Who's your favorite character you're writing right now?

kaitie · 06-16-2010, 06:53 PM

Okay, so I'm sure this thread has been done before, but what we write changes often enough that I figure it won't hurt to start a new one.

Anyway, we've got an MC thread and a villain thread, so I thought "Why not a favorites thread?"

So here goes the rather obvious question: Which character that you're currently writing is your favorite and why? Is he/she your MC, villain, or just a random secondary character? Has said character taken on a bigger role than you intended/expected?

My favorite is a psychic/telepath named Harper. She's got a spitfire personality and tends to crack me up because she'll just say the most outrageous, not socially acceptable to say things. I also like her background because, while she tends to come off as a bitch and makes everyone around her uncomfortable, I totally understand why (imagine reading everyone's thoughts your whole life), and I recognize that it's a way to shield herself from people. I also love the interactions between her and my narrator, who is about the only person in the world she talks to (or anyone talks to, for that matter. He's kind of the universal confidante).

She's only a secondary character and truth be told she wasn't supposed to be in the story much at all. She was originally intended for only two scenes where she could show up and put her psychic powers to use, but she's managed to pop up into the top three characters. Which might have something to do with the fact that she's so much fun to write.

MGraybosch · 06-16-2010, 07:38 PM

My favorites are a pair of supporting characters named Claire Ashecroft and Josefine Malmgren. Claire Ashecroft is a freelance hacker who lives in London at 22 Acacia Avenue. She's *very* outgoing, an incorrigible flirt, and a consummate geek. She named her household AI after HAL-9000, translates manga when not being paid to hack or put together retro-style terminals, lives on takeout, and gets her exercise in fantasy combat simulations like Ultraviolent Radiation by Mindcrime Interactive. She's a busty redhead who favors t-shirts, jeans, and motorcycle boots. She often works with the protagonist, Morgan Stormrider, when he needs some hacking done that he can't do himself.

Josefine Malmgren is Claire's friend; they were roommates at London Polytechnic. While Claire went freelance, Josefine found a patron in Isaac Magnin (the antagonist of Starbreaker) and earned a place in the AsgarTech Company's R&D department, where she designed and developed the operating system for AsgarTech's "kitty emulators" and the 200 series Asura Emulators. She's a petite blonde, but dyes her hair brown and dresses as demurely and professionally as possible because of an irrational fear that her coworkers won't take her seriously if they find her attractive. She's 27, but still sleeps with the plush Programmer Cat she had been given as a birthday present when she was seven. It purrs when she hugs it, and she's cuddled the stuffing out of it a dozen times.

It's fun to write scenes including the two of them. Claire tries to be a bad influence on Josefine, and Josefine keeps trying to be a restraining influence on Claire.

gracemichael · 06-16-2010, 07:38 PM

Millie - an elderly Alabama bed & breakfast owner who loves baseball and is a touchy-feely grandmother type. She is patterned somewhat after my own grandmother. She is the town gossip ... and the gossip for the surrounding towns as well!

She wasn't supposed to be an important character, but she is turning into a very important person to my MC. She's the person who will end up guiding his path and eventually turning his life around.

Aubie · 06-16-2010, 07:55 PM

Courtney Chase-my MC's best friend. I've only just started this WIP, but I already feel like she's going to make much more of an impact on my MC's decisions than I originally thought. She is. so. fun!

MkMoore · 06-16-2010, 08:25 PM

My semi-antagonist Damien. He's not really a villain, but he tortures my MC a bit and is in charge of the empire that pretty much crushed the modern world. He's kind of the ambiguous, deep dark past antihero. I like writing him because he's layered, and because its a challenge to keep a balance between the sympathetic and unsympathetic aspects of his character.

I'm also enjoying writing my secondary MC Eleanor because the more I write her the crazier she gets. She murdered a guy yesterday (he deserved it, but still).

flood · 06-16-2010, 08:31 PM

A cocaine smuggler in California who employs go fast boats to rendezvous with semi-submersible transports. I have enjoyed the research.

Phaeal · 06-16-2010, 09:36 PM

Jafor, a miserably deformed but intelligent slave with a gift for spying put to constant use by his master. Also, he is that good in his hart, as his probable inspiration Joe Gargery (Great Expectations) would say -- I love those "secondary" Dickens characters that pop off the page.

