Feedback Finding a New Characters Voice? Advice Welcome

[Kuhbee]

This is something I have been struggling with for a while. It seems I make new characters but quickly delete them and default to playing old faces.

The old faces are familiar and I’ve written them so long that I feel like I know them. But new characters feel clunky and foreign and I feel like they just don’t have as much thought. The old characters though are from boards set in different time periods, with different writers and from a different time in roleplaying mechanics. So they don’t always port over well.

The question is how can I make new characters feel worth keeping? Do I need to put more thought into their story? Is it one of those just fake it until you make it things?

Kuhbee for example here… I’ll go weeks in between a post because he feels meh but I would like to see him a success. I feel maybe I need to find out who he truly is but how?

Appreciate any advice.

 

[Astrid pentoghast]

I felt the same way about ryana for a while then I gave her pip who i could play her off of and build her personality off of as it was a means to be like "how would she respond to pip doing this."

What I'm trying to say is sometimes all you need is something to help build their character something to respond to that you can write and build their character that way through posts.

 

[Serina Calis]

Here are a couple things I can recommend:

• Set some clear goals and motivations for Kuhbee, give him something to work towards that he struggles with, maybe try and have him overcome his fear of fire through a series of threads?
  
  
• Have some complex relationships: Dynamic relationships help make characters feel like a part of the world and increase investment, maybe Kuhbee has something or someone he would die for and makes a genuine sacrifice for, that kind of development helps bring a character forward and would increase your investment in them.
  
  
• Set a rival: Always a fun one, a constant rival to challenge your character but also allow for Kuhbee to sometimes triumph against is a great way to increase investment.

Investment and care comes from characters as you build them up and add to their story. The more effort you put into something the more return you usually want to see, so do the same with characters. Don't try and industrialize your posts, but rather put effort and make sure it feels like there is growth in every thread.

 

[Jonyna Si]

honestly, the best way I've found to keep your muse going for a character is to find them a storyline you can invest yourself in. Not a thread, but a personal story. Jonyna's success on Chaos largely came down to the fact I got started down a path of having her rough edges honed off by Vulpesen and Kahlil Noble , and eventually building her up to earn the rank of Master.

Sometimes that means you gotta shop the character around in public threads, or even just faction threads, but finding that storyline is what keeps me wanting to keep writing Jonyna, and it's why characters like my sith Dekaltis never get used anymore.

 

[Valery Noble]

From what I've seen, it's different for everybody. Some people have a very rough concept that already gives them major muse, and they immediately start writing to figure out more and more as they go. Others already have a beginning and end figured out for their character because the character fits a specific story purpose. Then some others really just need someone to consistently bounce posts with.

For me, when I look at my characters, they need to help me scratch a certain itch and offer me some perspective for the future. I don't like short-term characters. Valery is my Jedi — a classic hero story that gives me a chance to write from the perspective of characters like Luke, Anakin and Obi-wan as you see in the movies and shows. Aiden helps me write an NFU soldier who is way more morally grey, and my recent addition, Nyxira, scratches my Sith itch. But it's her connection to another character that really gave me story perspective for the future, which is why I'm writing her a lot.

You seem to need some perspective for the future, too. Something exciting to reach with a character that they don't already have when you first make them. I even felt like you needed this with Katarine too, when you were really struggling to figure out how you wanted to handle her family situation, given her time in stasis.

Is Kuhbee just a blank Jedi? Or do you want to build him up to something specific? Set a goal that OOC'ly makes you eager to throw up threads that help you reach that goal. Or tie him to a character or story in a way that makes you bounce in your seat.

You have to really figure out what excites you.

 

[Kuhbee]

You seem to need some perspective for the future, too. Something exciting to reach with a character that they don't already have when you first make them. I even felt like you needed this with Katarine too, when you were really struggling to figure out how you wanted to handle her family situation, given her time in stasis.

This is... exceptionally wise. Like wow Val you blew my mind. All of the aptitude tests I've ever taken tell me I"m extremely future oriented and you were able to pick up on that just by roleplaying with me. Seriously wow. You are good.

I felt the same way about ryana for a while then I gave her pip who i could play her off of and build her personality off of as it was a means to be like "how would she respond to pip doing this."

What I'm trying to say is sometimes all you need is something to help build their character something to respond to that you can write and build their character that way through posts.

That's actually a fascinating idea. Maybe I can give him a sidekick that could help.

Here are a couple things I can recommend:

• Set some clear goals and motivations for Kuhbee, give him something to work towards that he struggles with, maybe try and have him overcome his fear of fire through a series of threads?

Thank you so much. I do think his goals are too basic. I need to make them more clear.

honestly, the best way I've found to keep your muse going for a character is to find them a storyline you can invest yourself in.

This might help. I know I struggled with Kat until I found The Black Marsh Files story arc. Now she has a purpose. Maybe I need to find a storyline to push Kuhbee.


I really appreciate all this advice. You guys are so seriously awesome!

 

[Valery Noble]

This is... exceptionally wise. Like wow Val you blew my mind. All of the aptitude tests I've ever taken tell me I"m extremely future oriented and you were able to pick up on that just by roleplaying with me. Seriously wow. You are good.

