Hey guys! This book is where I rant or just plain talk about stuff. I just thought it'd be fun to do so, you know? So yeah, welcome to this book where I talk about stuff!
~Accepting any kind of request!~
I have sixteen OCs, and probably counting because of me joining fandoms so much (planning to watch a lot of anime as well as Rick abnd Morty). I love making characters very much, not only because I want to insert myself into a story, it's because they're a part of me, and they're sometimes my only family.
Making OCs are difficult (if you're not making them a horrible Mary Sue/Gary Stu), I can tell you that. I had a hard time finding a right way to make an OC, and so, my first character, Neko, was very... very... bleh. She doesn't seem so bleh now, but she still isn't that good in my eyes. The reasons of me calling her not that good is because of many things, her backstory has many plot holes, it's clichè, she has too many good things, etc. I didn't want to leave an impression to everyone that all I do is make Mary Sues, even though most of the people who read my Yo-Kai Watch story is fine with it. But still, I didn't want to leave an impression, so I decided to make more and more OCs, and over the span of two years, I finally got the hang of making a decent OC.
Neko is my very first OC, one I created when I was eleven, now I'll compare her to my newest OC, Elementia Demento from the Star vs the Forces of Evil TV show. Comparing those two is like, comparing instant noodles with ramen. They're both good, but one is better than the other. I'm not revealing anything about Elementia Demento here (you can see her information in my Individual Roleplay book) but I can say that I've got the hang of it. Her looks are very simple, her backstory is not that clichè (I think...), her personality is believable and yeah, she's just her own character. I even made her own race, which is the Toomans. I'm working more on the Toomans, so watch for that, huehue...
I've mastered the art of OC making (I think), and I want to share some of my knowledge to all of you guys! Here you go!
Shady's Guide to OC Making (based on my experience)
1. Backstories Are Everything!
When I scan or look at OCs, the first thing I look at is their backstory. Through their backstory, you can explain many things and add to why they act like this, or why they have that. Take one of my OCs as an example, let's take... Crystal Gleeful from my Gravity Falls story. The reason she's very shy and quiet is because of her being regarded as a weirdo by her friends back then because she found out that something was wrong in Gravity Falls. There, that's an example. Remember not to make your OC's backstory too tragic, for that is one of the many traits of a Mary Sue/Gary Stu. I've made those mistakes, but now I learned from them.
2. Name Me, Creator!
Names are the next thing I look at when I scan an OC. If their name is quite complicated or weird to the universe they're in, that's a sure sign that it's a potential Sue. Some names can be sort of complicated, just be sure as to why they have that strange name. Simple names are simple, so don't worry about giving much explanation to it. Some of my OCs have weird names, like Neko from Yo-Kai Watch, but she have explanations to them. Neko's name used to be Lilliana when she was a kid. However, when she passed away along with her pet cat, she fused with it. Since the setting is Japan and the main focus are on Yo-Kai of Japan, she was named after the famous Bakeneko who were notorious for their fickle and mischievous nature. So, that's how she got her name... Neko. In short, if the name is weird, have an explanation and don't make it too long. If the name is simple, don't worry about it, you're doing fine!
3. Personalities, Likes and Dislikes
Ah, these. Some of the most important aspects of an OC, even if all of the aspects are important. Anyway, these are supposed to be done well in an OC. Personalities are important because it shows the reader how the OC reacts to other characters in the universe. The likes and dislikes almost have the same thing, of course, you know what they mean. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, so yeah, not much to explain there, but the personalities are surely important. Your OC's personality can be explained through their backstory if you like, it makes them quite interesting and unique. But if there's not much to explain, then you don't have to explain. Let's take... Xylian Hollister from Pokemon as an example. Xylian's personality is based on a Tsundere, a popular personality trait in Japan where the character's main trait is that they are exceedingly harsh, but secretly, they're very sweet. But actually, in Xylian's backstory, she was a crybaby because of something that happened, but when the mythical Pokemon, Darkrai, adopted her and influenced his own personality to her, she adopted an almost emotionless and harsh personality. And remember, in making a personalities, give them flaws! Everyone has flaws, no one is perfect, so don't make your OC perfect! Like Xylian, her harsh personality gives her a hard time making friends, and it's very hard to make her open up because she spends most of her time insulting everyone around her.
4. Weaknesses Aren't the End of the World
Like I said, everyone has flaws... and they also have weaknesses. An OC's weaknesses give them more depth, and makes them realistic so the readers can sympathize and relate to them. One example is Ruby Mechanica from FNaF, she's always tired because of her lack of sleep and she's got a phobia, which is Athazagoraphobia, the phobia of being forgotten. She has that phobia because... that's to be revealed soon, huehuehue.
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5. How Do I Look?
Now, the pièce de résistance, your OC's looks. This is the last thing I look at because the other things I mentioned are more important than this in my opinion. This shows that my OCs have great backstory, personality, etc. but they're very much bland in looks. Anyway, remember to keep the design of your OCs simple if needs be, don't make them have a dragon wing there and an angel wing here with magical rainbow colors unless you have a reason for that (which is very unlikely) weird look. My OCs tend to be very simple, but Volt has a weird look to her, I have a reason to that. Her color pallet is blue and yellow, the blue is like Sonic, since they both have the same super speed. And yellow is her extra power, where she could summon her swords. Where did she get this power? Her parents are scientists who work for this Lion named Professor Rowley who did en experiment on her. She was able to get super speed from him, but her other power was an accident. Yeah, that's my explanation.
There must be a lot more of helpful tips in making an OC, but when showing an OC to me, those are what I'll look at most. So, if you haven't gotten the hang of making an OC, keep trying and don't worry, ya boi had trouble too! Also, guys, I'm a bit lonely so does anyone want to roleplay in my Individual Roleplay book? I know, I know, it's like a new world record already, but I just want to roleplay with someone. I may come as a picky person, but I really love to roleplay! Anyway, that's all from me now! Ciao! ~Shady
