Creating Complex Characters | Writing Tips

[@kiracrowley9150]

When I write a character, I always like to start at their personal rock bottom. It’s not always in the story, but it’s helpful for me to understand where their lowest bar is

[@razkable]

whats great is a character can just be internally low at some point not externally low and thats not where we meet them or its not even where we get to with them..like you said we may never even see that point in there life or it may be a flashback...but just having that basis is a great way to make a better character...props to you for that as a starting point..it works for sure

[@testedalexthegreat1759]

@@razkable Flashbacks in and of themselves are usually poor forms of storytelling.

[@himboghost629]

Your pic crew pfp is very cute

[@protorhinocerator142]

@@testedalexthegreat1759 I find flashbacks to be super annoying. I see this often on TV shows where it's pretty clear the writer doesn't understand where his own story is going. Just when you think the plot is advancing, ANOTHER FLASHBACK! There's a big difference between flashback and backstory. It's often worth the effort to come up with detailed backstory for the main characters, especially tragic backstory. But you keep it all way over there on a shelf collecting dust. You as the author know it's there, so the character knows it's there, but you don't wipe the reader's nose in it. A good compromise might be the way the story is told in the Dune books or the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. At the beginning of each chapter we see some backstory that intersects with the current situation, but never interferes with it. The writer doesn't screech the train to a dead stop to insert this backstory. At first it might feel this way to the reader, but then you quickly get used to the writing style. These mini-backstories take the form of their own stories, with a beginning, middle, and end. In the case of Hitchhiker, the stories are often humorous. In the case of Dune, the writer often takes the liberty of setting the common reference time well into the future of the main story, making the main story the backstory. In one example, the point of reference takes place many thousands of years in the future, and we're looking back on the main story in its historical context, in terms of how "modern" society was affected by these events thousands of years later. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I would suggest getting ahold of the first Hitchhiker book, as it's a much easier read than Dune. It becomes apparent nearly instantly what the writers are doing. And in this case, you may want to have 3 compartments. The main story, the main backstory, and the revealed backstory. The only time I recall a flashback being interesting at all, was in one of the books of The Chronicles of Amber. The story starts off very chaotic as the protagonist tries to reach Amber, the center of all reality in the multiverse. He unexpectedly meets his brother, who is also from Amber, who helps him get there. And maybe it was just a bit too convenient for him to show up at that exact time, but it moved the plot forward. Later on in the story (book 3 I believe) the chaos dies down for a moment so contacts his brother to ask him specifically why he was there at that particular moment of time. The brother (Prince Random) gives a very interesting data dump of his actions for the past several years. The writing style for this story is a bit different and it sounds like someone else is telling the story, which is true in-universe. The Amber series is notably written in first-person perspective. "I am a prince of Amber. I needed to get back. I had to fight all sorts of monsters along the way. I did this. I did that." In the chapter devoted to Random's story, he also uses the first-person perspective, but it feels a whole lot different. He was going through his own weird stuff at the time, with his own goals, his own struggles, etc. His story concludes at the point where he met with the main protagonist in the first book of the series. After that they have more of a shared history. When (in-chapter) he finally meets up with the main protagonist (Prince Corwin), he places him in the second-person. "I met YOU. I told you about the thing. I asked you about so and so. I helped you do this." I found this whole chapter to be one of the most enjoyable chapters in the entire series, and it might even be a good starting point for someone interested in reading the series. Maybe not, because there might be spoilers, but maybe so if they're on the fence about reading it at all. Other than that, flashbacks are almost always annoying.

[@ThePyroSquirrel1]

@@protorhinocerator142 I don’t know I find flash backs as being very engaging if done correctly. I just finished reading Jurassic park and the times they use flashbacks or refer to events in the past it helped heighten the stakes in the present. But I agree that a weak writer might not always understand how to use flashbacks correctly.

[@claremiller9979]

Knowing I'm not interesting enough to be a protagonist in a novel is such a mood.

Well, maybe your life isn't innteresting enough, idk but your mood in itself is quite interesting as a feeling and can create a good character who isn't up to his own expectations. That's it, in your feeling of "i'm not interesting enough", you found something interesting

[@rileye5347]

L'éclectique It was funny until this comment was here.

[@devanshigupta7567]

@ I want to write such a character now!

[@femininequeer8277]

This spoke to me more than any comment ever has

[@Arctic7985]

Nah I pretty much already assumed that for me.

