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Ereki,

Because I want to get this up before tooooooo late this evening, I will skimp on my initial comment and just introduce the topic, which is the belief system which your character operates on/approaches life with.

A characters moral beliefs will inform their voice (which we looked at earlier), is usually developed early in life (which therefore connects to backstory), and is a big part of what makes our characters consistent people with real motivations and morally informed decision-making skills.

Oftentimes, people do not have their own moral system completely figured out, so it is important that we remember this about our characters. Understanding their fundamental belief system is important to US as the authors because it will inform their voice, their decisions, and the place they play in relation to the theme and story arc as a whole. However, it’s not something you hit your readers in the face with. Unless you have an extremely self-aware character who is just… like that.

Another thing: people are contradictory. So we can’t give our characters a single belief system and then have them keep it at all times. Some of the best internal dynamics come into play when a character goes against their own belief system.

Still other characters will be in the process of forming a coherent belief system after not thinking about it very much. (This arc usually comes about through some traumatic event which forces them to confront good/evil for themselves. *rubs hands together like an evil author that I am*).

Aaaanndddd…. I said it would be short. So that’s it. XD

I’ll probably come back for round two later in the week, but what I’m looking for right now in this discussion is three things:

1. In what ways have you developed your characters’ belief systems? What are some examples of this?

2. When trying to give your character’s a cohesive belief system, what techniques have you found to be ineffective, and what techniques have been effective?

3. If this is something that you haven’t thought about before, please chime in with any questions you have!

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