ONE'S CHARACTER BLOG @unendingcharacters - Tumblr Blog

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dreadwedge

the main point of peter pan is this part

yvesdot

oc asks that reveal more than you think

Do they sleep with a stuffed animal? If they have multiple, who’s the favorite?

Can they take care of a plant? What about a pet? What about a child?

Ask them to describe their love interest.

Do they look good in red?

Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech! Will they give one, and what about?

Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?

Describe them in three words. Now let them describe themself in three words.

Do complex puzzles intrigue or frustrate them?

Do they empathize with non-sentient things (dolls, plants, books…)?

What age do they most want to be right now?

They’ve won the lottery. Spend, or save?

Do they like romance in the books they read (or in the book they’re in)?

Name one thing their parents taught them.

Would they agree with the term ‘guilty pleasure’? Do they have any?

What would they consider a waste of time– other than school or work?

If money wasn’t a limit, what would they wear?

Do they like children?

Kissing: tongue or no tongue?

Do they study before tests? Practice before job interviews?

What do they like that nobody else does?

What would it take for them to break up with someone? What would be the last straw?

Do they like being called pet names? Do they call other people pet names? What’s their go-to?

Stability or novelty?

Honesty or charity?

Safety or possibility?

Talent or effort?

Forgiveness or vengeance (or…)?

Would they date a fixer-upper?

What recurring dreams do they have?

What would they do if they knew it would be forgiven?

wisteria-lodge

So my problem with most ‘get to know your character’ questioneers is that they’re full of questions that just aren’t that important (what color eyes do they have) too hard to answer right away (what is their greatest fear) or are just impossible to answer (what is their favorite movie.) Like no one has one single favorite movie. And even if they do the answer changes.

If I’m doing this exercise, I want 7-10 questions to get the character feeling real in my head. So I thought I’d share the ones that get me (and my students) good results:

What is the character’s go-to drink order? (this one gets into how do they like to be publicly perceived, because there is always some level of theatricality to ordering drinks at a bar/resturant)

What is their grooming routine? (how do they treat themselves in private)

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? (Gets you thinking about socio-economic class, values, and how they spend their leisure time)

Do they have any scars or tattoos? (good way to get into literal backstory)

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.)

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? (This one might be a me thing, because I LOVE writing/reading about family dynamics, but knowing what kinds of things were ‘normal’ for them growing up is important.)

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. (This is a big catch all, gets into money, taste, practicality, level of wear, level of repair, literally what kind of shoes they require to live their life.)

Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.)

What is their favorite holiday? (How do they relate to their culture/outside world. Also fun is least favorite holiday.)

What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.)

nep-etas-moved

heres an *awful* character expressions meme i made based on a sheet i was given at school like a year ago enjoy, ig

retopologize

arokht and amaranth budding friendship summary

godkingboss

this was like, REALLY funny at 4am

moongoer

#arokht

ishimenkyo

xeno funeral customs.

aknfdskjcndsl-deactivated201506

me: *looks at ocs i made 4 years ago*

me: we can rebuild them. we have the technology

Gamma & Beta 1 3 13 14 19 22 31 32 33 38

1. How do they move and carry themselves? Pace, rhythm, gestures, energy?

gamma slouches badly. think k2-so but 5 feet tall and with huge claws

beta is a lot more outgoing and animated. she’s not hyperactive but she moves around a lot when she talks, makes a lot of big expressions (especially when she gets going on something she’s interested in)

3. How do they position themselves in a group? Do they like to be the center of attention, or do they hang back at the edges of a crowd?

gamma’s pretty gregarious, always in the thick of things, but not at the center. leave that to other people. they do data analysis

beta’s fun in groups and is in the spotlight a lot. she’s passionate about things. if there’s a discussion going she wants a part in it

13. How do they greet the world — what is their typical attitude towards life? How does it differ in different circumstances, or towards different subjects? Why do they take these attitudes, and why do they change? How do these tend to be expressed?

gamma: cynical, cranky, can be counted on to be a grump. it’s the personality they were built with. always willing to chip in with the latest disheartening news: It’s Time for Gamma’s Opinion. but they’re not a jerk, just pessimistic. the grumpiness never outweighs their friendship, and they’ll oppose their cynicism when the others are in danger

beta: cheerful, inquisitive, willing to take things apart to see how they work. the trouble with group hugs is that she has about 3 feet worth of reach. she’s much more optimistic than gamma, though it gets strained when she’s had a run of bad luck.

