Anyone else make up characters for the hell of it?

EricJames · Jan 13, 2014

Often when I hit the wall, I have this notebook full of names I got off the internet and I simply make up fictitious lives, stories, relationships, etc. that I have absolutely no intention on using, I just do it to get my interest back in writing and it's also kind of a release. I do this when I'm outlining as well as I'm sure many of you also do, I've found it really brings the characters to life and gives them a distinct voice even if I never use 90% of what I've written or the character has a much more minor role than I was expecting. Anyone care to share some of their fake characters or make up some now if you do this also?

shakeysix · Jan 13, 2014

I have a quilt that I inherited from my step mom. It is a presentation quilt, presented by a Ladies' Aid Society to their minister in December of 1933. That means that each family quilted a block with their names on it to be stitched into the quilt. My stepmom bought it at a garage sale for 20$ forty years ago. I loved it and the names so she left it to me. I did finally trace it to Neosho Falls and Toronto, small towns in the eastern part of Kansas.

The quilt is beautiful. It is made of a rose and ivory flour sacking and it has more than 120 names on it. Some of the names are beautiful too--like Archibald Safferite, Goldie Tibb and the Lieurance Family. I have made up a persona for most of the names over the years. A few names are still blanks. Sometimes I switch characters out but these quilt people serve as my spare characters.

I never told anyone about this because people might think I am weird. Glad I'm not the only whacko--s6

Hyperminimalism · Jan 13, 2014

I tend to do this while plotting, though these plots don't always make it past the first barrier. I'll create characters I think could easily fit into the story, even if they won't be made of any use. But it's fun to create lives for people, mold their personalities and their experiences despite knowing I probably won't use them for that specific piece of work. I'm sure I've a handful of characters floating out there in limbo.

Paramite Pie · Jan 13, 2014

I imagine my characters in day to day scenes when I'm stumped in my story.

I might wonder what happened if the lovers met in a bar/cafe instead of on a battlefield. Or if they were childhood sweethearts. Or just pick one character and imagine her school years long before any of the real story started.

Suddenly I've create her childhood friends, her then boyfriend Steve (who apparently was in a band with her brother who didn't approve and who I didn't know had a band), her younger sibling which I didn't know existed, her favourite subjects, her college plans, an upcoming ski trip.. etc.... all new info to me.

While none of that affects her current plot arc, she feels more like a real person now who had a life before she appears in the story.

ExitTheKing · Jan 13, 2014

shakeysix said:
I have a quilt that I inherited from my step mom. It is a presentation quilt, presented by a Ladies' Aid Society to their minister in December of 1933. That means that each family quilted a block with their names on it to be stitched into the quilt. My stepmom bought it at a garage sale for 20$ forty years ago. I loved it and the names so she left it to me. I did finally trace it to Neosho Falls and Toronto, small towns in the eastern part of Kansas.

The quilt is beautiful. It is made of a rose and ivory flour sacking and it has more than 120 names on it. Some of the names are beautiful too--like Archibald Safferite, Goldie Tibb and the Lieurance Family. I have made up a persona for most of the names over the years. A few names are still blanks. Sometimes I switch characters out but these quilt people serve as my spare characters.

I never told anyone about this because people might think I am weird. Glad I'm not the only whacko--s6

This is so cool! What an interesting piece of history to help the creative process.

To the original question, I do stuff like this all of the time. Normally what happens is I hear a name that resonates with me for whatever reason, and then I start developing a character from it. Oftentimes, this doesn't result in anything I put into a story, but it does on occasion.

Sobek · Jan 14, 2014

I do this a bit—come up with characters and story elements that I never plan on using, though they rarely get put on paper. It can be a good release you say; you can be creative as you want to without the pressure to commit to and follow up on these ideas.

Snitchcat · Jan 14, 2014

I have a notepad filled with such characters, scenes, plot points, worldbuilding snippets, you name it. It's a creative release. And it keeps me on track with my main projects.

Anyone else make up characters for the hell of it?

EricJames

Optimistic

shakeysix

blue eyed floozy

Hyperminimalism

I'm a Bolerian

Paramite Pie

ExitTheKing

New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin

Sobek

Snitchcat

Dragon-kitty.