Shadow_Ferret · 06-16-2010, 09:54 PM

My favorite character was Sanakr, from my trunked alternate reality medieval story (not a fantasy, no fantasy elements, except for legend). He was just evil and twisted. He felt he deserved his father's dukedom, but his father thought he needed some maturing and sent him to the borderlands. It wasn't a bad place, but Sanakr felt it was exile and started stewing and plotting and becoming more and more angry against his father, his brother, and his uncle, the king. His father dies under mysterious circumstances and Sanakr thinks now is his chance to be duke, but the King decides to put Sanakr's younger brother in charge. Then with the help of the Queen, his step-Aunt, Sanakr poisons the king, frames the princess, his cousin, and eventually marries the Queen, becomes King, and rules as a cruel despot. He just gave me an opportunity to write some really graphic violence... torture, beheadings, and so on.

ETA: Oh, sorry. It's character you're writing about NOW.

My current MC because its me. How could I not love me?

DeleyanLee · 06-16-2010, 10:40 PM

I don't have a favorite in my present MIP. I adore them all--for different reasons, but I truly like ALL my characters.

This is the first time in all my ages of writing where I can honestly say that. I think it's fantastic.

Margarita Skies · 06-16-2010, 10:58 PM

I can't pick a favorite. I like them all.

SadieCass · 06-16-2010, 11:04 PM

Hmmm....I'd definitely have to say that in my WIP it's my female MC Jane. She has no memory but she's got a boatload of spunk. She's smart and witty - far more than I am. Wait...I mean, well, you know what I mean. Trailing right behind her is my male MC Cole. He's such a smarta$$. They're both great.

Outside of the MC's I have two little boys that just make me giggle every time. Isaac and Jesse are total scene stealers

In my first novel my favorite character was a secondary character that didn't show up until the middle. Her name was Anna and she stole a few scenes herself.

But I love them all...when they're on the page.

cameron_chapman · 06-16-2010, 11:06 PM

Mine is the love interest/antagonist (yes, he's both) in my current WIP. He's good-looking, has a strong moral compass, but can't help himself in the situation he's in, no matter how much he tries.

I have a tendency to fall in love with every leading man in the novels I write...good thing they're only on paper or my husband would be very jealous, and with good reason!

SadieCass · 06-16-2010, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameron_chapman

I have a tendency to fall in love with every leading man in the novels I write...good thing they're only on paper or my husband would be very jealous, and with good reason!

Oh my goodness so do I!! My current leading man is very much like my dream man in appearance - 6'5", blonde, STRONG...long...um, fingers. *clears throat*

I've also made them shorter, still blonde, although I've thrown a couple of brunettes in the mix. I like variety, and I fall a little in love with each of them. I do have to say, though - Cole is really demanding and may stick around as my favorite.

My husband would also be very jealous if he was real...although he handles my enjoyment of a certain Hugh Jackman fairly well (because, like my character, I'll never actually meet him

)

Lady Ice · 06-16-2010, 11:35 PM

I quite like Bess, my opportunistic maid with the creepy eyes.

MGraybosch · 06-16-2010, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieCass

Oh my goodness so do I!! My current leading man is very much like my dream man in appearance - 6'5", blonde, STRONG...long...um, fingers. *clears throat*

Don't feel bad. Almost all of the sympathetic female characters in my novel, Starbreaker are women I'd find attractive in real life. Brunettes, redheads, and gold and platinum blondes -- I've got them all. They tend to be musicians, scientists, and hackers as well.

mulcahy67 · 06-16-2010, 11:41 PM

my favorite is one of my supporting characters in my novels, Benjamin Franski. He is based a bit off a friend I knew, and he is generally a bit of a horn dog, very cornball and all about the one-liners. he's fun to write and work with, and he provides some great comedic entertainment during my action sequences.

SadieCass · 06-16-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGraybosch

Don't feel bad. Almost all of the sympathetic female characters in my novel, Starbreaker are women I'd find attractive in real life. Brunettes, redheads, and gold and platinum blondes -- I've got them all. They tend to be musicians, scientists, and hackers as well.

LOL. So it isn't just us women that do this? That's very reassuring.

ArcticFox · 06-16-2010, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieCass

Oh my goodness so do I!! My current leading man is very much like my dream man in appearance - 6'5", blonde, STRONG...long...um, fingers. *clears throat*

Long, huh? You know what they say? It's not the size of the boat, but the motion of the ocean.

My favorite so far is Rabbit. The MC's friend. He's a riot.

SadieCass · 06-17-2010, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcticFox

Long, huh? You know what they say? It's not the size of the boat, but the motion of the ocean.