[@portella2509]

The thing I always do when creating a character is coming up with their childhood stories. I know it sounds like procrastination or silliness, but it's actually really helpful. If you think about your childhood stories right now, say, for example, an accident that you caused to yourself when you were a child, when you really think about it, it's just your personality at its highest point, because you still hadn't learnt self control or understood social rules. When you get to know your character's childhood story, you get to learn their personality before it was shaped into society rules and morals. That's the personality that shows up whenever you're in a desperate situation or when you're the most vulnerable. Maybe your character has a scar on their forehead that they got when they were a kid, and it happened when they were running and jumping down the stairs pretending to be an astronaut (idk), that shows they're imaginative, they're adventurous, but they're also reckless and have little power to analyze the danger of the situation they're getting into. Editing to add one more information about this, because I just remembered where I got that from. The first and quite possibly the only book I've seen done this is the greatest piece of Brazilian literature there is, this book it's easily the best ever written in this country. The original name is "Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas", written by Machado de Assis in the end of the nineteenth century. The story begins with the main character's death, and then the dead narrator tells his life story. This very specific chapter that is vastly studied by literature majors it's called "O menino è o pai do homem", which roughly translates to, "the child is the father of the man". This narrates his childhood, it narrates his actions and how he wasn't really corrected on them, which meant that he grew up the same way he was when a child, because no one ever had an effort to correct his behavior. This chapter it's incredibly important to understand the story, and it builds a bridge between who the main character was and how he still is the same person.

[@ShaelinWrites]

That's a great tip!

[@Teddy-iv2sc]

liv, the hedgehog omg that’s brilliant. Thank you !

[@josevt2333]

Omg thank you so much!!

[@CODBlackOps6WALKTHROUGH]

tbh this is literally the only thing i do for characters, and to me it kind of making alot of other things not as important. once you know what someone did in their childhood, you know what kind of traits they will have. if they wanted a nice toy but were too poor, they will spend their adulthoods thinking about possessions from that viewpoint, perhaps from a mindset of scarcity, which in turn can become a limiting belief that "some people were just born rich". the arc will be complete when they find out either how to get rich, or that money isnt an inherently negative or positive thing, etc. kind of mind barfing all this, sorry lol

[@Mikeztarp]

I don't want to be mean, but this is simplistic, and frankly, just plain wrong. For example, I have a scar in one eyebrow that I got by riding a bike too close to a rose bush as a kid, and although I'm imaginative, the other three traits you listed don't correspond to me at all. In the same vein, I know plenty of people who grew up poor but aren't obsessed with consumerism as in Kreative Chaos Guides' example. Did you folks get this idea from a psychology book? You can't take a single childhood event and draw those kinds of conclusions about someone's personality, or the impact their childhood might have on their future personality. Unless it's a life-altering one, and even then, different people react differently, because it's more complex than what you suggest.

[@elled.3544]

timestamps ; 0:00 - intro 2:41 -complex psychology/goals, desires, and yearning 4:40- mask and countermask 6:11- contradictions 7:50- hobbies, interests, passions 9:02- revealing actions/detail 10:41- artful incongruity 12:52- internal world 14:21- specificity 16:30- belief system 18:06- self-awareness/perception 19:14 -the dark room 21:40- questions to ask yourself if you're lost 22:11 -flaws 23:25 - messy people & outro

[@julianwarmington1267]

"Specificity is my bread and butter." - Oh *yeah*? ... What kind of bread? Which brand of butter?! "Specificity is my vegan olive ciabatta and Anchor Low-fat spreadable."

[@nikhilmathews5643]

Thanks dude🤗

[@fresh_tomatoes]

Bless you.

[@tamirsigal4801]

Thank you!

[@alexandravalentesilva8362]

Thanks!! I just love comments like it’s so useful :)

[@Temperraryplaylist]

TL;DW 1. Complex Psychology - Make your character more complex. The following are ways to do that. 2. Goals, Desires, and Yearning - Not only the goals, but the reasons behind the goals 3. Mask and Counter-Mask - A mask is what the character shows of themselves most of the time, a counter mask is equally them, but they don't usually show that trait 4. Contradictions 5. Interests, Skills, Hobbies - What do they do in their spare time? Why are they passionate about that thing? 6. Revealing Passion and Detail - Actions the character does that reveals what they're passionate about 7. Artful Incongruity - A bit like contradictions: things a passions you wouldn't expect from a stereotype of your character, but representing them in a beautiful way 8. Internal World - The characters existence within their own mind. How the character views the world. Esp. powerful in 1st person 9. Specificity - Be as specific as you can!! If they're an engineer, what KIND of engineer? Habits, clothing, appearance. Be incongruous with it too. 10. Belief System 11. Self-Perception - How aware the character is of themselves, whether they are accurate or not 12. The Dark Room - The dark room is the one room in a house where you do not go. That room holds the core of the character. This core is often a dark truth. While the dark room is never explicitly shown, it can be inferred from the other rooms in the house. 13. Some Questions you can ask yourself if you're struggling with your character: What makes them different from any other person? What make their outlook on the world different from any other person? What questions do they ask themselves about the world or about their own lives? How do they see other people? How do they see themselves? 14. Flaw - Their flaw is rooted in every aspect of their psychology, and often in the dark room. Its not arbitrary like awkwardness, but more impactful and plot-affecting. 15. People Are Disasters - Don't be afraid of the human messiness! People are complex wrecks. Dive into that.

[@AvilioAmici]

Thanks

[@Annettewalker-nq2jf]

thanks

[@JC-yy8iv]

Thanks 3 years late lol. I’m still watching but it’s very helpful to have it laid out like this

[@Temperraryplaylist]

I don't even remember ever typing this out lmao but glad you guys are still finding it helpful!