14. What do they care deeply about? What kind of loyalties, commitments, moral codes, life philosophies, passions, callings, or spirituality and faith do they have? How do these tend to be expressed?

gamma is a big friend. just not openly. otherwise they’re mostly devoted to their work, crunching numbers and charting relationships. their interest in anthropology is much less personal than beta

beta takes anthropology very personally. why do you think she’s shaped like a human + wears human fashions. she is also a big friend, but openly

19. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why?

beta is a leader -- she’s second to alpha in group decisions, and will absolutely have a conflict of leadership if she’s ever put in another group with a clearly defined leader. mostly her team’s been together long enough that everybody works together smoothly

gamma is second to beta, which suits them fine. they’re not a big fan of being the center of attention, but they like having their voice heard too. unlike beta, gamma would work well in any other group, since data analyst isn’t really a leadership position

22. How do people respond to them, and why might these responses differ?

within beta’s team, beta is definitely respected. she’s in the field the most of all of them and has plenty of hands-on experience. when she speaks she expects people to pay attention and usually gets it, but this is again largely because she works in the confines of a clearly defined research team

gamma gets respect too, but mostly because their words are backed by data. of course people sometimes disagree with them and/or their conclusions, but that’s just the way of things

31. Is there anything that counts as a “dealbreaker” for them, positively or negatively? What makes things go smoothly, and what spoils an activity or ruins their day? Why?

gamma tends to get real fussy when it turns out their calculations are off. conversely they don’t react when their calculations are correct, since they’re correct and so nothing to get excited about. also they’re not a big fan of field work. grit and dirt gets caught under their hull

beta gets sullen when her latest field op turns up nothing of worth. she’s a researcher -- when her research runs into a dead end, she’s at a loss. however this is reversed whenever she finds something new and interesting

32. Do they have any “props” that are a significant part of their life, identity, activities, or self-presentation somehow? What are they, how are they used, and why are they so significant? How would these props’ absence impact them, how would they compensate, and why?

not really? beta and gamma aren’t so much robots as AIs piloting robot bodies -- they might go without physical existence for long stretches of time. that being said they’re pretty fond of those bodies. they might have backups but it’s like throwing your old pair of shoes away, you have an emotional connection to it

on the other hand keep your hands away from beta’s wardrobe. she recycles the contents every week and spins new outfits from the printer but don’t touch her clothes

33. How do they learn about the world–what is their preferred learning style? Hands-on learning with trial and error? Research, reading, and note-taking? Observation or rote memorization? Inductive or deductive reasoning? Seeking patterns and organization? Taking things apart and putting them back together? Creative processing via discussing, writing about, or dramatizing things?

beta is absolutely hands on. she’s an explorer. she’s 4 ft tall because small size means you fit into small spaces. she’s got diagnostic tools in her fingers and chemical sensors in her tongue. she’s also a fan of group discussions, bouncing ideas around to refine them

gamma, meanwhile, prefers to stay in orbit, studying what beta brings back, running numbers, making predictions. they’re a lot more fact-based, doesn’t like jumping to conclusions without enough supporting evidence

38. Is there anything they wish they could change about their worldview or thought processes? What, and why?

not so much. they’re pretty happy with where they are. after everything they are, still, function-oriented robots

arokht 19, 31

19. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why?

arokht is, basically, a switch

without clear lines of authority he will attempt to assume dominance. on the other hand if there are clear lines of authority he will immediately assume submission. however this assumes that the authority is a fellow iceworlder, because he despises taking orders from aliens

(he would be more amenable to taking orders from aliens if said alien kicks his ass first)

31. Is there anything that counts as a “dealbreaker” for them, positively or negatively? What makes things go smoothly, and what spoils an activity or ruins their day? Why?

arokht is extremely fond of clear lines of command and communication. when he shouts people should obey. he likes when things are clear-cut, us vs. them. he gets frustrated when things get muddled, when things don’t go the way they should (the way he understands they should go), when his authority is constantly being undermined by these godsdamn undisciplined aliens

let’s just say quietus hasn’t been good to him

johannescena

42 character development questions!

