Is this Character Interesting?

So, character/story idea. One thing I'm worried about that while the premise is intersesting, the story itself may be too cliche, while the character may not be compelling enough.

First, the story: The narrator's parents apply to host a student for a student exchange program. The exchange student is send from Europe to spend time with the narrator for one whole seimester. However, the foreign exchange student is send by a magical organization for an unknown task. While the student thinks that he is send to establish connections in America, when the narrator starts to develop powers, it is also something else...

So, the character I'm asking about is the foreign exchange student, who will serve as the protagonist for my purposes. Here's a run-down on him:

• First of all, he is nice, reserved, modest, and mild-mannered, along the lines of Itsuki. Except he is hiding self-esteem problems.
• The other main aspect is that he clumsy and gets hurt. A lot. So much that he has plenty of bandages all over him, and usually a cast. While this is related to the duties of his organization, he's just that clumsy.
• As a default, I'm having him as British, since I know more about British culture than other Western Europeon cultures. If he's not going to be British, he'll be French or Italian.
• I'm deciding whatever to have him be a Barrier Warrior or have general Phystic Powers.
• He's not a romantic type, but there is an awfully a lot of Ho Yay going on with the narrator.

Now, the questions.

• Generally, is this interesting?
• What should the narrator be like? I'm thinking of him being a jerk athlete to contrast the protagonist's mild-mannerness and clumsiness.
• What type of magic should the organization have, and what should be the enemy. Either the enemy will be spirits from another world, or their is a large feud between organizations.
• Anything else?

Yes he does sound a bit interesting, but I feel like I don't really know him yet. It is like one of my friends is talking about one of his classmates, who I haven't seen yet.

What do you think about writing a few random scenes with the character in it? You could gain a better understanding of your character and how he reacts to different situations and people.

As far as magic and enemies go I'd rather you make the decision for yourself. Of course you can play with all of your different options when you are writing your character scenes to see which one feels the best.

Don't get me wrong, but I found your character traits...contradicting, at least the stereotypes established in my shallow mind.

I thought guy who usually starts a lot of Ho Yay moments are usually more suave, elegant, and confident type. Speaking of which, you described him as someone like Itsuki, no? I can't really picture someone like him being clumsy, just sounds too contradictory in my mind.

Also, can you tell a bit more about your narrator? The effectiveness of him might vary significantly depending on his comparison with the narrator.

So, if he's a New Transfer Student....then I guess the narrator is someone like Kyon?

You're talking too broadly about him. You're not showing, you're telling. Right now, he can't be interesting to me, because I've had Word of God explain him to me. There's no way for me to interpret him, or get to know him. This thread just hits me as redundant because none of us know your character, we know what you say about him. What makes a character interesting are the uncertain parts, the question marks, our ability as fans to know his personality. Really, I don't know his personality. I know he's a bit gay, very polite, and very clumsy. Like I said, broad talk. I can't know a character from that.

Bring him to whatever the thing after Character Castle is...

Having your character not match up to stereotypes isn't a bad thing.

Anyway, I think that it's difficult to judge whether a character is interesting when all you have is a list of traits, but my first thought was that he sounds quite realistic, in terms of personality. I know people who are like that, with the possible exception of the psychic powers. That's pretty good, I guess.

Also, just my opinion, but I'd be wary of having the narrator being a Jerk Jock. My experience of high school education is that there are no neat little categories like 'jerk athlete', 'popular bitch', 'shy nerd', which people fit into. And an athlete acting like a jerk to a non-athlete is, well, it's been done.

edited 20th Apr '11 3:58:54 AM by cityofmist

I should also add that as a Brit, we have no over-polite people here. We barely have any slightly polite people here. You probably knew that. Just saying that making him British doesn't make it any more likely, it just makes it a bit of a stereotype.

I know, I know...how can I make it so it doesn't come off as a sterotype?

Maybe the narrator can be something of a First-Person Smartass, very snarky and cold (that's the word I'm looking for...) I'm not making him the Jerk Jock, as in being a bully and generally dumb, but someone who is not nice.

About the Character Development Thread, I can't have him be in the next one, because I already have a character set. Perhaps he can be in the one after that.

I dunno. It's hard to say anything really about this character. As others have said, this is just a list of things about your character. No-one can say anything about whether a character's interesting until they've y'know, seen him interact with his world.

Well, perhaps his personality developed as a part of the culture of the organization he's with rather than Britain at large. Assuming he's not using a glamour or something to appear high-school age, we can assume he got into the organization pretty early, right? And it could have had a pretty profound effect on him.

Or, you know, that "personality" could be a part of his cover.

He was born into the organization, since his family are long-time members. His personality is mostly shaped by the conduct he was teached. Also, he is high-school aged.

I think his timid personality help hide some anxiety or confindence issues he may pocess.

Another question: What grade should he be in? I'm thinking either a sophmore, or a senior.

It depends on what his story is about. Is he starting to come into his own as a man throughout the story? Make him a senior? Is he still kinda new to all this? Sophmore works better. It lets you deal with his personal themes through school metaphor.

I'll go for sophmore then. I'm writing a short story as a writing exercise. In the story, he goes to the store to buy a bulk pack of soda for a party, but several problem pop up. The main purpose is to see how he approaches the whole situation, and see if he is interesting enough.

Oh, I'm going with the name Phineas, or just Finn. Does it sounds like a good smooth-sounding name for him.

I decided to make his powers physic in nature, and make the enemy spirits and manifestations, since both are paranormal. Hopefully this hadn't been done to death. Is there a guide of different Psi and ESP powers that commonly appear in fiction?

I'm calling the spirits and the work Manifestation, since it rolls off the tounge nicely.

Anything else?

Manifestation works for the spirits, but I wouldn't use it as the work. Not on its own, anyway. Another word at the end. He's in Manifestation Control, maybe? Manifestation Management? Because alliteration's always awesome.

Shoot me the short story when its done, I'd like to read it.

Actually, I hadn't been working on it that much. Let's say I'm having a period of inspiration, with two other ideas combating in my head.

Manifestation Story? Manifestation Files? Manifestation of the Heart?

Manifestation of the Heart is a title where, personally, I would be doubled over, incapable of not laughing. Sorry :/ Manifestation Files works.

That title was just one I thought up on the top of my head anyways. Probably because I might put some effort into teasing the narrator (Brent) and Finn, therefore making one of the most popular gay shippings in current literature. Think of the free publicy from the fangirls that would think their ship is possible.

Clearly needs to be saved for a sequel then.