Character Quirks and Keeping a Character True to Character - How can I do it?

Adaon ril'Morgerard

Lord of the North Wind
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. One post per week
  2. Slow As Molasses
Writing Levels
  1. Elementary
  2. Intermediate
  3. Adept
  4. Advanced
  5. Prestige
  6. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
Genres
Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Historical, Some Sci-Fi
When you create a character, you define his skills and his personality and you give him specific traits and all of that good stuff. How do you remember to think and insert those specific traits into the post? Give the character a soul and a voice?

See, the way I write is on impulse and improvisation, followed by a round of editing and polishing. But when I edit and I polish, I merely fix typos, grammar and punctuation mistakes and I change some word choices to make sure the text flows smoothly and the proper word selection from a range of synonyms is used.

Unlike with a story, I can't look at the whole picture and tweak the characters to make them different. RPing requires a lot more improvisation that way. The human memory can only go so far. Unless I fanatically reread every single post from the beginning, I am unlikely to keep to the same 'voice' that I had for the character in posts way back.

So, really, what's a good way to keep the character's voice unique and individual? Should I create a short list of points for every character, a list of traits and quirks, and see if I can insert them into the post? I'd need a note keeping program or something that can sync across multiple devices.
 
Last edited:
So, really, what's a good way to keep the character's voice unique and individual? Should I create a short list of points for every character, a list of traits and quirks, and see if I can insert them into the post? I'd need a note keeping program or something that can sync across multiple devices.
This should be enough. You can also make it so that your short list/summary of your character's traits, quirks, and personality is regularly updated in between periods of story arc time, since no character really stays static.

If you want a good notekeeping program, you can try Google Docs. It can sync across multiple devices with your Google account and you can use the mobile-friendly version to update and edit.

Evernote is also a very good program to take notes and sync with other devices, you can use both the desktop version or the browser version on your computer, and it also has a mobile app. It can keep multiple notes and you can create "notebooks" to store those notes in, so it's also handy and organized.
 
  • Thank You
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard
*grimaces* My RPing habits are set like cement. To bring in new habits, I'll have to smash it up and put new cement in. Messy stuff.

Google Docs takes sooo long to load (compared to how hyper I am when RPing) and it takes up RAM. Even with my 8gb, 90% of it is being used most of the time. I'm definitely going to try Evernote though. The browser version is really good! Perhaps I might get the desktop version when I get a new computer.

Is there any other technique, though? Something easier and more efficient? I know I'm asking for 'the magic solution' here but I'm really distressed by this dilemma.
 
The problem you're talking about is the problem that many, if not most, writers encounter. Keeping a character voice is very difficult and takes time and diligence to learn how to do well.

Creating a brief bullet point list is definitely a good place to start, I think. It will help you keep a character's major quirks straight without having to read back through mounds of text.

Another helpful way, which was kind of briefly touched on above, is to understand the arc you want your character to have through the story. Main characters, especially in roleplay, shouldn't remain static. They shouldn't be the same character they are at the end as they were at the start. By understanding a general outline of how your want your character to develop, you may be able to stick to traits a little easier. For example, if your characters starts of a whiny, selfish, and rude individual but by the end of the story become a thoughtful, reflective, and kind person, they will definitely go through personality stages to go from one to the other. Understanding where your character is going will help you a lot in deciding how they should act throughout different legs of the story.

Furthermore, understanding your character's main goal will help prevent you from investing your own into their actions. You mentioned that you kind of 'knee jerk' characters based on your own reactions to events and I'm guessing you may do that because you don't know what your character wants. Giving your character a goal will help you stay in character better because now you have an idea that everything they do is going to be driven by that want or desire.

Lastly, I'd really suggest training yourself to get into the mind of a character. A good way to do this, I've found, is to create a specific music playlist for a character. That way, when I put on a specific playlist or song, my brain immediately knows "OK. It's time to write ____ character."
 
Thank you! That is useful information, however it isn't actually what I was looking for.