[@Annettewalker-nq2jf]

@@Temperraryplaylist lol

[@HelloFutureMe]

Love your work Shaelin.

[@LonewolfeSlayer]

Love your work as well

[@Temperraryplaylist]

Didn't expect to see you here, I must admit

[@trevordane4605]

Not gonna lie a bit surpised you're here.

[@fullmetaltheorist]

Pleseant surprise seeing you here

[@micaiahborchers8914]

Wow, seeing you here is kind of cool! I watch both her and you for writing advice, it's kind of neat that you watch her stuff.

[@christal8904]

Shaelin: "...This isn't really a checklist..." me: in the middle of starting a checklist *sweatdrop*

[@leia2017]

i love doing checklists xd

[@idiotburner5616]

@@leia2017 same

[@jeremyjenks8421]

"Spend time with your characters. Have dinner with them."

[@wintertargaryen5269]

In 26 years of having ADHD , I have rarely find a video where I did not stop nor felt the need to rewinding every five seconds. You did an amazing work by pushing that much info on such a sort video. Serious genius.

[@JonBaldie]

Sounds like "Dark Room" is basically the same as Jung's concept of The Shadow. The dark pit in our subconscious where we throw all of the dark things our ego doesn't allow us to identify with. E.g. bad driver, lazy, careless. We project these traits onto others, which is why what triggers us actually reveals the most about the sore points of our own personality.

[@ShaelinWrites]

I'm not familiar with the concept of The Shadow, but I'll have to read up on it, it sounds interesting!

[@JonBaldie]

You should, it's interesting and highly applicable to storytelling! Here's my favourite short guide on the subject: scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/

[@herrsamsa2247]

ShaelinWrites ur so cute shaelin, read up on the subject of The shadow 😂

[@xtasch9595]

This is scary I JUST discovered this idea and its crazy. Yes definitely check it out

[@thinginground5179]

@@ShaelinWritesJungian psychology is good advice for writing. It has basis in stories like Harry Potter, LoTR, etc

[@willtitone8844]

Love the dark room idea. We all have one, so it's only natural our characters would too. Definitely want to try incorporating this in a character's moment of vulnerability

[@miaththered]

Yeeeeeeees, thank you! "When you're creating a character you're creating a person" I am so glad I'm not the only one who holds this viewpoint!

[@noelfederis8446]

Revealing actions: I watched a zombie movie last night where the protagonist spilled her tumbler of water to her plants instead of drinking her last source.

[@meatiest1989]

Lmaooo

[@AditiSingh-ie6fy]

Alive?

[@K4ndieboi]

So I’m writing my first “real” book and I love it so so so much. I love the story I love my main character almost too much, and what sucks is that I know the book is going to suck. First books always suck. But I don’t want it to suck soooo badly because I love the story so much. I keep going back and rewriting and editing and adding and removing so much and I’m just so afraid it’s gonna be bad but i want it to be good. Idk why the fuck I’m writing this no one cares 😂 just wanted to put my struggle out there I guess if anyone wants to relate with me

[@K4ndieboi]

Gabas Elamin it’s about a teenage boy who’s mom dies when he’s a freshman and his dad becomes an alcoholic who’s borderline abusive. He turns to drugs to cope with his depression and anxiety. His friends know that he has a problem but they won’t get him help because he doesn’t want it and they have too much fun. There’s also a love subplot but most of the book is ty (the main character) trying to overcome his drug problem

[@hanalovesyt7452]

I know exactly how you feel. It's the same with my story 😂

[@lemonswsushi3644]

I made characters for a comic I wanted to make and I was super excited, I went back over them today with my older brother and a lot of them were really dumb, to the point that I didn't want to show him because I don't want to get laughed at. It ended with me just staying quiet because I'm super insecure about my stuff. So now I'm looking for ways to improve my shite writing skills. Hope your first book doesn't turn out as bad as my cast of characters..

[@piesmuggler7268]

i know this comment is 8 months old, but if i have any advice it's to get feedback from people. whether that means getting an editor or just showing your book to some people you know or straight up releasing it. when you're locked in a bubble, you don't have the best vision of what it's like to actually read the book from the perspective of someone who doesn't know everything that happens, and that's the entire point of a book. if you want to make a good experience for readers, hearing about a reader's experience is extremely helpful. also, remember that life goes on after you're done with the book, and if you really want to you can remake it even better years later. don't stress too much about it. i hope my advice is in some way helpful.

[@Mjot101]

I'm in the exact same position, the way I see it is that if it sucks its probably not getting released and then hopefully I'll write some other stuff and improve and then eventually come back and write the story properly.

[@sangria-margarita]

14:30 ‘’It’s my bread and earth balance’’ 😂 same

[@ShaelinWrites]

a big mood

[@MrValkilmer35]

I was gonna leave this comment too. 'It's my bread and Nuttelex.'

