the creator get more experience, he or she ought to move on to other types of characters.
Alex898
572
post=205690
I try not to base myself off of any of my characters, however I did put myself in my latest installment of P5.
The wonderous chance to bash the creator of the game in the face, what more could you ask?
Haha that is actually a great idea. After a very hard segment in a game, throw in the Game Creator as a pitifully easy boss so that the players can have some sweet revenge lol.
