#OC Character Development

[saephrond]

"— What choice have I but to court the thrill of adventure and the sorrow of loss? Character Aesthetic.

Random Tidbits About Saeph

His hair gets wavy when it's wet.

Although he's lived a long life and is very in-tune with nature, he depends on the Wood Elves for guidance in herbalism and his connection to Arda.

He has a dappled tri-coloured cat named Dumpling and an emotional support pheasant called Jeri. Both are over his nonsense.

Saeph's kind of depressing lately, but he has a lot going on and has learned to do things on his own and not depend on the powers that be to save the world from the Dark. You'll most often find him quietly sitting down at events, enjoying the ambience. At least he still has his humour, right?

Roads? What roads? He enjoys jumping off cliffs and running through mobs of Orcs ( or shooting an arrow at an Elite's bootyhole on accident, because he just auto'd for no reason ) to get to places quickly.

If there's one area he despises, it's Moria ( sorrynotsorry ).

Fishing is a relaxing pastime for him, although he's coming to enjoy birding. And, of course, when in Lothlorien, he enjoys his time in the gardens with little Miss Rosie.

He may travel alone, but he gets enjoyment out of meeting people and spending time with friends, new and old.

He's rich, but all of his money goes to stables ( because those are expensive AF ). He loots everything in sight and sells all the goods. But he'd still live his best life if he was broke as a joke. There's nothing a hobbit dance can't fix.

[permanentlyexhaustedpigeon88]

Yes I'm sending another one 😂

3. Who's on speed dial?

13. What's something nobody knows about them?

34. If given the opportunity, would they want to know how and when they died?

*feral and unhinged screeches, round two* THANK YOU @numenoria, for another ask!!!

ahem...(I am a totally sane, normal, and rational being, not consumed with the lives of fictional characters on occasion, I swear!) 😅

character development questions for this ask found here.

3. who's on speed dial? for Tilda, that would probably be Bain (her brother, another OC I've crafted because why have one when you can have many?😂) they're each other's ride or die, together through thick and thin, and even if they're probably not always going to see eye to eye, if one of them is in a bind, even if it's a bind of their own creation, the other is absolutely likely to come lend a hand to get them out of it.

13. what's something nobody knows about them? she may try to put on a brave face, and act like she has everything under control, even living life flying by the seat of her pants, half of the time, but truthfully? she's scared. scared of her life passing her by without ever having a chance to live it. scared of squandering opportunities, and making wrong choices that she won't be able to take back. she blames herself for leaving her family, and her home, but she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she stayed and gave up her dreams, and the end result is that she makes her decisions from her heart and not her head sometimes, and they usually always come back to bite her.

34. if given the opportunity, would they want to know how and when they died? hmm, this one's a tough one, because I feel like Tilda, herself, would be torn when trying to answer it. as a part of that desperate grab for control (or the illusion of it at least) she'd probably want to know so that she could be prepared when the moment finally came. though I think another part of her wouldn't want to have any clue, so that she could keep on living in the moment, without the knowledge weighing her down. (and as her creator, I feel the need to chip in here, and say that it's probably safer she doesn't know the answer to that question, simply because our girl is reckless and impulsive enough as it is 😂).

[luna-azzurra]

When a Character Is Grieving Someone They Never Got to Say Goodbye To

✧ They talk about the person in past tense… then correct themselves. Then stop talking entirely.

✧ They touch things that belonged to the person like they’re fragile, sacred, about to disappear.

✧ They hoard the last voicemail, last message, last anything. Play it. Don’t play it. Just knowing it exists hurts enough.

✧ They leave something untouched, an empty seat, a half-packed bag, a coffee order that isn’t theirs.

✧ They get irrationally angry when someone else seems to be “moving on.” As if forgetting is betrayal.

✧ They don’t let themselves cry all at once. It comes in pieces. Like they’re afraid too much grief will drown them.

✧ They over-apologize. For being quiet. For being distant. For not being okay.

✧ They become hyper-aware of time, dates, anniversaries, time zones, the exact moment everything ended.