What? I SAID fingers

But yeah, he's no shirk...Jane is quite happy...then again, so is he...it's a two way street between those two...a very public street (yeah, exhibitionism...this couple is a hoot)

ArcticFox · 06-17-2010, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieCass

What? I SAID fingers

You're a bad liar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieCass

it's a two way street between those two...a very public street

I see. if you need a beta reader...

SadieCass · 06-17-2010, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcticFox

You're a bad liar.

*snicker* I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcticFox

I see. if you need a beta reader...

LOL Well, I have one, but if you're interested, I could use another. Two POV's are always good.

Chasing the Horizon · 06-17-2010, 12:13 AM

I should have a hard time choosing considering how many active characters I have and how much I love them all, but you know, I really don't.

Rose. I have never found another female character as totally alpha and kick-ass as she is. She's from my warrior matriarchy (of course!), the best of all the warriors, completely unstoppable. But what I really love is the extreme depth to her character. She's constantly on the line between villainess and heroine, full of contradictions. She's both honorable and immoral, cold and controlled but capable of being extremely passionate. And her sarcasm is so damn funny. She's also the most difficult character I've ever written. I can't tell you how many times I've asked her to do something for the story and she's crossed her arms and simply said 'no'. She won't listen to me at all, lol.

I'm also fairly sure Rose has ruined me for writing other female characters. I always compare them to her, and they always come up short. See, I've been playing with Rose's character for 20 years. How can any newly-created character possibly hold a candle to that level of development? *sigh*

Albannach · 06-17-2010, 12:46 AM

Someone I've just started writing about--WWII which is unusual for me. I usually eschew the 20th century.

A young Scottish physician in the midst of the Battle of Britain dealing with all kinds of personal issues whilst around him London is bombed to rubble. He's just rather likable. I pretty much always like my MCs. (I never like my antagonists although I may respect them)

cameron_chapman · 06-17-2010, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieCass

My husband would also be very jealous if he was real...although he handles my enjoyment of a certain Hugh Jackman fairly well (because, like my character, I'll never actually meet him

)

That's so funny! I based the appearance of my current leading man on Hugh Jackman! It's a thing I do when I'm picturing my characters; I base their appearances on actors or actresses to get a better picture of them in my head!

SadieCass · 06-17-2010, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameron_chapman

That's so funny! I based the appearance of my current leading man on Hugh Jackman! It's a thing I do when I'm picturing my characters; I base their appearances on actors or actresses to get a better picture of them in my head!

One of the male MC's in my first novel looks like Hugh Jackman. *G* What better example is there? Unfortunately I have yet to find a man that matches the descrip of Cole. Probably the closest would be Alexander Skarsgard, but he'd have to be a bit rougher/grittier for it. Which I could so totally see

06-16-2010, 06:53 PM	#1
kaitie Bow before the laser screwdriver Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The land of the rising sun. Posts: 9,453	Who's your favorite character you're writing right now? Okay, so I'm sure this thread has been done before, but what we write changes often enough that I figure it won't hurt to start a new one. Anyway, we've got an MC thread and a villain thread, so I thought "Why not a favorites thread?" So here goes the rather obvious question: Which character that you're currently writing is your favorite and why? Is he/she your MC, villain, or just a random secondary character? Has said character taken on a bigger role than you intended/expected? My favorite is a psychic/telepath named Harper. She's got a spitfire personality and tends to crack me up because she'll just say the most outrageous, not socially acceptable to say things. I also like her background because, while she tends to come off as a bitch and makes everyone around her uncomfortable, I totally understand why (imagine reading everyone's thoughts your whole life), and I recognize that it's a way to shield herself from people. I also love the interactions between her and my narrator, who is about the only person in the world she talks to (or anyone talks to, for that matter. He's kind of the universal confidante). She's only a secondary character and truth be told she wasn't supposed to be in the story much at all. She was originally intended for only two scenes where she could show up and put her psychic powers to use, but she's managed to pop up into the top three characters. Which might have something to do with the fact that she's so much fun to write. __________________ "You will experience a tingling sensation and then death." And just because it's still awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc Take two: 90,008 Current: 7,680

