"I could write better characters than this!" You think so?

[EatPieYes]

When I write a character I usually start out with the appearance, and base the personality upon that. It may seem shallow, but it works. At least in my mind are the characters more than simple cardboard personalities.

Then again, I'm pretty bad at making a functional and interesting story. One that also has an ending. So in the end, it doesn't even matter if the characters are well-written and thought out.

 

[katsumoto03]

I'm a writer.

I know I can write better characters than 99.9% of the design community.

Pretty confident there, aren't ya?

 

[Sparrow]

That's a pretty silly statement, considering you know nothing about me.

One of the world's best writers could post a comment and you could say the same thing.

Poor logic, sweetie.

I know that you are arrogant, that's evidence enough for me. Regardless, you most likely expected backlash from your comment. It almost seems as if you were hunting for some kind of argument, like searching for a nice dick waving competition to see who's got the biggest junk.

Regardless, evidence of your prowess in writing wouldn't go amiss.

Dick waving? How mature.

Best you check your correspondents gender before saying such things.

I knew you were a chick, the term "dick waving" still applies. You don't need a penis to flaunt your abilites. Regardless, I am most likely doing exactly what you want me to do: baiting myself into a battle of words to make one of us look the better person.

Good day, sir.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I write, I also used to be a psychology major before I switched to sociology. I like to think that I could write a story that grabs my reader and grips them in ways that at least the middle 50% of writers couldn't.

On the other hand, I've never had anything published. I've had a lot of people read poems and stories I've written and told me that I should get them published, but when it comes down to it, I don't like my finished product and keep refining it. When I'm done, I might try to get some published. I know a few people that have connections in the publishing business, so I might have a fair shot at it.

I know for a fact I could write better characters than those dime store love novels. >.>

 

[supermariner]

well i am a writer
because it's basically my only talent
not an experienced game writer
and i don't think i could write anything better than what's already out there
i mean i know i could outstrip some of the crap out there
but to come up with something that's never been done and do the best version there'll ever be of it?
challenge

 

[Del-Toro]

I probably couldn't. On the other hand, I could easily create a deep, dynamic setting with a reasonable level of intrigue, political tension ect.

 

[RatRace123]

I've written a movie script,I'm currently taking it through re-writes though, because I know some areas where it needs improving, but the majority of my friends (many of whom will be starring in the movie) think it's pretty good, so I guess I'm happy with that.

 

[dududf]

I'm a writer.

I know I can write better characters than 99.9% of the design community.

On one hand I think you're probably correct, but on the other I think you're wrong.

Writers in game designers have to work within the confines of the game, the designers already have the plot, and roughly how they want the characters to get there. Meaning it's a insanely limited environment for writing. Harder to be creative, when you're stuck in a bird cage, and being told No everytime you think of something that clashes with the game.

You could perhaps write something better in comparison to what they have, but I'm unsure whether you could triumph over them in a situation where you're both free to just Write.

Essentially I don't believe that judging a writer based on the writing in his games is the most fair thing to do.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I find I can do sarcastic, cowardly, funny types, but almost nothing else well.

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

Heres the thing, I'm not saying with any certainty or authority that I have written, or could eventually write, the best characters in the world.

BUT

I know damn well that, as someone who spends most of their spare time writing stories for my own amusement, I have written better characters than some I have seen, and could definately improve some really shit ones that have crossed my path.

I think that is fair enough.

 

[Atmos Duality]

"Could" write better? Pfft. That's in the past.
I *do* write better.

However, "better" does not always translate into "sales".
We see shallow stock characters used in media today so that they can appeal to a wider audience. When you eliminate potential "undesirable/unpopular" character traits, you narrow the potential depth for said character.

 

[HT_Black]

...So, recently, I've redone everything. Again. Honestly I started the whole thing about five years ago. It was going to be a collaborative writing effort with a friend of mine during high school. That turned sour quickly, as I took a "Song of Ice and Fire" approach--a story that rarely focuses on individual people who turn the tide of events. It's usually an army, or a man leading an army or something along those lines. It's more realistic than what he proposed. I took the same characters from that story and put them into my own, characters I've known better than some friends now. I've had enough time to build them up and flesh them out into decent characters and now placed in a world that makes sense, their full use will come into play. Hopefully.

Okay, that's kind of a relief. My mom's convinced that I'm trapped in some sort of unique and horrendous cycle which is eventually going to drive me over the edge of insanity: if someone else does the same thing, I know that's not the case.

...So, wanna trade pointers? For writing, I mean. Is there a Usergroup for that already?

 

[Thespian]

I actually think I could write a better character than some of those cookie cutter shapes like Sam Fisher. But writing is pretty much my number one hobby, and characters are my forte. I've made a variety of interesting ones, and I find the best way is to connect with them. I suppose I "spend time" with a character in my head, exploring their nooks and crannies, as Necessity dictates new elements of their person, until eventually they fit like a custom made glove. Really, it's all about commitment to your character, because if you kinda go with the flow they come out nicely when given a chance. I've had success a couple of times, and I feel close to those characters today.

tl;dr - I have no real friends.

(The above sentence may contain sarcasm)

 

[Bruin]

...So, recently, I've redone everything. Again. Honestly I started the whole thing about five years ago. It was going to be a collaborative writing effort with a friend of mine during high school. That turned sour quickly, as I took a "Song of Ice and Fire" approach--a story that rarely focuses on individual people who turn the tide of events. It's usually an army, or a man leading an army or something along those lines. It's more realistic than what he proposed. I took the same characters from that story and put them into my own, characters I've known better than some friends now. I've had enough time to build them up and flesh them out into decent characters and now placed in a world that makes sense, their full use will come into play. Hopefully.