<3 Just make sure it's a goal or piece of future perspective that you love writing towards, and doesn't make you feel impatient or frustrated when you haven't reached that point yet. So, my advice is also to be careful with how you set it up. If it relies very strongly on specific people doing specific things, it can be tricky because Chaos is unpredictable, and people also LoA sometimes. Which can then get frustrating if it obstructs you from reaching your character goals.

To me, an ideal goal to have is something you can reach on your own, by writing with whoever is available at that time on site. Of course, you can also set goals that do require specific writers or circumstances, but be careful making it your only thing. An example of it is Romance RP, or having a family for your character. If the other writer leaves, you can feel stranded.

With Kuhbee specifically, I think you mainly need to come up with a writing goal or story idea that makes him unique and fun, and gives you all sorts of thread ideas. Maybe he wants to become a certain type of Jedi? Maybe you want him to confront something from his past? Maybe he wants to build his own Temple somewhere? That sort of stuff!

 

[Kuhbee]

<3 Just make sure it's a goal or piece of future perspective that you love writing towards, and doesn't make you feel impatient or frustrated when you haven't reached that point yet. So, my advice is also to be careful with how you set it up. If it relies very strongly on specific people doing specific things, it can be tricky because Chaos is unpredictable, and people also LoA sometimes. Which can then get frustrating if it obstructs you from reaching your character goals.

To me, an ideal goal to have is something you can reach on your own, by writing with whoever is available at that time on site. Of course, you can also set goals that do require specific writers or circumstances, but be careful making it your only thing. An example of it is Romance RP, or having a family for your character. If the other writer leaves, you can feel stranded.

Thank you! I know romance can be really tricky. Kat is a testament to that. Even you and I tried and she just doesn't click or something. I think Kuhbee being a Wookie though means I don't really have to worry about romance. I also felt like how I always struggle to find Kat as powerful might play well with Kuhbee because a Wookie is so strong. That's why I made him. I wanted to have an outlet to get into more of NJO big threads and meet new writers. Honestly I'd like to make more new characters to do that too.

 

[Valery Noble]

Throw him into the big threads for sure, then! See where it takes him.

You're a fun writer and great person ooc. With a little spark or an idea to write towards, I know you can keep up without either Kuhbee or whoever else you make

 

[Kuhbee]

Throw him into the big threads for sure, then! See where it takes him.

You're a fun writer and great person ooc. With a little spark or an idea to write towards, I know you can keep up without either Kuhbee or whoever else you make

<3 you are so kind. Thank you!

 

[Kuhbee]

Alright so it looks like what I'm going to do is:

1. Go back and really work on Kuhbees bio. Really think who he is. Get that situated.
2. Come up with some story lines and future goals for him. Really make them specific and clear that do not rely on one person but rather can be fleshed out with anybody. Give him something to work for and struggle with.
3. Give him a cute sidekick to bounce off of.

I'm open to anybody else offering ideas too! Thank you all so much

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Peristance.

Re bio stuff I take the opposite approach. I do bare bones and let their voice develop organically in threads and then go back to update and flesh out the bio later.

 

[Kuhbee]

Peristance.

Re bio stuff I take the opposite approach. I do bare bones and let their voice develop organically in threads and then go back to update and flesh out the bio later.

That is kind of what I did with Kuhbee but I'm wondering if maybe that doesn't work for me because well this thread exists lol. I'm glad its working for you though! Your characters are awesome. <3

 

[Valery Noble]

That is kind of what I did with Kuhbee but I'm wondering if maybe that doesn't work for me because well this thread exists lol. I'm glad its working for you though! Your characters are awesome. <3

It's not for everybody. I write a lot with TNB and he also tends to make a simpler bio and goes from there. I personally always want a few things covered already before I get started. Is okay to have your own preference there

Between the bio you make and the ideas you have, the most important thing is that you feel that rush of excitement and have a way to maintain it beyond he honeymoon phase of a new character.

 

[Kuhbee]

I slept on it a little and I came up with a few possible goals he could have. Going to do a little more brainstorming and then update the bio and go from there.

I was thinking maybe going for a healer or beast master vibe …

 

[Kuhbee]

Also looking for ideas for his sidekick. I was wondering if it should be something that could translate for him? Since not everybody could speak his language? His love of nature makes me think it should be living but then again I like the idea is a droid because when he gets mad he can kick it or chase it like Chewy with the mouse droid …

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Also looking for ideas for his sidekick. I was wondering if it should be something that could translate for him? Since not everybody could speak his language? His love of nature makes me think it should be living but then again I like the idea is a droid because when he gets mad he can kick it or chase it like Chewy with the mouse droid …

I did a droid for Makai. Gives me some hilarity in posts since the droid and Makai don't see eye to eye. Might be a good idea.

Example here

 

[Kuhbee]

I did a droid for Makai. Gives me some hilarity in posts since the droid and Makai don't see eye to eye. Might be a good idea.

Example here

I love it!!

 

[Allyson Locke]

I love Kuhbee. Give me more.

 

[Kuhbee]

I love Kuhbee. Give me more.

aww thank you! <3 This advice really helped me launch him