Oh boy, the question today is a big call-out... I'm going to be as honest as I can about this one, but it also makes me feel all uncomfortable, so... yeah. Ha, anyway, the question is:
Look at your characters, maybe even the one you created yesterday, and be honest. Do you have a type?
Hell yeah, I have a type. Unfortunately, the type I have usually highlights all my worst features (because let's face it, nice people make pretty boring characters). The types I gravitate to include...
- The Delightful Asshole
This character uses humor to deflect from the fact that they actually believe they're an awful person. They have a tendancy to self-medicate, to bury their feelings until they explode, and to feel an emotional burden which they place on themselves, but nonetheless resent. They are delightful to be around initially for other characters, but eventually, they tend to tire of this characters moodswings.
- The Emotionally-Deficient Intellectual
This character uses hauteur and spite to cover the fact that they don't really know how to manage emotional expectations in relationships. They're funny as well, but in a very 'mean girl' sort of way, always ready to cut other characters down. This comes mostly from their deep sense of imposter syndrome. Other characters tend to treat this one with some caution, even though, once you get through the facade, this character is loving and charmingly witty (without the bite).
- The Manipulative Coward
This is a tough one. The Coward doesn't ever present as one - most commonly, these characters in my work are usually leaders of some description. However, they have a deep-rooted fear of being held responsible, and they end up emotionally manipulating people so that they can blame others for their actions. Eventually, this character tends to get brave, but usually only when it's too late.
Of course, I'm not that horrible in real life (in fact, I flatter myself that I'm not actually horrible at all). But I do have all of these characteristics, and it's really only through writing that I've been able to examine them. Mostly, I can't take a damn bit of credit for that though - my partner is a big believer in creative arts as therapy, and they asked me directly about it when we were first getting to know each other. And I thought I was doing so well "making up" these characters that I actually took a weird sort of offense to it... now, we call it being "seen and called out", which really takes in that very pleasant sensation of someone knowing you so well they can see your inner heart, but also that deeply unplesant feeling of someone telling you they see your inner heart and maybe you need to do something about it, haha.
Anyway, so this was great, let's never do it again (says the "Delightful Asshole"). In all seriousness, that realisation, that I was really writing myself, really put me off writing for a long time, and its only through the support of my partner and of my wonderful friends that I've come back to it. I guess it's good to explore those things in yourself, but also realise that you, as a person, are more than just your negative traits - it's good and not-so-good combined which make great people (and really good, relatable and complex, characters).
Of course, I'm not that horrible in real life (in fact, I flatter myself that I'm not actually horrible at all). But I do have all of these characteristics, and it's really only through writing that I've been able to examine them. Mostly, I can't take a damn bit of credit for that though - my partner is a big believer in creative arts as therapy, and they asked me directly about it when we were first getting to know each other. And I thought I was doing so well "making up" these characters that I actually took a weird sort of offense to it... now, we call it being "seen and called out", which really takes in that very pleasant sensation of someone knowing you so well they can see your inner heart, but also that deeply unplesant feeling of someone telling you they see your inner heart and maybe you need to do something about it, haha.
Anyway, so this was great, let's never do it again (says the "Delightful Asshole"). In all seriousness, that realisation, that I was really writing myself, really put me off writing for a long time, and its only through the support of my partner and of my wonderful friends that I've come back to it. I guess it's good to explore those things in yourself, but also realise that you, as a person, are more than just your negative traits - it's good and not-so-good combined which make great people (and really good, relatable and complex, characters).