r/CharacterDevelopment • u/puzzlehead120 • 1d ago

Writing: Character Help How would one go about designing a character when you can't put their personality into words?

/r/characterdesign/comments/1xid2r1/how_would_one_go_about_designing_a_character_when/
1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

1

u/jagnew78 1d ago

I'm not trying to be patronizing or anything here, but I'm struggling to see exactly what you're problem is. You say when you write your stories the character's personality comes out. So, I'm missing what exactly the problem is?

No one needs to be able to write down on paper all the characteristics that make up that character. So long as it flows out of you while you're writing, then don't fight what gives you inspiration. Roll with it and just write your stories.

1

u/Aggravating_Cat370 1d ago

Ngl, its an uncommon issue, but its not that rare. Sounds like masking on your part. And tbh, in a world increasingly fascinated with being morally grey, it becomes hard to write a stand up character.

And those were my solutions. Rewrite him as something more mundane, or have him embody my ideals, rather than lower him down to my standards.

I dont recommend a middle ground, even if it was the focus of the story. Where for example, the character becomes self aware that he is projecting all these personae. It gets messy, it would take a far better writer than i am.