Exactly how do you bring a character to life? How do you develop him/her? And could I have an example so I can clearly understand this?
Make Characters Come To Life
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A character who is described as "having come to life" is a character that is complex enough to seem like a real person to the reader. They aren't like a single-function robot (The Hero Who Is Always Good or The Villain Who Is Always Bad or The Guy Who Only Talks About Football); they are a mix of many qualities, just like real-life people.
Let's take Harry Potter as an example. So Harry Potter has these special magic abilities, and he has the potential to save the world. But he's also a kid who likes playing pranks, who's loyal to his friends, who sometimes has doubts about the whole 'saving the world' thing, who gets crushes on girls, etc., etc. Apart from the whole magic abilities/saving the world thing, Harry Potter's like an awful lot of teenage boys in real life.
Let's take Harry Potter as an example. So Harry Potter has these special magic abilities, and he has the potential to save the world. But he's also a kid who likes playing pranks, who's loyal to his friends, who sometimes has doubts about the whole 'saving the world' thing, who gets crushes on girls, etc., etc. Apart from the whole magic abilities/saving the world thing, Harry Potter's like an awful lot of teenage boys in real life.
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Wow, you make a lot of threads. Sounds to me like you need some books to read on fiction writing more than anything, so here, pick up a copy of this book:
Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block
Give that a read and it OUGHT to help you with a myriad of questions you have.
Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block
Give that a read and it OUGHT to help you with a myriad of questions you have.
Why are you asking the same questions OVER AND OVER? Could you at least take the time to read your past posts? (over fifteen of the same questions?)
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You bring a character to life by attaching electrodes to its neck, then leading them to lightning rods on the roof of your castle.
During the next thunderstorm, laugh in a maniacal manner and proclaim, "Mad? They said I was mad at the Academy! But I'll show them! I'll show them all!" More maniacal laughter is usually indicated at this point.
Once the lightning has struck and coursed thousands of volts through your character, and its shrouded form stirs, you can say, "It's alive! It's alive!" and laugh even more.
As you can see, bringing characters to life is a happy process, full of laughter.
During the next thunderstorm, laugh in a maniacal manner and proclaim, "Mad? They said I was mad at the Academy! But I'll show them! I'll show them all!" More maniacal laughter is usually indicated at this point.
Once the lightning has struck and coursed thousands of volts through your character, and its shrouded form stirs, you can say, "It's alive! It's alive!" and laugh even more.
As you can see, bringing characters to life is a happy process, full of laughter.
Ask your character why. A lot
Why do you harangue old ladies in the street? Because I'm bored or because I once got whalloped unfairly by an old lady while scrumping for apples or she looks like my mum and my mum did X to me or...
Whatever your character does / feels / thinks, ask why. Every answer brings you closer to a 'real' character.
Of course translating that onto the page is a whole nother story.
Why do you harangue old ladies in the street? Because I'm bored or because I once got whalloped unfairly by an old lady while scrumping for apples or she looks like my mum and my mum did X to me or...
Whatever your character does / feels / thinks, ask why. Every answer brings you closer to a 'real' character.
Of course translating that onto the page is a whole nother story.
If you have read any books, can you think of a character who seemed very realistic to you?
yes I am reading Harry Potter, but still I can't see the characters as anything other than on paper in fiction. If fiction isn't real, how can the characters be?
Does it FEEL real to you? As you read, were you able to get your butt out of reality and into the world of Harry Potter. I'm sure you have, because Rowling's one of my favorite authors. And she is very good at storytelling and world building.
If you don't then what's the point of reading the book? What made you want to read it in the first place? Did reading the text feel like you're watching a movie in your head?
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This thread makes my head hurt.
Just thought I'd share.
I'd recommend the OP try to create a character in 3D. Maybe do a little Weird Science. That'll make her come to life. Or maybe learn software and design a girl in a red dress. She won't talk much though.
Just thought I'd share.
I'd recommend the OP try to create a character in 3D. Maybe do a little Weird Science. That'll make her come to life. Or maybe learn software and design a girl in a red dress. She won't talk much though.