06-16-2010, 07:38 PM	#2
MGraybosch Author of Starbreaker Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: United States Posts: 2,860	My favorites are a pair of supporting characters named Claire Ashecroft and Josefine Malmgren. Claire Ashecroft is a freelance hacker who lives in London at 22 Acacia Avenue. She's very outgoing, an incorrigible flirt, and a consummate geek. She named her household AI after HAL-9000, translates manga when not being paid to hack or put together retro-style terminals, lives on takeout, and gets her exercise in fantasy combat simulations like Ultraviolent Radiation by Mindcrime Interactive. She's a busty redhead who favors t-shirts, jeans, and motorcycle boots. She often works with the protagonist, Morgan Stormrider, when he needs some hacking done that he can't do himself. Josefine Malmgren is Claire's friend; they were roommates at London Polytechnic. While Claire went freelance, Josefine found a patron in Isaac Magnin (the antagonist of Starbreaker) and earned a place in the AsgarTech Company's R&D department, where she designed and developed the operating system for AsgarTech's "kitty emulators" and the 200 series Asura Emulators. She's a petite blonde, but dyes her hair brown and dresses as demurely and professionally as possible because of an irrational fear that her coworkers won't take her seriously if they find her attractive. She's 27, but still sleeps with the plush Programmer Cat she had been given as a birthday present when she was seven. It purrs when she hugs it, and she's cuddled the stuffing out of it a dozen times. It's fun to write scenes including the two of them. Claire tries to be a bad influence on Josefine, and Josefine keeps trying to be a restraining influence on Claire. __________________ Matthew Graybosch Author of the Starbreaker series, coming soon from Curiosity Quill Press... meow? Last edited by MGraybosch; 06-16-2010 at 07:41 PM.

06-16-2010, 07:55 PM	#4
Aubie Live and let live Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Lovliest Village on the Plains Posts: 333	Courtney Chase-my MC's best friend. I've only just started this WIP, but I already feel like she's going to make much more of an impact on my MC's decisions than I originally thought. She is. so. fun! __________________ Hearts Don't Break Quietly (YA) 51K too many trunked to count right now :0) WAR EAGLE I'm on Twitter http://twitter.com/ryannjansen

06-16-2010, 08:25 PM	#5
MkMoore Treasure-hunter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 103	My semi-antagonist Damien. He's not really a villain, but he tortures my MC a bit and is in charge of the empire that pretty much crushed the modern world. He's kind of the ambiguous, deep dark past antihero. I like writing him because he's layered, and because its a challenge to keep a balance between the sympathetic and unsympathetic aspects of his character. I'm also enjoying writing my secondary MC Eleanor because the more I write her the crazier she gets. She murdered a guy yesterday (he deserved it, but still). __________________ "Men come and go, but dust accumulates." --Terry Pratchett.

06-16-2010, 09:36 PM	#7
Phaeal Whatever I did, I didn't do it. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 8,334	Jafor, a miserably deformed but intelligent slave with a gift for spying put to constant use by his master. Also, he is that good in his hart, as his probable inspiration Joe Gargery (Great Expectations) would say -- I love those "secondary" Dickens characters that pop off the page. __________________ SUMM0NED (Coming from T0R, 2014) Real magic becomes real trouble when Sean summons the wrong familiar -- the big, toothy one with a taste for the neighbors. And so it goes...

06-16-2010, 07:38 PM	#3
gracemichael wondering ... Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 109	Millie - an elderly Alabama bed & breakfast owner who loves baseball and is a touchy-feely grandmother type. She is patterned somewhat after my own grandmother. She is the town gossip ... and the gossip for the surrounding towns as well! She wasn't supposed to be an important character, but she is turning into a very important person to my MC. She's the person who will end up guiding his path and eventually turning his life around.

06-16-2010, 08:31 PM	#6
flood New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 35	A cocaine smuggler in California who employs go fast boats to rendezvous with semi-submersible transports. I have enjoyed the research.

06-16-2010, 09:54 PM	#8
Shadow_Ferret Bowties are cool Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: In a world of my own making Posts: 21,951	My favorite character was Sanakr, from my trunked alternate reality medieval story (not a fantasy, no fantasy elements, except for legend). He was just evil and twisted. He felt he deserved his father's dukedom, but his father thought he needed some maturing and sent him to the borderlands. It wasn't a bad place, but Sanakr felt it was exile and started stewing and plotting and becoming more and more angry against his father, his brother, and his uncle, the king. His father dies under mysterious circumstances and Sanakr thinks now is his chance to be duke, but the King decides to put Sanakr's younger brother in charge. Then with the help of the Queen, his step-Aunt, Sanakr poisons the king, frames the princess, his cousin, and eventually marries the Queen, becomes King, and rules as a cruel despot. He just gave me an opportunity to write some really graphic violence... torture, beheadings, and so on. ETA: Oh, sorry. It's character you're writing about NOW. My current MC because its me. How could I not love me? __________________ Twitter \| G+ \| WordPress \| Tumblr “I love words but I don’t like strange ones. You don’t understand them and they don’t understand you. Old words is like old friends, you know ‘em the minute you see ‘em.” -- Will Rogers Sadly true: "Creating drama, arguments and conflict can wake up the ADHD brain, making us alert and alive… and eventually alone." -- TotallyADD via Twitter Last edited by Shadow_Ferret; 06-16-2010 at 10:04 PM.

