Evolution of Characters

For my creative writing class, we were asked to create something that we hadn’t really talked about. For example, flash fiction, graphic novels, picture books, chap books, or infographics. I choose to an infographic. Of course, my graphics consisted of only text. I took four of my characters that I use the most in stories and in role plays and put them in a comprehensive chart, filled with color and cool lines. The colors used have various shades showing the evolution of my characters. The darker the colors the more recent the changes. The bubbles that have names on the outside are to show the change in names, or lack there of. To the side I have a brief paragraph for each character, stating things that I find interesting about them. I hope to expand this chart into something fantastic. But for that to happen, I need to continue writing. This will indeed be a life-long project, like it should be.

 

To be a character

So as many of you have guessed, I would prefer to be a writer or work in the publishing business. Preferably both at the same time. I am perpetually writing, in either role plays, fanfiction (though I have not updated in about a year), and short stories. I have a general idea for a book, and actually having a plot book has helped quite a bit. It surprised me, since I usually don’t like planning things out. However, character bios have always stumped me.

Characters are those funny little people everyone sees. Of course, most people see actual people as characters, while those that are inclined towards the arts see them in their imagination. It is surprisingly hard to get those characters down on paper. To flesh them out in all their glory. Because what I have found, is that my characters don’t stay consistent. But their bios are too broad, I can’t narrow it down to just the specifics.

See I run into a bunch of characters, but I don’t know where I want them to be. I have a couple of characters for the book, while others are still floating about waiting for a home. However, I have found a solution. Short stories. Yes I did say short stories. Why you may ask? Well, they are perfect for feeling out your character, and making their origin story. This I find is especially efficient, since most of these characters are minor characters. You aren’t exactly going to know their origin story now are you? No, I didn’t think so.

These characters need an origin though. They need a foundation on which to stand on, and I have found that short stories are great places to do just that. Hopefully people will have just as much fun with my characters as I do, especially the minor ones who don’t always get the spotlight.