Good Character Design
by Shemeit
One of the greatest challenges in a collaborative effort such as writing a novel on PanHistoria is to ensure everyone who wishes to participate has the opportunity to feel their creativity is supported. One of the hardest and yet most rewarding experiences is the design of a character. For many newcomers to PanHistoria, it is also the thing that is the most confusing.
As a MoB in two novels I have seen newcomers to Pan, and older members who are newcomers to a specific novel, come and join and then find themselves lost after a time, or lose interest. This is an unfortunate situation when it occurs, because it is very hard to find good writers in the first place, and once lost, the goodwill is hard to recover and bring that writer back to the novel.
Usually the first thing people ask me when they start at a novel is: “can I play a insert profession/race/family here.” Typically the answer is “yes, you can,” but I found it helpful to dig a little deeper into what the writer wants to experience in the novel.
Say, for instance, the writer says, “I want to be a priestess at temple in a novel about Ancient Egypt.” Seems simple enough, and specific enough, doesn’t it? Pick a patron deity, a city and off you go, right?
Not so fast!
This little exchange does not at all take into account the fact that the MoB and the writer may have totally different ideas as to what a temple priestess in Ancient Egypt would do. It does not take into account the MoB has no idea what the writer would like to do while in the novel. Note I did not say what the character would like to do, but the writer. I make this distinction because the character is not the one who will be delighted or disappointed in what follows.
So let’s go back to the new writer’s question and start again (Parts of these suggestions are based on notes to members of the An Empire Divided novel):
First, before applying, a prospective writer should take a good, long look at what is going on in the novel with the other characters, and get a feel for the setting. This seems obvious, but many writers are excited about the idea of the novel’s subject, and look no deeper to see if it actually is what it appears. A novel about vampires, for instance, can range from an something like Dracula to Underworld to Buffy™. Not all will appeal to every writer. Just because the theme is familiar does not mean the setting is what one expects.
Once one has determined if the novel is indeed a setting and theme they wish to explore, the next thing a writer needs to consider is what they would like to achieve in their writing? Is it romance, adventure, intrigue, drama, power? Answering this question first will allow the writer to decide the overall direction of their character. In a fairly realistic historical novel such as An Empire Divided, choosing to play a servant to a concubine in a harem will logically reduce the chances for ruling the country compared to say, deciding to play a son of Pharaoh.
That may seem totally self-evident, but then one can also envision situations where one may play against type successfully. Consulting the MoBs becomes critical in these instances to see if the novel will allow that to happen successfully. One could play the concubine who assassinates the king and marries his son and rules the country, (to continue the example mentioned above) but not all novels will welcome such a dramatic change.
Similarly, if one is interested in the rich exploration of desire, control, sensuality and passion, as portrayed in the Crimson Kiss novel, one has to be certain that the novel in question is able to accommodate that style of writing. It’s not just a question of the novel rating, but whether the other writers will enjoy what one wishes to write, and therefore, participate with the new writer.
It also helps to consider the novel as a whole. If one comes up with ideas that allow the writer to add to the complexity of the story in a logical, believable way, generally other writers will be motivated to include the new character in their posts.
When planning a character’s background, the writer should consider if there are groups (class, culture, profession, are examples of groups) or individual characters they would like to write with, or if they want to go off on their own? This can help narrow down the character’s background by avoiding placing him or her in a situation that leaves them totally away from all the action.
As one looks over character profiles or character introductions, one can see some writers complete a sort of “character sheet” with physical statistics such as height and weight, and personality information, such as likes, dislikes and so on. These are a useful template if one is finding it difficult to get a full picture of the character. A sample can be found here.
It is equally effective to come up with a list (it can be a very short one) of who your character might be related to or friends with. If they are active characters or even NPCs they can be the starting point for your story, or even the early objective of your tale - you might be searching for an old relative or friend, or you might start off in the household of a character you wish to write with.
Finally, and most importantly, communicating with the MoBs and asking for the assistance of the other writers can be a tremendous help. Stating what one wishes to do, either short or long term, can create opportunities. MoBs and other writers love to help people get started. They might be waiting for a new member to come along so they have someone to fill in a spot they already have in mind. Don’t be shy!
These are just some ideas about how to make your writing experience a successful one. Good Luck!
