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Another character question! This time from Ariana.
What do you do when you dislike one of your main protagonists, or have fallen out of love with them– partly because they’re based on yourself? I’ve often considered the answer that maybe it’s not wise to base a character on yourself in the first place, seeing as the average person (young person especially) doesn’t know himself very well– however. I’ve been working with this story and these characters for a couple years, and I’m not ready to throw her out entirely. What can I do to make this character interesting again?
Victory in the march. Hope in the destination.
I think the important thing to remember here is it is okay, and even good at times, to BASE a character off yourself as long as the character ISN’T you. Just because you used yourself as inspiration doesn’t mean that the character must act like you all the time.
I am seeing two separate questions in this question. One: people don’t know themselves well enough to make a character based off themselves, so why bother? To that I say, so what? The point isn’t to make themselves a character, the point is to make a true-to-life character, and just because you are incorrect about yourself doesn’t mean that the character is bad.
The second question is: how do I make the character interesting again? The answer is the same for characters you didn’t base off yourself. Maybe you should change them. Take a break and come back to the story when you aren’t so bored of it. Remember what attracted you to this character in the first place, why he fit with this story.
I hope that helps.
The cake is a lie. acaylor.com
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