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How do I avoid writing an Expy?

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SleepingPuppy Since: Oct, 2017
#1: Jul 4th 2019 at 6:19:48 AM

I have not read many things or seen a lot of shows/movies/games/life let's be real here, so I get worried if any character I create becomes an accidental Expy. I do take bits of inspiration from existing characters mind you, but again, not seen enough, worried that someone will claim that X is apparently an obvious reference to Y.

I don't know, people say that Expy isn't a bad trope, but every time I see it used as an example it is always just "this character is very very very very similar to this other character", or something else to that effect. Or something like "Red hair? Check, short temper? Check, backstory with neglectful parents? Check, are we talking about X or Y?"

So yes as someone who hasn't seen much at all, what are some tips?

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#2: Jul 4th 2019 at 8:29:55 AM

It’s not really something you’re going to be able to easily avoid, and it’s also not really an issue as long as the characters aren’t straight clones.

They should have sent a poet.
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#3: Jul 4th 2019 at 8:20:09 PM

Expies are, by definition, intentional on the part of the writer. So, just don't intentionally base your character off another to the point where it's glaringly obvious.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#4: Jul 5th 2019 at 8:43:25 AM

[up]This. The trope Expy has often been misused as any time the audience find (sometimes arbitrary) similarities between a character from one work to another. But this is incorrect, and unless you're actively trying to "import" a particular character from a different work into your own your character can't be an Expy.

Though if you're asking how to avoid writing a character that can be seen as a rip-off... I don't see how that can be done, since you're basically asking to control audience perceptions.

Edited by Adept on Jul 6th 2019 at 1:45:51 AM

dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#5: Jul 5th 2019 at 9:31:14 PM

Hell, by all means just rip off a character wholesale.

And I am serious: even if you completely copy one character, in the end s/he will turn out different and distinguishable, because in the hands of a decent writer even if a character is derivative, s/he will end up going through different journey and interact with different characters, ultimately resulting in a different character.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
SleepingPuppy Since: Oct, 2017
#6: Jul 14th 2019 at 6:36:50 AM

[up][up] Yeah, I was kind of thinking that. For a trope that's about intentionally copying another character, some people misunderstand that it's supposed to be intentional, and not just coincidental similarities. I'll consider that when writing, again I never intend to unintentionally make a character a copy.

[up] I thought about that a bit. It's definitely the easier choice, but it's probably too easy. Maybe if I used an existing character as a base for my own characters and work from where, will they become less of an Expy?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#7: Jul 14th 2019 at 9:04:01 AM

[up]This. The trope Expy has often been misused as any time the audience find (sometimes arbitrary) similarities between a character from one work to another. But this is incorrect, and unless you're actively trying to "import" a particular character from a different work into your own your character can't be an Expy.
Case in point, I recently ran into such misuse on the character page for Primal Rage, an old fighting game where the characters were giant, man-eating, dinosaurs and apes, because each and every character had an Expy entry comparing them to characters from the first Mortal Kombat for reasons like "these two both have ice powers" or "these two are the only females in the cast and shoot rings".

Gaddammitkyle Titles Titles Since: Aug, 2019
Titles Titles
#8: Dec 9th 2019 at 12:25:25 PM

Don't worry about accidental expies. If your character is authentic to your story and isn't a cash-grabbing copycat, people will notice similarities in a good manner. Inspiration is important for work, and most times it's inevitable.

Write your story.
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