[@cwfcwfcwf]

This is one of those videos that a person should watch several times. There is so much information here that not all of it will sink in the first time you watch. Good job, Shaelin. :)

[@ShaelinWrites]

Thank you! :D

[@emandell2561]

As I listen for the third time, I see this. :)

[@dinoelate5900]

I can agree, I replayed the same part for AT LEAST twenty minutes so I could absorb it lol

[@bageba8]

Holy shit Shaelin, you went IN! I think this might be your most useful and informative video yet (out of a selection of very useful and informative videos!). I didn't really expect to find this video so helpful, because creating complex characters is something I already do well, but even though you basically just covered the exact methods I use, I still feel like I learned a ton!

[@ShaelinWrites]

Ayeee I'm glad! Honestly it's such a hard topic to teach and I find a lot of content on the topic is /fairly/ repetitive or common sense

[@BobMarley-eg3lv]

Don’t say aye ever again

[@kurtzm172]

Bob Marley calm yourself friend and it’s not polite to tell a lady what to do

[@cq4851]

@@BobMarley-eg3lv man what's up with you leaving all the rude replies

[@elly9311]

Good thing all my characters are disasters. Phew! :D

[@ShaelinWrites]

mine are too!! love a disaster character!!

[@dreamwanderer9769]

"It's my bread and butter- wait, I'm a vegan-uh, my bread and Earth Balance." As another vegan who writes, this made my day

[@danaprovenzano3961]

Armadillo Panic love earth balance!! Lol 😂

[@bookishwriter9460]

Let's just say "bread and margarine" because there is margarine that is solely made out of plant oils. (It actually tastes a lot better than non-vegan margarine or butter. And it's a lot healthier too)

[@cedarmoss7173]

Any advice on how to write food while being realistic and respectful?

[@ruriva4931]

"at least as interesting as yourself" I really latched onto that piece of advice. I tried short writing exercise with myself as the main character under a different name (since using my own named felt uncanny) and in third person. Looking at myself as a book character let me understand what makes a character read human. I was able to understand your other advice through that sense too. Then I was able to apply that insight to other things.

[@dobermanredd3570]

I really love these tips, most ‘how to make a character’ videos use the same tips. But you actually bring up different advice and tips.

[@th3logician]

The high morals but easy to push over was SO RELATABLE!

[@tayo_95]

When I heard the explanation of the "dark room" it creeped me out in the best way.

[@Vickynger]

something that ive found really works for me is starting with the quirks. i know, i know, quirks are usually meant to be the dressing on the salad that is your character, but my understanding of my characters, even if ive worked on them quite a while already, is usually very nebulous. i have a vague feeling for who they are, but thinking about their backstory or their goals and such doesnt really alleviate this feeling of vagueness. so once i give them something tangible, usually a quirk but it could also be a phobia or just some way of reacting or talking, they start to get real in my head. its just a matter of finding the right one. which might take a few days. but once ive found it, theyre suddenly a real character in my head and i can go ahead and come up with the more substantial part of their psyche pretty easily.

[@ShaelinWrites]

Actually I totally agree! Sometimes those really specific oddities/quirks are like a window into the character.

[@N.Traveler]

Me: my story sucks, all my characters are a mess... Shaelin: Don't be afraid of the messiness to create complex characters. Me: Alright then. Let's keep this thing going. Haha in all seriousness, the darkroom concept really stuck with me and gave me the best ideas for my characters and story. It was basically the magic question I was looking for to understand the deeper theme in my story and the flaws within my protagonist! Thank you so much for this informative video. I love your write-with-me vlogs, but these are super helpful as well.

[@carrieloman6489]

A way I always use to create characters is to take a simple idea and expand upon it. For example, one of my characters loves learning. Why does he love learning? Well, he never had a proper education so there are lots of things that he doesn’t know and he loves discovering new things. Now you’ve got three pieces of information: he loves learning, he likes to discover new things, and he didn’t have a proper education. Now, why didn’t he have a proper education? He was an orphan who was living on the streets and he became a thief to keep himself alive. Now, you have five: He loves learning, he likes discovering things, he wasn’t properly educated, he grew up as an orphan, and he was a thief. Now why did he grow up as an orphan? Shortly after he was born, an internal war was waged in his country. Amidst the chaos, he was separated from his parents and although they looked for him, he was never found. This is just my simple way and I could say more about him since I’ve got his entire story and how his character developed over the years. That would be a lot of information though so I’ll avoid that unless someone’s curious. Anyways, I hope this helps. It’s always perfectly fine to start with a small piece of the puzzle. All books start with their first letter.

[@ashtrik3798]

Thank you!! This is very helpful! ❤

[@jorgecuevas8843]

You must be excellent writing. Just the way you explain human contradictions is beautiful

[@DaveKilgore]

Thank you, young lady, for helping to make this old guy a better writer.

[@Firestarter078]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts,, ideas and techniques but most of all thanks for using yourself as an example...I find that I need examples to get a clear understanding.

[@AT-fv1zz]

Thanks Shaelin, for emptying your drawer full of ideas on my bed and describing each so breathlessly. You’re a gem.

[@anilsrivastha708]

I imagine my character standing and facing me, directly eye to eye. Simultaneously, at the back of my head I imagine/create an action they take in the story which reveals their contradiction and ‘deeper hidden self’. I come back to them facing me and I’ve now built a contradiction of them into my perception. It’s like the character is ready to bare who they are to me, no matter the protagonist or antagonist. It’s as they’re looking at me and saying, “this is who I am and I can’t help it.” All the above may sound incredibly abstract and even useless. But it works wonders for me.

