Fanfiction ► Cloud_Unchained's Guide To Character Creation

[Cloud_Unchained]

Welcome to Cloud_Unchained's Guide To Character Creation!!!

What We'll Cover:
The Basics
(Name, Sex, Occupation, Marital Status, Toenail Length, Finger Count, etc.)

Storyline
(I know, let's make him evil, but with a good side, which is particularily evil, in a good way!)

Gary-Stus/Mary Sues
(Hi. I'm perfect. You?)

The Do's and Don'ts
(WHAT THE HECK IS A FISH NET!?)

Introduction​

Are you bored? Craving to use your alotted internet time to write something that'll show the world that you too are capable of imagination? Can't use photoshop? We'll then, Fan Fiction is the thing for you! This guide (written by your Lord and Master) will help you start off writing your own original fiction with original characters. Or take an original character to put into an already fictitious world to save (or screw)! Let's begin shall we.

Requirements

Patience
Time
Imagination
Something to distract you when ideas run out
Water (KEEP HYDRATED DAMNIT. TYPING IS HARD WORK)


THE BASICS​

So, let's begin. You have so many abstract thoughts in your head you feel like it's going to 'splode! Well, one thing that will pull all of them together is... A name! Now, what should you name this character you want to create? After reading quite a few fanfics, what seems popular is using Japanese oriented names. Why? Well, it seems that Bob and Sally just don't live up to names like... Takashi or... Naomi. Right? AMIRITE?! Anyway, yes. Decide upon a name. DON'T use canon names. If you create an original character named Sora (God forbid), it'll seem unoriginal (duh) and more or less confusing. Don't just make up names to make them sound cool. And don't even try to take a normal word and spell it differently to make it look like a name. Like in Star Ocean 3. Fayt. That can be spotted a mile away.

Now that you have a name, let's decide what they'll look like, how they'll dress, how they'll act. This will be covered in the Gary Stu and Mary Sue section, later on.

STORYLINE​

Hmm... Now that we have this character, let's give your character a purpose, goal, some kind of chocolate bar at the end of the road. Remember, just as yourself, someone's personality is shaped by their experiences and influences in life. Tabula Rasa. If your character has some kind of rough past that can only be defined by the scars on his body, you probably won't think he's some kind of clownish character... But if you think about it, someone's past can be easily hidden by their subconcious... Which turns them into some kind of clownish character....

Anyway, yeah. If your character grew up rich, he or she would end up as some snooty snooty snoot snoot person. If your character grew up happy all the time, he'll probably be some kind of moody guy, and etc etc.

._.

Yeah. Still, more background tips will show up in the Gary Stu/Mary Sue section.

The Gary Stu And Mary Sue's of Fan Fiction (GET OUT YE TORCH AND PICKFORKS!)​

Come young children, as we venture through the dark and deep trenches of the realm of Gary Stu's and Mary Sues. Where everyone wears a smiling face, skimpy outfits, long beautiful hair, and black suits with red ties (ha ha).

Here's some physical anatomy of a Gary Stu:

Scars: Does your character have any marks to show that he has been in numerous battles, yet still manages to be sexy?

Facial Appearance: Does he have that powerful chin? Striking nose? Beautiful blue eyes?

Body: Muscular, but can be hidden under the awesome clothes that you wish your parents would let you wear.

What else? Oh yes! Social status!

Financially: Huh! I have plenty of money! I should share it because people will think better of me and I'll also be helping those around me. I just wish I knew where it came from!

With Girls: Does your character seem to fall in love with several characters? So much to the point he ends up sleeping with a few?

With Guys: Is every guy jealous of his muscular figure? So much to the point that they'll battle him, only to have your character win?

Get it? Now, some physical anatomy of a Mary Sue. Sorry guy's, it's just text.

Facial Appearance: Beautiful everything?

Body: Most of the time it's the breasts thing. A lot of Mary Sue's have large breasts and wear skimpy clothing, only to be shy about it. Are they slim? Are they smaller than a size negative four?

Social status time!

Financially: Oh, dear. I have ever so much cash. I know! I will donate to the poor! I can donate as much as I want because I'll never be poor! Why? I don't know! I just find all of it lying around!

With Girls: Do plenty of other girl characters call your character a "slut," "skank," or even, "whorebag?" You know they're lying because they're jealous, right? Besides. Mary Sue's are always virgins (until a dark haired Gary Stu wearing a black suit and red tie comes in and ruins his relationship with her cousin).

With Guys: Does every guy secretly PINE for her? But she's ever so shy. And modest too!