PHYSICAL PRESENCE AND GESTURE. 1. How do they move and carry themselves? Pace, rhythm, gestures, energy? 2. How much physical space do they use, active and at rest? 3. How do they position themselves in a group? Do they like to be the center of attention, or do they hang back at the edges of a crowd? 4. What is their size and build? How does it influence how they use their body, if it does? 5. How do they dress? What styles, colors, accessories, and other possessions do they favor? Why? 6. What are they like in motion–in different environments, and in different activities? What causes the differences between these? 7. How do they physically engage with other people, inanimate objects, and their environment? What causes the differences between these? 8. Where and when do they seem most and least at ease? Why? How can you tell? 9. How do they manifest energy, exhaustion, tension, or other strong emotions? 10. What energizes and drains them most? 11. How are they vocally expressive? What kind of voice, accent, tones, inflections, volume, phrases and slang, and manner of speaking do they use? 12. How are they bodily expressive? How do they use nonverbal cues such as their posture, stance, eyes, eyebrows, mouths, and hands? DISPOSITION AND TEMPERAMENT. 13. How do they greet the world — what is their typical attitude towards life? How does it differ in different circumstances, or towards different subjects? Why do they take these attitudes, and why do they change? How do these tend to be expressed? 14. What do they care deeply about? What kind of loyalties, commitments, moral codes, life philosophies, passions, callings, or spirituality and faith do they have? How do these tend to be expressed? 15. What kind of inner life do they have — rich and imaginative? Calculating and practical? Full of doubts and fears? Does it find any sort of outlet in their lives? 16. Do they dream? What are those dreams like? 17. Are they more shaped by nature or nurture — who they are, or what has happened to them? How have these shaped who they’ve become as a person? 18. What kind of person could they become in the future? What are some developmental paths that they could take, (best, worst, most likely?) what would cause them to come to pass, and what consequences might they have? What paths would you especially like to see, and why? CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS. 19. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why? 20. What kind of individual relationships do they have with others, and how do they behave in them? How are they different between intimate relationships like friends, family, and lovers versus more impersonal relationships? 21. What kind of relationships do they tend to intentionally seek out versus actually cultivate? What kind of social contact do they prefer, and why? 22. How do people respond to them, and why might these responses differ? 23. How do they respond to difficult social moments? What makes them consider a social situation difficult? 24. How do they present themselves socially? What distinguishes their “persona” from their “true self”, and what causes that difference? 25. What do they need and want out of relationships, and how do they go about getting it? 26. How do they view and feel about relationships, and how might this manifest in how they handle them, if it does? ACTIVITIES AND PREFERENCES. 27. What do they strongly like and dislike, in any category? Why? 28. What are they likely to do if they have the opportunity, resources, and time to accomplish it? Why? 29. What kind of activities, interests, and hobbies do they have? What significance and impact do these have in their lives, both positive and negative? 30. What is their preferred level of activity and stimulation? How do they cope if they get either too little or too much? 31. Is there anything that counts as a “dealbreaker” for them, positively or negatively? What makes things go smoothly, and what spoils an activity or ruins their day? Why? 32. Do they have any “props” that are a significant part of their life, identity, activities, or self-presentation somehow? What are they, how are they used, and why are they so significant? How would these props’ absence impact them, how would they compensate, and why? THINKING AND LEARNING. 33. How do they learn about the world–what is their preferred learning style? Hands-on learning with trial and error? Research, reading, and note-taking? Observation or rote memorization? Inductive or deductive reasoning? Seeking patterns and organization? Taking things apart and putting them back together? Creative processing via discussing, writing about, or dramatizing things? 34. How do they understand the world–what kind of worldview and thought processes do they have? Why? 35. How and why do they internalize knowledge? What effect has that had on them? 36. How much do they rely on their minds and intellect, versus other approaches like relying on instinct, intuition, faith and spirituality, or emotions? What is their opinion on this? 37. Have they had any special education or training that colors their means of learning about or understanding the world? Conversely, do they lack some kind of education considered essential in their world? What kind of impact has this addition or lack had on them? 38. Is there anything they wish they could change about their worldview or thought processes? What, and why? 39. What sort of questions or thoughts recur in their lives, either specifically or as a theme? Why are these never answered, or answered permanently to their satisfaction? 40. What do they wonder about? What sparks their curiosity and imagination, and why? How is this expressed, if it is? FREE FOR ALL. 41. What associations do they bring to mind? Words or phrases, images, metaphors or motifs? Why? 42. I have a question of my own!