The Writer’s 2¢ on Original Character (2.0)
[The original version had a read more, since I’ve changed my theme I’m making this version so that you can reblog and read it no problem. I took the opportunity to correct mistakes and rephrase a sentence or two.]
Ever since I’ve joined Tumblr almost three years ago, I came across a lot of hate, abrupt judgement and mistreatment of roleplayers attempting to write with their own original characters. While I joined Tumblr specifically to play a canon character (because on forums, when a canon character is taken, there can’t be a second version), I quickly became aware and shocked on how much it was thing and people struggle to let their imagination and their work respected. Three years, I see little change and I thought I would share my thought on the matter, remind what are original characters, why they matter (to me) and why they should matter to you.
There are three parts and a conclusion.
What are Original Characters?
with definition and short commentary.
My history with Original Characters.
you can skip it, but you’ll know why I care so much about ocs.
You should give Original Characters a chance.
with an introduction, top three excuses (and how I call ‘bullshit’), wrong ideas on ocs and why if you don’t like oc you should respect them.
What are Original Characters ?
Let’s define the words shall, we.
1. present or existing from the beginning; first or earliest.
2. created personally by a particular artist, writer, musician, etc.; not a copy.
1. the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
2. a person in a novel, play, or film…
I don’t think I can be more scholar than this, clearly, whether it’s Victor Hugo’s character of Quasimodo, Oda’s character of Luffy and my own character Greaves, they all fit in the definition of original character, which is a person in a novel, play, film (or any other work of fiction) created personally by a particular writer (not a copy).
Now, I understand why we make the distinction between CANON (licensed) and ORIGINAL (non-licensed) characters. In roleplaying it’s a way like another to avoid confusion between original work and content from our favourite show/novel/video game/anime/etc.
What I don’t understand is why is there so much prejudice against original characters, for example: Why are mediocre canon character portrayal forgiven while good original character are not even given a chance? Why do we give some slack to people with canon characters who don’t even have an about page, while we don’t bother reading the page of an original character because [ insert reason ]?
Now, before I go further, I have nothing against canon characters, I’ve played canon characters myself, I follow canon characters and each writers have various level of writing. What I fail to comprehend, is when did people decided, on this website, that as a roleplayer if choose to create your own character (oc) you are not treated the same as when you choose to portray an existing character (canon).
I think, most of my incomprehension comes from my writing background.
My history with Original Characters.
I’ve started roleplaying ten years ago and I’m glad that Tumblr didn’t exist at the time, I would have hated roleplaying.
When I started, I had no idea what was roleplaying at the time, my writing existed in two forms only: my own personal creative writing on the side (in notebooks, paper, in my head) and my creative writing at school. I love the two medium, one was 100% free, pure fiction, no rules, any type of characters (girl who could morph into a male wolf, magical non talking horses, etc). The other was more of a challenge because they were rules and restraints (a context, a theme, a place, a time), either way I had to created something from scratch or at least from what I was given to create my own characters and plot. So, obviously when a friend told me I could do this online and make my characters interact with others on forums I’ve jumped on the occasion.
The first character I’ve roleplayed was an original character. I’m telling you right now, she wasn’t great. Her name was Anamaria Time, came from England but her family was from Pakistan, she had a very flat (boring) personality, she had no goals, but she could time travel (no restrictions or limitations) and had a pet small dragon. Yet, because I’ve managed to fill the form (where you present your muse) needed to make her fit the context of the forum and I didn’t do much writing mistakes they accepted her. Six month later, I was spread across 36 forums, with 33 original characters (or characters created for the context and available to play). I’ve also discovered you could play existing characters if you felt you could portray them well (and fill the form correctly). I’ve tried a few time (Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchmst and Kurosaki Isshin from Bleach, but also a pre-created character, a wolf called Axel), but I’ve never been super comfortable, I preferred my own characters and it went on until 2013 when I’ve joined Tumblr because I wanted to portray Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece since I couldn’t find a One Piece forum where he wasn’t portrayed.
My love for original characters comes from forever, they are the reason why I started writing when I was seven years old and why I started roleplaying at 15 years old. I started like everyone, with bad/weak/underdeveloped characters and never, never, did anyone insulted me or my work. In the contrary, people helped me, supported me and guided me in making them better, some were abandoned, others were shaped through interactions and slowly I’ve learned to craft better characters. They were no stories or debate on Gary/Mary-sues or whether a character was self-insert, it was more about giving limits, some life to your character to balance interactions, even if strength were not equal and make it more interesting.
That’s how I’ve learned to be a better writer, because I was given a chance.
You should give Original Characters a chance.
