I'm not sure I see the point of this thread.
It seems to be "Write a Hypothetical Trope Listing for Your Characters In the Style of an Actual Character Page."
Certainly an interesting creative exercise.
Exactly so. I thought this would be a way for us aspiring writers to not only flex our creative muscles we can put up character concepts and ideas you like (maybe The Hero for that novel you're writing) and see if they are appealing to others. That way you can get an idea of whether or not people are going to groan at another Call Of Duty Black Ops knock off or find the twist you pull on your character refreshing and original.
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursBy listing tropes?
Gave them our reactions, our explosions, all that was ours For graphs of passion and charts of stars...Sure, Why Not? I feel that in reading the character sheets of a work I get a good idea of a character, and if I come across one, we'll take Rei from Neon Genesis Evangelion and the former Ambiguously Autistic trope as an example, I know I thought "oh cool" and I think other tropers think the same if they're reading about a work and there's a trope about the Cold War, or they read about Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and are intrigued about how the character had developed into a Nice Guy, Even Evil Has Loved Ones, ect.
edited 21st Jan '13 3:49:56 PM by tsstevens
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursHonestly, the tropes-as-writing aspect isn't what puzzles me the most. It sounds like you're advocating just making up characters for the heck of it.
If there are people who want to do this, that's okay by me, but either I'm missing something or I just don't see the appeal.
The appeal would be twofold. For one, yes it is just making up characters for the heck of it, because I think it might help writers who are perhaps stuck on creating a character for their work. And two, for writers who have a character in mind they can post them here and from the feedback they get see if that character is going to work.
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursSooo...basically a less specific version of the Hero/Villain Critique threads?
You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!Since I missed the thread yeah, I suppose it would be.
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursRelating to the topic, does anyone know of a useful character creation tool or template? Something we can easily use and print or for easy reference?
Do you mean actually creating a character and designing their appearance or some type of ezy make character writer? For the former there are a number of graphics, computer and video game sources you could use and copy, try The Sims or Smackdown Vs Raw for easy, detailed examples. For the latter yes there are, I can't recall exactly what they were called but they came up in Google searches where you type in a few words or click a few options and it created a setting, story or character.
On a related note, the universal Mary Sue litmus test might be handy.
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursMore the latter. Not really talking about a litmus test or other form of character assessment. Just a universal template for cranking out character profiles; especially if there are ones that differentiate between main/lead characters and minor/background characters.
I've come across some myself. Just wondering if there's any in particular that others use.
edited 22nd Jan '13 7:06:55 AM by peasant
I have a ton of characters and I barely thought about which tropes represent them. Only the really obvious ones.
I'll leave that thinking for my fans... If they ever come to exist.
edited 22nd Jan '13 8:23:38 AM by Teraus
"You cannot judge a system if your judgement is determined by the system."I've tried coming up with trope lists for my characters. I can't. It used to bother me, but then I decided I didn't need to worry about it.
Fear is a superpower.
Exactly What It Says on the Tin. Something that aspiring writers might enjoy, have a look at the character sheets of your favorite show, game, manga, ect, then create your own. It can be based on the media of your choosing, made up to fit your favorite series, or completely original. I'll start us off to show you what I mean.
Sofia Shalatia
Sofia was a KGB officer and Honey Trap until the fall of the Soviet Union, before she took up a quiet life teaching martial arts and wrestling. But the new Russian government wanted her to train their communist Olympians. Instead she jumps the Iron Curtain and when wrestling becomes the next big thing opens her own federation.
edited 21st Jan '13 6:23:25 AM by tsstevens
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than Yours