Now, most of the time, Gary Stu's and Mary Sue's will come in those packages. Normally, these characters are created by writers who are just beginning to write fanfictions. They always have the best looks, best equipment, best personality, and everyone just seems to love them, except the mandatory nay-sayer who ends up falling in love with the Sue/Stu anyway. Storylines normally come easy. For Gary Stu's, it's always some kind of hard life.

He wasn't always this cheery. As a kid, he was picked on by the popular kids, picked last for sports, got bad grades on schoolwork, girls didn't like him, he had four fingers on each hand, a large bald spot on the back of his head, his knees bent the opposite way, he was cross eyed, was constantly pecked at by birds, and had a tail. But he's okay now. He met a great and wise teacher who taught him how to fight and his teacher also gave him the cool shiny gold sword with black symbols and stuff on them which makes him practically God and stuff.

I might have under exaggerated, but you get the picture right? For Mary Sue's, it's some kind of privelaged life.

As a child, she was taught in the fine arts of magic, violin, math, English, French, Japanese, and history. Her family was very wealthy, but she always felt the need to share the treasures she held so dear. What good were they to her if no one could enjoy them?

Yeah.

If you want to avoid creating a Gary/Mary, try making your character's past sound so emotional or heartbreaking. The only thing you'll break is the reader's appreciation for the fine art of Fan Fiction. Sure if he or she was poor, but they'd still be kinda content depending on their situation, no?

AND ONE MORE THING. DON'T USE REVENGE AS A CHARACTER MOTIVE. EVER.

The Do's And Don'ts Of Fan Fiction Writing

Do's!

Think names out. Good idea!

Gather ideas. Organize through storyboards before actual writing!

Be descriptive! But not all at once! Let the character be revealed through his actions, not your words!

Don't make Mary's/Gary's! I don't have a funny comment for this one!

Accept criticism! Once you do, you'll find your critics to become friends and not picky nitwits who like bashing on newbies!

Don'ts!

Make Mary's/Gary's!

Type your chapter on the reply page! Just use Word instead!

Immediately type out ideas once they come to mind! You want everything in your fic to be streamlined. Make it work!

Take other people's ideas! BE ORIGINAL GOSH DARN IT!​

Now, if any of you have complaints or comments, feel free to post them. Have any ideas for the do's and don'ts? Post them too! I'll be glad to add them and credit you of course.

COPYRIGHTED TO CLOUD_UNCHAINED

 

[Thelonepickle]

XD

._. I can use teh Photoshop. At least, I can pretend. ._.

ANYWAY.

The guide: Good so far, but kind of a recap-of-stuff-already-said-but-with-better-jokes-now.

Suggestions:
-Organize better. It's kinda a mess right now. Lists, bold, italics, technicolor, stuff like that. It really helps. Sections, table of contents... =3
-Link to GoH's Sue-Stu Test. 'Cause it's way helpful.
-Don't try to top me.

=3 Kidding on teh last one. J00 can try. XD

But j00'll phail.

<.<

Anyway, kidding. >.>; Sorta. =3

Good luck getting a sticky, I guess. You yuppie.

 

[Katattack]

=D Awesome, C_U!

=D

I don't know what else to say!

 

[Thelonepickle]

Type your chapter on the reply page! Just use Word instead!

.-.

I type my chapter on the reply page. =o Did you really think I use Word's spellcheck and Grammar Check?!

XDDDD

Why would you do that when you could just save time and become the Pickle English Book?!

XDDD

 

[Krazy]

o:

I wish I had known this a couple years ago! DD

In the words of the Great Kit Kat, I don't know what else to say!

 

[Cloud_Unchained]

No one appreciate's my work.

;~;

 

[Taokitty]

Nice guide so far! =^_^=

I think it'll be quite handy for some of the newer members or people who have yet to progress in the art of character creations(Like me) though, I think it could of possibly been more info in it somehow...

@.@

I don't know how though...*Ponders*

Good work! =T^_^=

How long did it take you to make this?

 

[Sterling_Silver]

I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK SENSEI!

I thought this was very awesome, and it got the point across. I know a whole class full of lowly freshmen who could use this guide. And I could hardly get through it from laughing so much.

he had four fingers on each hand, a large bald spot on the back of his head, his knees bent the opposite way, he was cross eyed, was constantly pecked at by birds, and had a tail. But he's okay now.

That may have been the most awesome thing I've ever seen in a guide.

:O

 

[Thelonepickle]

"But he's okay now."

XD

Priceless.

 

[Nutari]

NICE WE CAN REALLY USE THIS STUFF UR THE BEST MAN organize a little better k

 

[Danica Syer]

Very cool, guide I know I can definately use these advice and such.