06-16-2010, 10:40 PM	#9
DeleyanLee Writing Anarchist Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: lost among the words Posts: 27,756	I don't have a favorite in my present MIP. I adore them all--for different reasons, but I truly like ALL my characters. This is the first time in all my ages of writing where I can honestly say that. I think it's fantastic. __________________ "For unheard of means that it's undreamed of yet; Impossible means not yet done." --Julia Ecklar "You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist." --Friederich Nietzsche

06-16-2010, 10:58 PM	#10
Margarita Skies Banned Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: The Best Place In The World...Absolute Write!! Posts: 2,369	I can't pick a favorite. I like them all.

06-16-2010, 11:04 PM	#11
SadieCass Queen of Trauma Drama Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 127	Hmmm....I'd definitely have to say that in my WIP it's my female MC Jane. She has no memory but she's got a boatload of spunk. She's smart and witty - far more than I am. Wait...I mean, well, you know what I mean. Trailing right behind her is my male MC Cole. He's such a smarta$$. They're both great. Outside of the MC's I have two little boys that just make me giggle every time. Isaac and Jesse are total scene stealers In my first novel my favorite character was a secondary character that didn't show up until the middle. Her name was Anna and she stole a few scenes herself. But I love them all...when they're on the page. __________________ Changing Tracks~There is nothing simple about forgetting your past. (90,000wd. Western Rom) Derailed~The sins of a past she can't remember haunt a future she will never forget. (90,000wd. WR; 2nd in series) Dark Territory~It's said dead men tell no tales, but one dead woman will speak volumes. (WIP WR; 3rd in series)

06-16-2010, 11:06 PM	#12
cameron_chapman Makes Things Up Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Heart-Shaped Box Posts: 500	Mine is the love interest/antagonist (yes, he's both) in my current WIP. He's good-looking, has a strong moral compass, but can't help himself in the situation he's in, no matter how much he tries. I have a tendency to fall in love with every leading man in the novels I write...good thing they're only on paper or my husband would be very jealous, and with good reason!

06-16-2010, 11:35 PM	#14
Lady Ice Makes useful distinctions Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 4,361	I quite like Bess, my opportunistic maid with the creepy eyes.

06-16-2010, 11:41 PM	#16
mulcahy67 Got the hang of it, here Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 173	my favorite is one of my supporting characters in my novels, Benjamin Franski. He is based a bit off a friend I knew, and he is generally a bit of a horn dog, very cornball and all about the one-liners. he's fun to write and work with, and he provides some great comedic entertainment during my action sequences. __________________ i'm just a WIP, yo.

06-17-2010, 12:13 AM	#22
Chasing the Horizon Weaver of Dark Delusions Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Where madness sleeps, and dreams Posts: 3,554	I should have a hard time choosing considering how many active characters I have and how much I love them all, but you know, I really don't. Rose. I have never found another female character as totally alpha and kick-ass as she is. She's from my warrior matriarchy (of course!), the best of all the warriors, completely unstoppable. But what I really love is the extreme depth to her character. She's constantly on the line between villainess and heroine, full of contradictions. She's both honorable and immoral, cold and controlled but capable of being extremely passionate. And her sarcasm is so damn funny. She's also the most difficult character I've ever written. I can't tell you how many times I've asked her to do something for the story and she's crossed her arms and simply said 'no'. She won't listen to me at all, lol. I'm also fairly sure Rose has ruined me for writing other female characters. I always compare them to her, and they always come up short. See, I've been playing with Rose's character for 20 years. How can any newly-created character possibly hold a candle to that level of development? sigh __________________

06-17-2010, 12:46 AM	#23
Albannach AW Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 918	Someone I've just started writing about--WWII which is unusual for me. I usually eschew the 20th century. A young Scottish physician in the midst of the Battle of Britain dealing with all kinds of personal issues whilst around him London is bombed to rubble. He's just rather likable. I pretty much always like my MCs. (I never like my antagonists although I may respect them)

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