Okay, that's kind of a relief. My mom's convinced that I'm trapped in some sort of unique and horrendous cycle which is eventually going to drive me over the edge of insanity: if someone else does the same thing, I know that's not the case.

...So, wanna trade pointers? For writing, I mean. Is there a Usergroup for that already?

We all have to lose a bit of our sanity now and then. I'm glad I put my insanity into writing and not something destructive, though. Put it to her that way and she'll come around.

I don't believe there is one. I'm not sure where to look for one though.

 

[Legion IV]

I'm a writer.

I know I can write better characters than 99.9% of the design community.

No you cant. Thats just blatent iggnorance or you have a severe god complex. Either way your wrong.

I hate how everyone whos not in the industry has a self rightous veiw thinking there better then anyone in the industry. They got in the industry for a reason.

 

[Trivun]

Well, I'm a writer, and in actual fact, I can definitely write characters better than most people. At the same time, I can also write dialogue much better than most people. This doesn't mean I'm a better writer than everyone else, just that I'm better than many others at those two things. I sure as hell can't write descriptively (which is why I stick mainly now to play scripts/screenplays).

The thing is, I have plenty of free time, so I come up with characters, and spend a lot of time developing them in my own head. Personality traits, quirks, backstories, physical descriptions, everything. I actually have a small pool of about five 'stock characters' who I've spent the most time working on in my head, who I use traits from most often when necessary (although I can't stick to a character name for one of them, she started as Emma then changed to Abigail, then Violet, and now Hollie, Io knows what it'll be next...). That means my characters are pretty damn believable, and I don't need to worry about it.

As for dialogue, I have a weird quirk that I imagine conversations in my head when bored, or when considering what characters would say, and I try and make up little monologues or dialogues in my head between characters. Every time I write a story or script, I imagine the entire story in my head playing out like a short film, which gives me scope to make up realistic improvised dialogue (like you would in real life) there and then, and then write it down. I've been praised for my dialogue writing in several short stories, so I'd say that's one of my better skills.

The thing is, writing is a skill anyone can pick up, but there are plenty of different aspects and few people will be good at them all. For example, I'll give credit to Stephanie Meyer that she can at least do conversations well in her books. She's not a good writer, but she does have skill at writing dialogue. And someone like Tolkien, while not as engaging a writer as many others, had a very good knack for writing descriptive prose that makes you feel more in tune with the world he creates. Even if there was the odd plot hole in his stories (cough*Eagles*cough). At the end of the day, a good writer doesn't need to be an expert at all parts of the trade, as long as they can write something people will enjoy reading. That's all you need, really.

 

[Fire Daemon]

Beyond that, idea osmosis is one of those things I contend with rather constantly. I read a lot of books, which means that if I ever sit down to write something, ideas begin to filter in from just about any source I've ever read from. I can't think of wizards without a little Tolkien [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien], a little Butcher [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Butcher], and just a bit Stoker [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker] and Hamilton [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurell_K._Hamilton] when the vampires and such come into play. Children all begin to squeak just a little Rowling [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.K._Rowling], and nearly any sci-fi elements are either Dietz [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_C._Dietz] or Adams [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams] flavored.

I know that whenever I sit down and attempt to come up with an idea for a story or a RP I always have these little doubts that my ideas are not really my own, that I've just taken an idea from a show, movie, book or game and twisted it slightly for my own needs. Is that space station too similar to Deep Space 9, is that fantasy world just like Warhammer, did those murders actually take place etc. Even if I do end up figuring where my influences originate and realise that my ideas are largely different to those there is always a feeling of unease that I've stolen something without knowing about it. I came up with an idea for a RP once and was going to go through with it when a random Wikipedia page showed me that there was a series of books almost identical to what I had come up. Suffice to say this immediately killed the idea.

This is probably one of the many draws of fan fiction. You are able to forgo any possible criticisms of plagiarism or using tired and familiar characters/settings/events because the very nature of fan fiction is filled with these.

I'm a writer.

I know I can write better characters than 99.9% of the design community.

I'm not going to go with the standard response of belittlement, but I will ask for you to post some of your writing to try and prove this claim and let us judge your talents for ourselves.

 

[Paddin]

I'm going to join in with everyone and point and laugh.

I'm a writer.

I know I can write better characters than 99.9% of the design community.

Now, I'm saying this in the nicest way possible:

No. You can't.

That's funny. I didn't think you knew me or anything at all about me. Oh, wait - you don't.

That's funny, I didn't think you knew 99.9% of the design community or had read or seen all of their work. Oh wait - you don't/haven't.

 

[HT_Black]

Okay, that's kind of a relief. My mom's convinced that I'm trapped in some sort of unique and horrendous cycle which is eventually going to drive me over the edge of insanity: if someone else does the same thing, I know that's not the case.

...So, wanna trade pointers? For writing, I mean. Is there a Usergroup for that already?

We all have to lose a bit of our sanity now and then. I'm glad I put my insanity into writing and not something destructive, though. Put it to her that way and she'll come around.

I don't believe there is one. I'm not sure where to look for one though.

It wasn't easy, but I found it. Just...there ya go, I guess. Do with that as you will. (It's kinda dead, though.)

 

[Sanmei]

These days, if you can write a character who undergoes even a slight amount of growth throughout the duration of a story, and have that character possess even a minimum backstory (taking place prior to the story, chronologically), then you've already made leaps and bounds over the writing of even some of the most praised RPGs in gaming history.