Out of Character

[Bluebird 29]

I've been considering attempting to write something for a good while now but the thing I'm most worried about is potentially writing a character "Out of Character." Are there any ways to prevent this or do you just have to be careful?

 

 

Thank you

[Buck Testa 5,505]

The best way to avoid being out of character is to know the character well enough to THINK like them, at least in my opinion. 

 

Think about a common situation like going to the supermarket. 

 

What Isles would one of the mane six want to go down first? 

Why are they there in the first place?

Do they have a list? How well written and thought out is that list? Why is that list made like that?

Are they there for just a few items or a lot? Maybe they are there to talk to a manager about selling things there? How would they go about doing that? 

Do they take a cart or a basket? Do they remember to get one at all and have to go back after grabbing a couple items and realize they can't hold it all?

Do they like shopping? If they don't, why not? If they do, why?

 

 

The important thing here is the more questions you answer, the better grasp you have on their character.

 

Pinkie would probably be in the supermarket for party supplies and candy, so she'd be heading to baking and candy isles first followed by the party supplies. This might not be her first choice for shopping, but maybe she has to plan the party on a strict budget. 

^See, that grew out naturally and automatically answered the question of why she was there. Maybe she likes the challenge of working on such a small budget, maybe she vows to throw just as awesome a party with supermarket supplies as she would in the places she normally shops. Its her civic duty to bring smiles and she is going to do it if her name isn't Pinkamena Dianne Pie! 

^^ BOOM story plot right there and we haven't even gone through the list yet. 

 

Speaking of lists, she would most certainly have a list and a game plan. She would have those coupons on hoof, she would stretch every single bit to its limit, and she would make every single item in her cart count...and then the store doesn't have some of her supplies. WHAT!? Inconceivable! They said they had these things in the paper! What do you mean some of these coupons are expired, I just cut them out! You don't understand, I need to make this pony smile, and I need you as the store manager to help me get that pony smiling! Will you help me good sir! 

 

See that? We know Pinkie will stop at nothing to get what she needs to fulfill her desire to make ponies smile. Its her whole life mission, and a strict budget and a few missing items are not going to stop her from getting what she needs. It also would mean she would probably be making a scene in the store, because she's a bombastic personality like that. 

 

The other questions don't matter at this point because the story, the characterization, the conflict, all of it is already starting to grow. 

 

Why is she so invested in making this pony smile? What if its a sad story and its a really sick filly with cancer and there is nothing they can do to save her, and the broke parents with just a few bits on their hooves give it to Pinkie and asks her to make their little girl a happy party before the end? 

You better believe Pinkie would stop at nothing to set up the best damn party they ever set eyes on, she might even go to her friends and get them to pool their resources to make it even better than the parents initially thought. It would be heart warming and bittersweet as hell, and it would be entirely IN CHARACTER for Pinkie to do. 

 

 

You can use the same work flow for any character, and as long as you ask enough questions the answers will grow out of them on their own organically. 

Edited April 4, 2016 by Buck Testa

[Bluebird 29]

The best way to avoid being out of character is to know the character well enough to THINK like them, at least in my opinion. 

 

Think about a common situation like going to the supermarket. 

 

What Isles would one of the mane six want to go down first? 

Why are they there in the first place?

Do they have a list? How well written and thought out is that list? Why is that list made like that?

Are they there for just a few items or a lot? Maybe they are there to talk to a manager about selling things there? How would they go about doing that? 

Do they take a cart or a basket? Do they remember to get one at all and have to go back after grabbing a couple items and realize they can't hold it all?

Do they like shopping? If they don't, why not? If they do, why?

 

 

The important thing here is the more questions you answer, the better grasp you have on their character.

 

Pinkie would probably be in the supermarket for party supplies and candy, so she'd be heading to baking and candy isles first followed by the party supplies. This might not be her first choice for shopping, but maybe she has to plan the party on a strict budget. 

^See, that grew out naturally and automatically answered the question of why she was there. Maybe she likes the challenge of working on such a small budget, maybe she vows to throw just as awesome a party with supermarket supplies as she would in the places she normally shops. Its her civic duty to bring smiles and she is going to do it if her name isn't Pinkamena Dianne Pie! 

^^ BOOM story plot right there and we haven't even gone through the list yet. 

 

Speaking of lists, she would most certainly have a list and a game plan. She would have those coupons on hoof, she would stretch every single bit to its limit, and she would make every single item in her cart count...and then the store doesn't have some of her supplies. WHAT!? Inconceivable! They said they had these things in the paper! What do you mean some of these coupons are expired, I just cut them out! You don't understand, I need to make this pony smile, and I need you as the store manager to help me get that pony smiling! Will you help me good sir! 

 

See that? We know Pinkie will stop at nothing to get what she needs to fulfill her desire to make ponies smile. Its her whole life mission, and a strict budget and a few missing items are not going to stop her from getting what she needs. It also would mean she would probably be making a scene in the store, because she's a bombastic personality like that. 

 

The other questions don't matter at this point because the story, the characterization, the conflict, all of it is already starting to grow. 

 

Why is she so invested in making this pony smile? What if its a sad story and its a really sick filly with cancer and there is nothing they can do to save her, and the broke parents with just a few bits on their hooves give it to Pinkie and asks her to make their little girl a happy party before the end? 

You better believe Pinkie would stop at nothing to set up the best damn party they ever set eyes on, she might even go to her friends and get them to pool their resources to make it even better than the parents initially thought. It would be heart warming and bittersweet as hell, and it would be entirely IN CHARACTER for Pinkie to do. 

 

 

You can use the same work flow for any character, and as long as you ask enough questions the answers will grow out of them on their own organically. 

 

I cannot thank you enough for this! I was expecting one or two lines but this is just phenomenal advice; I can see myself using that "List Method" quite a lot in the future, it's truly fantastic!

 

Thank you so much for your help, it is very, very much appreciated!