[@RODSAN2000]

I have written and published 14 novels. This discussion was very very good on character. You even went 500 level. Bravo

[@plazole]

This video is too good for its own good. I keep hearing things and then start getting ideas then realize I just missed five minutes of the video cuz I was too busy thinking about things. Then the process repeats 10 seconds after rewinding. This makes me space out in the best way thank you so much

[@jonbrouwer4300]

Wow. This is practically a whole craft book on character condensed into 20 minutes. These are seriously great insights. Saving this video on my favorites

[@theoneandonline]

There's something in your vibe that emits such an ... expertise and deep knowledge of what you're talking about, it's super refreshing, helpful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing all these tips!

[@Ned-nw6ge]

I usually base my main characters off of my self, but I fear that they become too similar to each other for that reason.

[@razkable]

what you need to do is use others for inspiration for more minor characters and divide your traits into different main/side characters so each gets one trait and enhance that one trait in each of them to make them stand out...thats a good way to do it

[@al22st]

For me this video will help me a lot in making my secondary characters to stand out more. I do struggle with this kind of things

[@ShaelinWrites]

I struggle with secondary characters too! It can be a tricky one

[@BobMarley-eg3lv]

ShaelinWrites What’s the problem with trying to make them all primary characters when not every one of them fits the spot

[@burnttoast5477]

This is why it's a good idea to keep watching character creation videos. Even if you've already watched some videos, and they've started repeating points, there's a good chance there's still information about the topic you haven't found yet. For example, most of the information in this video.

[@joannemcalpineartworks2140]

Love the mask and counter-mask concept - never thought of that. And I feel like the revealing action is more about surprising action. Nice video, thanks for the share.

[@cieradrake3331]

This is the third time I’m coming back to this video. You’re so good at explaining points I never even thought about before ;)

[@barthelemygarceau157]

This is clearly a good video. I think it's awesome that you explain this without any sociology context while staying optimistic

[@bhavikasicka3098]

I'm working on my first novel which centers around a group of characters and follows their journey/s in third-person limited, and I am struggling to flesh them out fully (through backstories, contradictions, inner worlds, through their specific desires and fears, hopes and insecurities). This video really helped. Thank you for sharing this incredibly valuable information, and thank you for-totally unrelated-being a vegan!

[@carrieloman6489]

Shaelin, I feel like you should start putting a glossary of terms in your descriptions. I always learn new words from your videos. Sometimes I’ve heard of them and other times they just sound alien. It’s quite amusing haha. Thank you for expanding my vocabulary. And for anyone who was confused like I was, incongruity is a synonym for inconsistency or incompatibility. Google’s example sentence was this: “the incongruity of his fleshy face and skinny body disturbed her.” Hope this helps anyone who was confused!

[@cristiancastro5853]

Hii, I’m 11 years old and I’ve always had a passion for writing. I’ve been working on a world building project that takes place in an alternate universe where Japan is an extreme isolationist state and has taken extreme measures to do so. However I’m not sure about the backstory as it’s sort of out of date. ( I came up with concepts and story boarding for this when I was 10 ahah ) anyways.. here was the original concept lol. The concept basically starts with the three noble children, which are basically the three supreme gods in Japanese folklore, also the first ones. The trios names were 天照 ( Amaterasu, goddess of the sun , ) 月詠-の-みこと ( Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, god of the moon ) and finally, 素戔嗚-の-みこと ( Susanoo no Mikoto, god of the storms. ) However, in my version of this, there was one more. One more child. 速水-の-みこと ( Hayami no Mikoto. ) Hayami was known for her extreme beauty and charm, she could allure any individual like a magnet. This however caused her to be extremely prideful and selfish. She was the goddess of beauty. However, one day when Amaterasu was declared the most supreme of the 3 children, Hayami felt extreme envy and this took a severe toll. Hayami was always the most treasured of them all, and now she was deemed as not as noble as her sister, Amaterasu. Hayami would then attempt to murder her sister, which she ultimately failed. And then was forever cursed to be a powerless being and was banished to Yomi. ( Japanese concept of afterlife or Hell. ) However, Amaterasu made a deal with Hayami. As Amaterasu was a fair spirit. The deal was Hayami could come back to the normal world if she promised to use her beauty for the better. However, this was a horrible mistake. Hayami would then use her beauty to almost possess her victims, and then ultimately asking for their soul. ( which could be used to gain power ) This ultimately lead to many individuals passing away. One day, Hayami disguise her self as a charming young girl at a celebration held at the very palace of the Royal Family. Nearing the end, she would offer a " gift " for the family. Which would be a beautiful song that would end up possessing the family. Except one, the eldest daughter, a princess. (edited) As the daughter had been away, she wouldn't be harmed, Hayami would then steal the families souls, killing them. And would continue on a spree throughout the capital, Tokyo. The day of the daughters arrival, she would be horrified to find almost the entire capital dead. Due to this, she would then close off all connection from Japan to avoid the evil spirit from going on a spree throughout the world. Resulting in extinction. However, the spirit would suddenly make a disappearance. Never to be seen again. Nobody knows where they went. Japan would then heal from the destruction, developing differently from the rest of the world as an isolationist state.