... Does the novel FEEL real to you? If you pictured the scenes in your mind, then it does feel real to you.
... I answered your question. That's the point.
WE all know it's not real. It's MAKE BELIEVE! I said this before, the story has to FEEL real to the reader. The make believe element is the reason why readers love the book. It doesn't have to BE real.
make sense?
Dude, leave him alone.
I feel useless here. I'm going to refrain from posting here for a little bit. This thread took 30 minutes off my writing time. *Damn my willingness to help others; a feeling I cannot resist.*
Not your fault Dwayne, I just HAVE to get writing.
By the way, a lot of people admire your willingness to learn, but posting the same topic in a short time is just going to drive everyone nuts. People are trying to help you and some of it doesn't seem to get through. Just a warning, if you continue this behavior then people will not like you and will refuse to read your posts again(Do you WANT that to happen?). You have AS. You think you're the only one here suffering from it?
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This thread needs an enema. So here I am.
DwayneA - the best piece of advice I can give you is to read a lot of fiction and THINK about what you're reading rather than expecting us to explain it to you. I don't say this to be cruel, although I am getting more than a little impatient here.
My reason for saying this is - you have to learn to think for yourself. If you don't, you'll never manage to write a book on your own.
We won't always be around to hold your hand through the process, so please stop. Read the answers you're getting in your threads and instead of constantly asking "Why?" and saying, "I don't understand," try to think about the meaning behind people's words. If you can't understand posts on AW, you'll never understand a full-length book and if you don't understand books, you'll never be able to write one that's worth reading.
Writing fiction is all about giving the impression of truth, not merely reporting on reality and if you can't understand people, either folks here or in books, you don't stand a cat in hell's chance of getting to the end of a fair-sized manuscript which people will pay to read, on your own.
It's our job to help you in the process of becoming a writer, yes, but it is not our job to spoonfeed you information and do what you could easily do yourself if you put some effort in.
DwayneA - the best piece of advice I can give you is to read a lot of fiction and THINK about what you're reading rather than expecting us to explain it to you. I don't say this to be cruel, although I am getting more than a little impatient here.
My reason for saying this is - you have to learn to think for yourself. If you don't, you'll never manage to write a book on your own.
We won't always be around to hold your hand through the process, so please stop. Read the answers you're getting in your threads and instead of constantly asking "Why?" and saying, "I don't understand," try to think about the meaning behind people's words. If you can't understand posts on AW, you'll never understand a full-length book and if you don't understand books, you'll never be able to write one that's worth reading.
Writing fiction is all about giving the impression of truth, not merely reporting on reality and if you can't understand people, either folks here or in books, you don't stand a cat in hell's chance of getting to the end of a fair-sized manuscript which people will pay to read, on your own.
It's our job to help you in the process of becoming a writer, yes, but it is not our job to spoonfeed you information and do what you could easily do yourself if you put some effort in.
No
Dwayne poses some questions and the answers benefit plenty of people.
Ok Dwayne, if / when you can see the movie in your head when you read - this is what people mean by a character 'being real' really they mean 'someone I can imagine could be a real person somewhere even if only my head'
Because dammit somewhere in the multiverse, Captain Jack Sparrow does exist!
I love you! All Hail scarletpeaches.
Okay, rumor has it that you have AS. Okay, you think you're the only one here with AS? My biggest pet peeves is that someone would use a disability as an excuse for his or her actions, without taking responsibility for it.
I'm 19 years old, you're 26. You have AS. So what? Learn to deal with it, because it's going to haunt you for the rest of you life. It's not going to go away.
Read Temple Grandin's The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspectives of Autism
Read rule #8: You are responible for your own actions.
The author said herself that she has low-functioning Asperger's. And even she couldn't emphasize that rule enough.
No one is going to hold your hand. NO ONE! And you're 26, no one SHOULD be. You're on your own. I'm younger than you, and the last time anyone has held my hand was when I learned to speak, (when I was 6) Why do you think I keep suggesting that you research before you ask? Why do I keep asking you to figure everything out on your own?
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