✧ They get superstitious. Ritualistic. As if doing things "right" might reverse something.

✧ They smile when they talk about the person. But it’s brittle. And it never quite touches their eyes.

[mist-the-wannabe-linguist]

Character asks!

These are more focused on the background stuff rather than the usual "what would the character do in XY situation" kinds of asks. I've been looking for something like this for quite a while and in the end decided to make my own. Feel free to use, go wild, enjoy

What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?

How long was the process before the character reached its final version? (or a version that would be clearly recognizable as the character?)

What was the first thing you decided on, the character's name, appearance, personality or their role in the story?

And reverse, which one of the four things did you struggle with the most?

How did you choose their name and why? Was it simply based on vibes or is there any specific meaning behind the name? Are the reasons behind their name different in- and out of universe?

What was the thought process behind their appearance? Did you go mostly for the aesthetic or are there other reasons they look the way they do?

What is an aspect of their appearance that you like the most?

What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?

How big is their role in the story? Do they make a frequent appearance or are they a character with little "screentime" but big influence? Or are they just a favourite background guy?

What is their main character arc in the story? Where do they start and how do they develop? Do they get a happy ending or is their story a tragic one?

Is there any existing character from other media that your character resembles? Was the resemblance intentional or was it a coincidence?

Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?

Do you have a voice claim for the character? What do you imagine the character sounds like?

Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fit them?

Have you ever made a moodboard for them?

Is there any memes or running jokes associated with the character, both in- and out of universe?

Are there any motifs or symbols associated with the character? How are they represented, in their design, personality or in some other way?

Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?

What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?

Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about

[ricesinspo]

how to develop oc

give them random or nonsensical personality trait or opinion

ask yourself why

think about it too much

congratulations! they now have a tragic backstory

— ☆ —

[fruitgravies]

this too shall follow you

insta • twt • prints

[thenomadicquill]

Your Protagonist is a Liar. If your story follows only the main character, we see things how they see them. A main character is an unreliable storyteller, if they mean it or not. We, just like the MC, aren't in other characters' minds. So, moments are misinterpreted. Your main character sees the world through their own biases. We only know the main character's impressions of the side characters, and the villains. We read only their perception of these characters.

That doesn't make them a villain, its normal. It's realistic and purely understandable. They can't fill gaps of information simply because they weren't there. So, they make assumptions, they make judgements, they remember things incorrectly. Memory isn't perfect, details are changed or forgotten. It's only natural.

Let your protagonist lie. Maybe they don’t even realize they’re doing it. Maybe they do. See what happens.

[starspilli]

personal comic project VERY HUNGRY WOMEN: follows a superhero who gets her powers through… unconventional means, the reporter trying to expose her secrets, and their obsession with each other 🥩🍽️����🌺

[rockandroar]

Outta the way! The kings of Metal are charging in! 🤘🏼Meet Steel Stampede, fronted by the legendary Grant Ruffalo. In the world of Rock & Roar, heavy metal music was originated by, and belongs to, animals with horns, and that’s the origin of the “🤘🏼” hand symbol. The last image is a drawing of Grant from all the way back in 2013. Miles will meet these guys in chapter 4!

[oc-loving]

share a physical feature of your oc's that you like a lot!

[crowwkui]

redesigninggg

[theluckywizard]

Ugly OC Asks

Let's get messy 🔥

Questions compiled with @monocytogenes. Reblog with your OCs tagged and enjoy the crunch!

(I'm not numbering these so people have to copy the questions into the ask box.)

😈😈😈😈

What is your OC petty about?

When's the last time your OC hurt someone emotionally? What did they do?

What's an unsavory detail about your OC or opinion they have (to a modern Tumblr audience)?

What's an unsavory detail about your OC or opinion they have (to their peer group)?

What does your OC's love interest dislike about them?

Is your OC ever wrong? Big ways? Small ways? About what?

What does your OC lie about?

In what way(s) is your OC bad at life?

What's the fatal flaw in your OC's relationship(s)? What could destroy those relationships?

What fills your OC with envy? Alternatively who does your OC envy and why?

What physical trait(s) is your OC insecure about?