[@julia-nu4fj]

It sounds interesting and creative. I encourage you to continue your work. Do more research on writing and worldbuilding and utilize what you learn to make your work as good as it can be. I recommend looking into the worldbuilding of JRR Tolkien, he wrote fantasy, albeit European-based. Also, as you are 11, I encourage you to be very careful and vigilant on the Internet when it comes to who you interact with. God Bless

[@cristiancastro5853]

@@julia-nu4fj Thank you for ur feedback!

[@marvamason]

This was a great video. Exactly what I needed at this stage of my riding life. My WIP is a story about my grandmother written as creative nonfiction and what she endured growing up in the early 1900s in rural Texas, raising her kids alone during the depression. You always help me so much and understanding various aspects of writing.

[@animalobsessed1]

Internal world: A problem I have when I write the character's interpretation instead of the actual events is, how do I make sure the reader understands that it's not actually an accurate representation of what happened in the story? To be more specific, I have a habit of making pov characters misinterpret what other characters are trying to do/say, so if the reader takes that interpretation at face value, it can make it seem like those other characters are acting out of character later on.

[@WiscoDrinks]

You could have the protag/narrator comment or be involved in stuff that a reader could know objectively and be biased about it. Or have an internal mechanism to ground the reader in the narrative reality that isn't attached to the protagonists experience

[@JC-yy8iv]

I recently read a book that did an excellent job with this, Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. The book is about a missionary family in Africa, and it’s definitely not in favor of that at all. It’s a multi-POV (the family’s four sisters, some of whom are children at the start), and the characters all show up to the Democratic Republic of Congo in varied states of ignorance and unconscious bias/racism. And she puts a LOT of trust in the reader, letting us see the Congo and the Congolese people first through the eyes of ignorant Americans and only later reframing early events, as the sisters mature and become more informed about what’s going on (it’s set around the time that the Congo declared independence, had a democratic election, and then suffered through a CIA-backed military coup that installed a puppet government, extremely fucked up stuff). Anyway, in the beginning of the book she uses various devices to let us know that the book doesn’t share the prejudices of its narrators. In the case of one sister, she misuses and misspells a lot of words (not so many it’s distracting but pretty consistently throughout), blatant mistakes that would never make it to print, subtly separating the narrator from the author. In the case of another, she blindly worships the family’s missionary father, who we know to be a horrible person. Makes it clear she doesn’t yet understand what’s wrong with the colonialist mindset. Anyway those are the two devices I can think of off the top of my head, but I highly recommend the book, especially on this topic, it’s a masterclass in a certain type of unreliable narrators.

[@angelicelly_904]

This is the best and more complete video I've watched about this topic

[@freshlybrewedtruth5600]

This is such a brilliant teaching on developing character. I've heard teachings on the three things like what is the lie you're main character is believing? What do they desire or what is their goal? But I've never heard about specifity and the dark room and particular things that make them different like their perception of the world. SO good! THanks!

[@cheesecakelasagna]

I like how technical you are with the tips.

[@debbierichardson8364]

Absolutely fabulous. I got so much out of this. I had missed so many things out of my character's life such as hobbies. Thanks so much.

[@SaveMoreThanHoneyBees]

was just thinking about it being the right time for you to upload

[@jabrilyousef]

you’re *definitely* NOT garbage 😊 this was absolutely wonderful!

[@LenadyStar]

I honestly love all these points. I think a lot of it I've managed to do subconsciously, but there were several things I hadn't even thought as much about. I love the idea of countermasks.

[@ethankennan212]

The comic I’ve been planning has many alien characters with blue and orange morality in it. I like to start off with the central concept that defines the morality of their entire species, then give different interpretations of that concept to factions of that species, and go down from there until I get to the character I want to develop. It can certainly be helpful for me.

[@harpiyon]

I remember an action movie from the 1980s with Burt Reynolds playing a tough guy / bodyguard in Las Vegas who has to deal with all types of criminals, mafia, rapists, etc. He dreams of traveling to Venice, Italy. In critical situations (whenver he has to take a difficult decision or before a fight) he always thinks of that place. It helps him keep his cool & do the right thing even when everyone else panicks. He makes it through the movie (in spite some bad guys try to kill him several times). Last scene, you see him enjoying a Gondola ride in Venice. I was always wondering, why does a tough guy like that dream of such a charming place. It's so out of character, but it kinda stuck with me. Now I know the answer: "Artful Incongruity".

[@robinman3604]

I found this so helpful and as a budding writer that has never taken any kind or writing class I learned a lot. You also confirm and articulate aspects of character development that I already kinda knew which has really boosted my confidence. I have now written a pretty detailed 'bio' on my protagonist and can't wait to start their story. Thank you.