Let me give an example. There is a clever prince. He has several little talents that are nonetheless important because when I include one or some or all of them into the RP post. One of them may perhaps be that, he can guess what a person (read: NPC) is thinking or feeling by looking into their eyes. This is because the tradition of that court is to use fans to cover the face and thus conceal emotions, making him adept at reading them just from their eyes.

Small details like these, when inserted collectively, can make very interesting 'voices' for the specific character. People are constantly reminded that he's that OC, instead of he's Ryn's OC.

Your post was actually helpful and I will definitely try to do things that way but I was looking for help on a more specific character voice issue.
 
A general tip I use is to DIVE into a character. It doesn't change my RPing habits, but it helps with reminders.

I can fill out a detailed and thorough character sheet or questionnaire. I can write out scenes and snippets involving that character dealing with different scenarios and emotional states. I can babble possible interactions with a partner.

Browsing pinterest, I collect images and quotes.

Also, making a small list of 'core rules' for playing the character helps.

For example, let's use my character, Rare.
  • Rare does not speak.
    She may only use sign language, gestures, body language, facial expression, and writing.
    She may vocalize, such as restrained moans and whimpers mid-coitus.
  • Rare is casual with bloodshed.
    She uses blood magic, and because she regenerates quickly, she has a lot to use.
    Easiest writing implement is her own blood. Pens aren't on battlefields.
  • Rare will do her best to be diplomatic.
  • Rare is silently judging all of you.
  • Rare is greedy.
A simple five-point list, with a few explanations to remind me her reasons and methods.

Another example, let's use... Elizabeth.
  • Elizabeth is feline.
    This reflects on her mannerisms. She shows shame by fixing her appearance. She purrs. Her hair fluffs when she's spooked.
  • High bloodthirst, forced bystander position.
    She'd love to get in a fight and wreck someone. She can't, except in very specific circumstances.
  • Naggy/strict.
    Worries a lot, so takes it out by nitpicking those she cares for.
  • Girlish.
    Loves feeling pretty and being treated like a princess.
  • Gets things done.
    Not always in the way people want. Uses very feral 'diplomatic' methods.
A little list like this, you can write on a sticky note or in your phone, or maybe use google spreadsheets (which may load faster than docs). You could also keep your notes in a thread, such as in testing or showcasing.
 
  • Bucket of Rainbows
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard
Thank you. That is very efficient and exactly what I was looking for!
 
  • Love
Reactions: The Mood is Write
Thank you. That is very efficient and exactly what I was looking for!
Glad to help! Also, google spreadsheets can have multiple tabs, and you can trim away rows and columns, so you can not only set it up to hold multiple characters, but you can also set up a single spreadsheet to have multiple pages of helpful things for ya: to do list, planning, that sort of thing.

I use one to track where I need to work on my toyhouse profiles!
 
  • Love
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard
I'm sorry but now I just see your brain as a potential well of resources and ideas that I need to mine!
 
  • Thank You
Reactions: The Mood is Write
  • Thank You
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard
A core list is nice, but what also helps is looking in a mirror and acting out your scene and character. Besides laughing at yourself for looking like an idiot, it forces you to think about how things like body language and general air come across. Making notes of what you do, can help you in writing. Acting it out makes it more concrete.
 
  • Thank You
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard
That sounds like a fantastic way to figure out a character. I wish I could do it without weirding out my family. They don't know how obsessed I am with RPing!

And for some reason, when I posted there was a double post and when I deleted it, both vanished.
 
That sounds like a fantastic way to figure out a character. I wish I could do it without weirding out my family. They don't know how obsessed I am with RPing!

And for some reason, when I posted there was a double post and when I deleted it, both vanished.
Bathroom mirror? Get a fullbody mirror in your room?
 
Bathroom mirror? Get a fullbody mirror in your room?
I use my laptop in the lounge. I could spend some time in the bathroom but-

What if people start wondering what the hell I'm up to in there?
 
I use my laptop in the lounge. I could spend some time in the bathroom but-

What if people start wondering what the hell I'm up to in there?
"I'm POOPIN!"

xD That's my go-to.
 
Embrace the strange, friend. I mean, most writers feel the need to clear their search history like a porn addict on their browser history. xD;
 
  • Love
Reactions: Adaon ril'Morgerard