What personality trait(s) or habit(s) is your OC insecure about?

What's a moment your OC is ashamed to remember?

What's your OC's biggest fuck up?

What unconscious biases or expectations does your OC have regarding other genders, races or sexualities?

What skill does your OC need to work on improving?

What uncharitable takes would your OC have about you if they met you?

What's the longest grudge your OC has ever held? Against whom and why?

In what way is your OC worse than you?

Have there been any horrible consequences to well-intentioned choices your OC made? How did they cope with that?

Who hates your OC? Why?

What do your OC and their LI fight about?

[luna-azzurra]

When writing toxic family dynamics

Toxic family stuff isn’t always screaming matches or broken plates. Sometimes it’s quiet control. The expectation to shrink, the pressure to be perfect, the guilt that rides shotgun. It’s complicated. And it’s deeply, deeply personal.

✧ Make the love real, but conditional.  One of the most damaging things about toxic family is the illusion of love. It’s not “I love you no matter what.” It’s “I love you when you obey.” Let your character notice that.

✧ Control shows up in micro ways... Who’s allowed to speak. Who’s allowed to feel. Who apologizes first, even when they’re not wrong. Control doesn’t need to be loud. Sometimes it’s a raised eyebrow or a guilt trip.

✧  Let them question reality. Toxic families are great at gaslighting. Your character might constantly wonder, Was it really that bad? Am I being dramatic? Let them doubt their own memories. That internal confusion is real.

✧ The guilt will be crushing. Leaving a toxic family doesn’t feel empowering at first. It feels selfish. It feels wrong. It feels like betrayal, even when it's survival. Show your character grieving the fantasy of the family they wish they had.

✧ Let them try to earn love. Your character might work their ass off trying to “be good,” hoping maybe this time they’ll be enough. Toxic families move the goalposts. Let that break them a little.

✧ Show emotional whiplash... One moment everything is warm and nostalgic. The next, it’s tense and full of landmines. That unpredictability is the dynamic. Use it.

✧ Don’t make the villain cartoonish. Even the abuser might think they’re doing what’s best. They might bake cookies and say “I’m just worried about you.” That’s what makes it so damaging. Write them like people, flawed, manipulative, real.

✧ Let your character unlearn in layers. Even after they leave, they still flinch. Still fold under pressure. Still crave approval. Recovery isn’t clean. But it’s worth it. And when they finally say no, even just once, let it be electric.

[mimble-sparklepudding]

A Short Ask List About Love.

Does your OC have any difficulty distinguishing between love and lust?

Is your OC at all romantic themselves? Or is romance something they expect others to perform for their benefit?

What does your OC look for in a romantic (or perhaps purely sexual) partner? Is this always healthy?

Does your OC consider themselves to be attractive? Do they put much effort into achieving this?

Would your OC ever take advantage of someone's romantic feelings in order to manipulate them?

Has your OC ever had their heart broken? Have they ever truly recovered?

What is the most romantic gesture your OC has ever performed? Alternatively (or additionally), what romantic gesture would they most like to perform?

Does your OC pursue only monogamous relationships? Or are they open to other, more creative, options?

If your OC were ever to fill out a Dating Site (or pamphlet or newspaper) profile, then what would they include?

Does your OC have a type? Have they ever been surprised by their feelings for someone who doesn't fit this?

Has your OC ever been the object of someone's affections that they did not (or could not) reciprocate?

If your OC were in love, how might they recognise this? Or would they be too much in denial?

Has your OC ever written a love letter (or text message or whatever the case may be)? Perhaps they have even composed a love poem or song dedicated to their beloved?

If they wish to impress someone for whom they have romantic (or at least sexual) feelings, does your OC attempt to present themselves as more confident, wealthy, popular or otherwise impressive, than they truly are?

Is your OC easy to love? If not, then what are the barriers?

[vertigris-art]

How Gris developed over 3 years

[luchsyy]

creative and witty and unique caption

process GIF (i swear one day i will figure out how to record timelapses in photoshop) + ooc doodles from a stupid 20 page comic that i will never post publicly. xoxo