[@AlohaTrev]

Wow. My novel is based on a Dark Room. I had no idea this was a thing and I wondered if I was weird for having a secret plot device that I was never going to tell readers about, but it’s so important to the entire story and a really clever reader should figure it out

[@ld_raine4247]

I've been truly stuck for several weeks on a certain character. I wish I could pinpoint something specific, but I can't sorry. That said, something here triggered a eureka moment and I'm very grateful. Thank you

[@taleasoldastash]

I got about 5 minutes into this before having to stop and rewind so I could take notes. so helpful, thank you!

[@spencerhasting]

I felt like my character was missing something and I think this video summed up the aspects that maybe I wasn’t fully thinking of. Thank you!

[@laurencrouch764]

Hi Paula, I was wondering if you would be interested in being a beta reader for my middle grade fantasy novel? It's about Pepper Poppins, a teen outcast whose quest to prove herself ordinary is derailed when she finds herself torn between protecting her town and keeping a dark secret hidden. If you're interested, please email me at [e-mail] :)

[@pinkbookink8589]

I super needed this video rn bc it has motivated me to do another character examination before I start my first draft.

[@ShaelinWrites]

Ooooh good luck starting your draft!

[@kal-muzel875]

A problem I often have is having too complex of characters and I end up having hard time putting their thought process and feelings into words Having them explained help me think of them with a bit of simplicity ^^

[@twistedreality997]

i love how i'm such a simple consistent person, no big contradictions or secrets or anything- no interesting backstory or whatever- i'm honestly pretty boring and i couldn't use myself as a refference to save my life- yet i have like over 100 characters who are all so complex and developed on ever level but i never even tried or learned how to do this i just have maladaptive daydreaming and this happens to be the wierd talent i got apparantly, i just use these videos to check if i accidentally did that right lol

[@centaurora913]

I loved all the writing terms! Idk why I'm so obsessed but they made this video so much better

[@blitzkyyy]

You should really provide video transcripts on your website or something - this is some good stuff!! :D

[@melodine707]

No kidding because she talks so damn fast it's almost annoying.

[@dizzee6089]

Soup time!

[@beefnoodlesoup]

@@melodine707 Uh, no she isn't?

[@arxsvz8190]

@@melodine707 I listen to this on 2x speed and understand her well for the most part captions or not.

[@JustarLad]

I’ve been writing for 4 years now and I have been sketching and forgetting many of them because I always think they are not good enough. But one person changed the way I write forever, it was my principal. He said “Writing isn’t about what they want, it’s about what you want. Your story is about what you want it to be” Tbh that’s best advice I’ve ever gotten.

[@mariahmalik2123]

Best tips I've ever come across!!! Lots of love

[@Lynn-pw9nw]

I’m two years late to this but I’ll still put my thoughts on this. I’m a big, big procrastinator when it comes to any form of work, and most definitely writing, even though that’s one of my favorite things to do whenever I get an idea in my head. Usually, though, even if I write sci-fi or fantasy, I always do this one thing. The main character reflects me, but also an independent person. It’d be like looking into a mirror where, instead of it showing your face, it reflects someone else’s, but you know that deep down, that person is somehow also you in a sense. Doing this has always helped me shape a characters’ goals and flaws, since it’s easy to get the basics down before you go on to more complex things since you are jotting down emotions that you have in yourself; plus, it can also support the characters’ own personality as you branch out to develop their own self. It works well, but, not every character should be this way, or it’d be confusing and feel like a copy & paste of the same people. I suggest any amateur or new writer to try this out with their first characters, it should be extremely helpful in giving depth to your story, since now you can feel more closer and relatable to your main character (or side, whichever). Just a tip from someone who’s been writing short stories and books for almost a decade now! Whoever reads this, I believe in you, and make sure you practice every day!

[@emmameadows6908]

Thanks Shaelin, that was really helpful!! :) I’m really glad I stumbled across your video while researching on how to add more depth to my character.

[@SoftFryMildlyOverSalted]

Ooh I just thought of some good examples for artistic incongruity! An expected example might be a gentle giant, it's incongruous but not that interesting, I think an unexpected example might be a beautiful graveyard, which isn't the opposite of a sad graveyard, but still describes something like a graveyard in a unique way. I hope you find this example helpful ^_^

[@chelseadanico877]

Very great writing advice, I definitely liked it and learned a lot about developing my characters in my book tales of the old West: haunting legends of the superstition ancient mountains I’m writing. I definitely needed this. I haven’t did much character development in my book yet. So this video so definitely helped me out a lot on getting me started with developing my characters.

[@wattpadusergeek342]

Looks like I’m about to go through every single character I’ve ever created as a way to exercise your very useful points. Thank you for sharing these ideas 😊

[@seanfarrellsullivanhasemotions]

Outstanding! Very informative, thank you.

[@Sx--F]

i started watching this and then got inspired to add more depth to one of my main characters. thanks for your advice!

[@r33mickey]

I always learn so much from your videos, I'm so glad I subscribed! A lot of the time in writing videos people sound like they're repeating the same vague advice, but you really give a lot of specifics that are very helpful! Thanks for sharing what you've learned

[@carolharris2401]

This is a very good video. Lots of good ideas on how to kick your characters up a notch. I especially love the dark room idea. Since there was so much good information. I will have to watch it again and take notes. Thank you!

