Hello! As stated in the title, I was wondering how most people are able to write a consistent character personality. Please take your time in answering, because this question isn’t exactly a 10 word answer type of thing.

Ava Winchect wrote: ↑16 Feb 2023, 15:21 Hello! As stated in the title, I was wondering how most people are able to write a consistent character personality. Please take your time in answering, because this question isn’t exactly a 10 word answer type of thing.

Hi! I have taken a while to figure Opeila out, but I think the fact that I know my character really well now is one of the reasons why I am so attached to her.
For me it helped a lot to give Opeila some flaws and also to give her some funny little details to her personality, partly caused by her upbringing. On site interactions extremely helped to develop them.

For example Opeila started off being pretty self-centered. In her first year she regularly got called out for it by Jack Burnett, so she tried very hard not to be in her second year, which resulted in her being in everyone's business in an annoying way. Now she is slowly learning to accept herself with her flaws and strengths.

Smaller things are that she was raised by her rather strict grandmother, so in her first year she barely ever cursed- now she does it more often- and also kept thinking of what her grandmother would say when she dressed herself and so on. Now she slowly begins to question the values she was taught.

What helps me the most is knowing where I started and where I want to be in the end. I know where I want Opeila to go and how I achieve these goals. Combined with having played her for several years now, I just got to know her really well. I don't know if this helps.

That was helpful, thank you Opeila!

Ava Winchect wrote: ↑16 Feb 2023, 15:21 Hello! As stated in the title, I was wondering how most people are able to write a consistent character personality. Please take your time in answering, because this question isn’t exactly a 10 word answer type of thing.

At first Cynthia's personality was extremely inconsistent and that was a mistake that was hard to fix. I realised there was no way to keep on going with Cynth if I do not know her well. I would say go take some time to develop your character more, especially if you plan for her to stay on this site for a long time. When planning for another character, I would often write an emotional/personality changes table.

Eg:

Changes: What changed over the years for you character? Eg: became extremely melancholy and ceased to communicate with most people.
Reasons: Why did these changes happen? Eg: Her mother died and she is extremely upset.
Actions: What things did she do because of these changes? Eg: stopped making friends but understood that her current friends are there to help.

Obviously this is only an example, and the real deal would be much more complicated than simply several lines of text. I would also recommend getting to 'know' your character as if she is a friend. Put her in situations, fill out personality forms as her, think of what she would do if xxx happens.

When you know your character well enough, you would have a place to reference back whenever you're unsure about something about her. Find little things that make your character unique and remember them. Make her as deep as possible, instead of just creating someone really shallow. Remember that their history would likely influence this. For example, Cynthia lost her best friend, and often thinks of her. But when they meet again, her friend doesn't want to be friends anymore. She constantly thinks of her and many things could trigger this memory. She feels alone and sad, especially when her ex-friend declared that their friendship was over. Hope this helped!

I always start with the family/backstory. It makes it easier for me to figure out how the character will be if I know what sort of family they have, where they grew up etc. A surface level (not as deep or developed) personality usually comes out for me that way then as I go along the RP or brainstorm with others, a more detailed personality forms naturally over time. Those character development questionnaires are always a fun and useful place to start too!

I also pull from life around me, so there’s things I hate that Dymph loves. A lot of similar interests and friendship dynamics. Find out a few main hobbies and stick with them. Use their zodiac for personality traits. Lots of fun stuff like that!

Actually, Rita is largely based on myself, and often, the sort of thing Rita thinks and says is the sort of thing I would think and say as well, although Rita is somewhat more sensitive and emotional than me, so I think the personality of Rita is quite consistent.
I do have a little problem when it comes to Andy, since as an extrovert playing an introvert like Andy, I am probably sure I actually do not do much justice to the introverts, sorry introverts! , and his personality are of course a little more inconsistent than Rita.
I hope this can help, thanks!

Thanks you three!

I had a character that I deactivated because I got lost with her, but I loved her so. I decided that if I was going to take the leap and do a new character - I needed some plans first.

My first thing was to think of my long-term plot. I wanted something that could continue on even if his best friends/relationships/etc come and go from the site. Therefore, it was a long-term plot with his family and dNPCs that was where I turned. Finding things out about his family and learning more about them.

After I had that settled, I just thought of a basic outline, a basic goal I want to achieve each year to help get him to that final stage in the long-term plot. I try to make sure to hit that goal each year at Hogwarts, but otherwise everything is open to flexibility for friends, new developments.

Some things may need to be tweaked along the way, but those challenges just make me a better writer. Best of luck with your new character!

Thank you, Simon!

That's also something I do. I have a goal I want to reach every year and a family drama I am quite excited to play out. Every year gets a few scenes of it that trigger the next act. That also helps that I never get bored with Opeila, I am never at a point where I don't know what to do with her, nor would it render her lost if someone left site, she isn't depending on anyone here.
On top of that most of the abilities I picked are plot driven. Seer, Binding Mark and I am planning to get Restricted Charms and Apparition too to use them in plots. Especially Seer and Binding Mark allow for a lot of new connections through either prophecies or Binding Mark also creates a lifelong telepathic connection.