I’m going on a gut feeling, but I believe most of us started to write because we love the craft, whether it is fanfiction or roleplaying. If we do, I have a hard time to believe that less than 80% of us created, at least, one original character. You can or cannot be comfortable sharing it with people or even roleplaying it, that’s another matter. Still, to me, you cannot not love writing and not love original characters. So, if I’m not wrong, the problem comes from another place, maybe a lack of curiosity and/or even respect.
Top three excuses why you don’t give them a chance
(and how I call on your bullshit).
1.“I came across bad original characters”.
2.“I came across bad original characters”.
3.“I came across bad original characters”.
I don’t need to list the excuses, because most of the excuses I got really meant the same thing, which is you had bad experience with original characters before. Whether they were badly developed, ‘Gary/Mary-sue’, self-insert or they came to you for shipping or they were somehow related to your canon character… Well, they do exist, me too I came across those, I even roleplayed with some and I even created some characters who were one of those things.
News flash, I had similar experiences with existing characters (canon). I saw very bad portrayal of canon characters, yet, they were popular for some reason, I saw clumsy/mediocre portrayal of canon characters and many people lay a hand to help the writer to get better and comfortable in the exercise. I had canon characters coming to me asking about shipping possibility and then once refused went to another character to ask the same thing, until they found a couple of ships. There are some existing character that could be considered Mary-sue and other which could be self-insert if you dig deep into them.
For instance, I don’t see why you wouldn’t even bother take a look at the about page of an original character because of those bad experiences, when clearly bad experiences with canon characters doesn’t stop you from roleplaying.
Wrong ideas and why, if you don’t like oc you should respect them.
(every original character is different).
1. All original characters are underdeveloped. FALSE.
Not everyone introduce their original character at the same stage. Some decide to introduce them with the minimum information, other will introduce their muse when they have everything (almost) set up. In both cases, there’s everything, good characters, those which need work, those who would need a complete re-write and those who seem solid but could develop a little more.
My only affirmation, is that, yes original characters are work in progress, but that doesn’t mean you can’t roleplay with them, that’s actually how most of them can grow in full tri-dimensional characters. The writers simply need a nudge and some support, to know if their creation needs work, whether it is to become interesting or to become unforgettable. Be curious, ask questions, ask to plot something to test the waters, tell a mun the truth if they contacted you (nicely), don’t leave them in the dark.
If you don’t want to bother, it’s fine, but don’t discourage or judge people around you who do, it is called respect.
2. All original characters are Gary-stu/Mary-sue. FALSE (unless…).
I hate that word. There I said it, it makes me cringe. I went to look up the definition of Mary-sue and it doesn’t make much sense to me, since +75% of existing characters fall in some part of the definition. I also personally think it restrict writer’s imagination and forget what fiction is all about (something that is invented or untrue). If you are still not convinced, I took the definition and divided in three categories with example for characters.
> an idealised and seemingly* perfect fictional character who saves the day through unrealistic abilities: Superman, Yoda, Mary Poppins, Tintin, Optimus Prime…
> an idealised and seemingly* perfect young person who saves the day through unrealistic abilities: Arthur Pendragon, Katniss Everdeen, Harry Potter, Aang, Luke Skywalker…
> an idealised and seemingly* perfect low-rank person who saves the day through unrealistic abilities: Indiana Jones, Ellen Ripley, Frodo Baggins, Atticus Finch, Po…
You don’t agree, fine, continue using that term if you wish but don’t give a hard time to original character creator who are still crafting their character or whose character fall in that dumb definition, it’s called respect.
* seemingly means giving the impression of being something or having a particular quality. For instance, in this case they may look perfect at first (when they execute their skills) but they aren’t.
3. All original characters are self-inserts. FALSE.
Do you know the definition of self-insertion? Do you know some authors use it in their creation (Rabelais for example) and even unintentionally?
It’s not all that bad, I don’t think it is as long as it remain within fiction and again not all original characters are self-insert. If you are uncomfortable with it you can be, but self-insert do not deserve hate, if you don’t like it, don’t read it, don’t roleplay with them, but don’t judge them, it’s called respect.
I can’t make everyone like original character (even though they technically do) but I would like people to give chances to writers who are often anxious the moment they share their work and to have feedback on it. The best way would be to interact with them if you like the character and find a way to do so, send them memes (character development) or ask questions, in the end be as curious as you can be on someone’s portrayal of a canon character.
To finish, I’d like people to understand that original characters aren’t much different from canon characters, if you take the definition, they are exactly the same and for instance are likely to suffer from the same flaws. Each muse need a certain amount of work and thought behind them, for instance, you have to be curious and patient thus, you might end up be surprised of what could come out of a weak start. If you can’t be either, the least you must be is respectful to characters, the muns and those who support them. Get a grip, grow up, let fiction be what it is, our imagination running wild and free.
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