[@juzoheartnet4378]

I'm starting to make a story/comic and I was looking for something help me and then I found you're videos and I'm really glad I found them your videos are really amazing and helpful

[@paginaventisei]

Thank you for this, honestly this is the kind of things that I feel like I need to learn about writing. Teachers in school always told me I'm good at it but actually I don't know how to build a story or a character and this is why I'm thinking about taking a writing class (but damn it's so expensive)

[@izstrella]

The most helpful characters creation video I’ve watched, THANK YOU!

[@TheAquamarine4]

I agree with specificity being goals, authors rarely go into the details of a person’s hobby, okay they love bird-watching, now what kind of birds are their favorite. I know real people who will always be specific in how they explain things, especially their passions, So yeah Whatever their fave genre is important.

[@lancecarroll6084]

I am, I’m a new writer and I find her advice and explanations helpful and easy to understand.

[@مكتوبٌشمسي-خ1ه]

Can't believe I found such an amazing channel to gets writing tips from! I was looking for more academic advices since I struggle with spontaneous writing or anything relatively self-indulgent. And I've been looking for ways to write with a bit more subtility. At first, I focused on ambience, word choices and forshadowing but it all still felt a bit gauche. As if my story was being told rather than narrated. It lacked personal characteristics and the POVs and Arcs were written similarly when they shouldn't've. So I'm really thankful for this video. I feel like it's going to help. I already took post it notes to keep on the corner as I write.

[@gavasiarobinssson5108]

Your rambling surprisingly had some gems to offer.

[@dreadmoc12]

I've never heard the term Mask/Countermask, but it seems similar to vulnerability. Not seen very often, but then again we are talking about complex characters. Most characters are cookie cutter and it works because they're easy to understand. I like your take on characters earning their place. I like characters that completely hijack the story and teach me things I could only learn from them. It's like the idea behind The Dark Half in that you sort of allow your character to come to life and tell you their story.

[@eleonorereimer1166]

This is the most useful video on writing characters I've ever seen. I'm getting really tired of the "what's your character's favourite food" kind of sheets that are supposed to help you develop your characters. I see that they're questions to think of specifics about them, but I needed this deep understanding that you're describing in this video. So that I can come up with my own relevant questions. I'm going to go through this video many, many times to really get all aspects and to get more familiar with each point. Thank you for this!

[@ashirahelat4749]

You are so awesome A very real person with great internal depth

[@SimplySafrite]

This is SO useful! Its so nice to come back here to get ideas and to build my character better. Im not going to writing school but I love writing so this is lifesaving for me! thx shaelin for your hardwork

[@JackHernandezGentlemanJack]

Don't ever say you are garbage! You are brilliant. These videos are excellent. I love them.

[@nabilamiah3814]

I love revisiting this video. I've watched it maybe three times so far.

[@elementalsgami1]

10:03 Sounds like Yusuke Kitagawa from Persona 5. Maybe not who the professor was talking about, but the story is remarkably similar to him. He spends all his money on art supplies and anything he finds inspiring, only to realize that he can't afford more than a few meals worth of food.

[@jamesofnoaffiliation]

Epic video, I should really rewatch this one sometimes. Characters are hard!

[@jennyft4055]

What a brilliant episode! A real goldmine! Thanks Shaelin!

[@paulapoetry]

Awesome video, with some great tips and insights. Complex, authentic characters are probably the single most important aspect of any story - for me, personally. Thank you for this. Glad you made it a longer video, as the subject definitely justified it. 😃💝

[@Rumham7291]

great tips! i was reading The Dark Forest and one of the main characters was a scientist that was trying to write a character for himself and basically writes them into existence in their own mind and hangs out with them when no one is around. it sounds crazy but apparently that is what it is to write a living and breathing character.

[@emilycaballero6052]

Thanks for posting! This made me think a lot about some characters I was writing about a year ago. I think I'll go back and play with them some more---I especially like the dark room idea.

[@laurencrouch764]

Hi Emily, I was wondering if you would be interested in being a beta reader for my middle grade fantasy novel? It's about Pepper Poppins, a teen outcast whose quest to prove herself ordinary is derailed when she finds herself torn between protecting her town and keeping a dark secret hidden. If you're interested, please email me at [e-mail] :)

[@abigailpolus6127]

8:40 what do you like to do for fun? Zuko: nothing This was a really great video though. Thanks for putting this out!

[@magnusruben9646]

I love how candidly and succinctly you relay these golden nuggets of writing knowledge. Thank youuuu

[@cedarmoss7173]

If you aren’t sad for your characters when you think about their “souls” and what they have dealt with, are they worth writing? I’ve cried several times when writing my stories

[@skmuskanrahaman1690]

What if I am not writing a sad story?

[@rachelthome165]

I just found your channel and I am loving it! Your videos are SO helpful. Thanks for doing what you do! :) PS - I think it was the video you have on describing your characters/making them seem more believable that you shared some snippets from a short story you were working on - they were really beautiful!

[@Zimtbiss1]

Very encouraging advice, thank you!