Writers Weekend: Character Quirks

Back at it again with another Writers Weekend, a link-up conceived by Coffee and Literary Rage. 

The last Writers Weekend I completed was my current work in progress post.

This week, Writers Weekend focuses on characters. And though we were only supposed to pick one, I…couldn’t and decided to do an interview with my three main characters from the newest book I’m working on. Their names: Ulric, Surya, and Luna. I think highlighting all three will be a great exercise in showcasing how different they are.

Questions

What movement gives away that your character is lying?

“Does it look like I’d lie to you?” Ulric asked.

Luna: Ulric is stoic. It’s hard. He does have a few tells, which I can’t share with you here.

Surya: Seriously? Like what?

Luna: While Surya can’t help but scratch the back of his left leg. He fidgets, generally, but that scratching completely gives him away.

Surya: Well, Luna does this thing with her eyebrows where she’ll scrunch them up, but only a little. You have to pay really good attention.

What word or phrase does your character most overuse?

Ulric: Luna uses at least followed by some unrealistic optimistic viewpoint.

Luna: Ulric uses fair enough a lot. Also, an abundance of intellectual words and phrases.

Ulric: That’s because my riposte is perfect and needs the sharpest of vocabulary.

Surya: Ugh. *pretends to gag*

Luna: Surya likes using hells or The Five as exclamations.

Ulric: I CAN appreciate his colorful curses.

What one thing can your character not stand the sight and/or smell of?

Ulric: I have an uncanny sense of smell and often find that if there’s too much of something–perfume, sewage, body odor–I have to leave the room.

Surya: Why are you looking at me?

Ulric: No reason.

Surya: I’m not as aware of smells, okay? *sniffs* I smell fine. I bathe! Hells. Stop trying to get inside my head.

Ulric: Dear Surya, but that’s what I do.

Surya: *glares at Ulric* I’m more focused on sight. I can’t stand the sight of poorly constructed vehicles. Oh! Or oddly paired clothing.

Luna: I don’t care for extremely disjointed sounds. I’ve played many instruments, so that makes me much more sensitive. As for sights and smells, I try to appreciate as much as I can. I can’t stand the sight of abuse on any level.

What’s your character’s pet peeve?

Ulric: Stupidity. Bascially, anything that Surya says.

Surya: Hey! Well, my pet peeve is dealing with arrogant librarian assistants. (Ulric=librarian assistant)

Luna: Mine is selfishness. Not being able to see anyone else’s problems but yours.

Surya: Way to make us sound petty.

What faces does your character make most often?

(Luna smiling, which she does 90% of the time.)

Ulric: Luna’s typically smiling. Surya will most often smirk.

Surya: I’m a lovely smirker.

Ulric: He also crinkles his forehead whenever he’s in class.

Luna: Ulric usually has his eyebrow raised in disbelief.

Ulric: Yeah, mostly disbelief at the human race in general. I also scowl a lot.

What does/would a significant other find most annoying about your character?

Ulric: I’m difficult to get along with, have a particular way of speaking, and use a tremendous amount of sarcasm.

Luna: I’m too optimsitic for my own good…

Surya: Eh, not quite ready to settle down yet.

Luna: Surya’s a menace to young men and women everywhere.

What about most endearing?

Luna: Though Ulric doesn’t always share his feelings–

Surya: Never shares his feelings.

Luna: Never shares his feelings, he deeply cares about the ones he loves. Would do anything.

Ulric: Luna, you’re going to make me look like a decent human being. Stop that.

Luna: *smiles* And Surya is fun to be around and always has something to talk about. Need an idea about what to do today? Ask Surya. He’s also been quite thoughtful in gift giving.

Ulric: Luna’s understanding and always listens…she, she is the most kind, most genuine person I know. And that’s saying something for a pessimist.

What quirk does this character have that’s unique from any other character you’ve written?

(Surya)

Surya: I’ll be the first to admit that I hunch too much.

Luna: You’re always sitting too.

Surya: I guess I am a bit lazy.

Ulric: A bit? Let’s see. I like to play with my piercings. I also have a habit of stressing over being right, to the point that I research, research research. Especially when I can’t sleep.

Luna: The thing I most remember about someone is his or her voice. And I will usually tap on something or unknowingly hum at random times.

What does your character do, consciously or unconsciously, when s/he’s nervous?

Luna: My humming and tapping get worse…which could, in some situations, be dangerous.

Ulric: I never get nervous.

Luna: He gets restless and usually stands up, walks circles around the area, and sometimes taps his foot.

Surya: Hm. I chew on the inside of my lip.

Luna: Did you get the salve I sent you? Have you been using it?

Find a reaction gif that most accurately sums up people’s responses to your character.

Surya: 

Oh, Surya. 

Luna: 

I’m so sorry. Come here, you.

Ulric: 

Wait. What?

Thanks for reading! What did you think of my babies?

YA Cliches: The Good, the Bad, and the…Wait, Cliches Are OKAY??

Love Triangles 

Uh-oh. The main protag can’t choose between brooding loner and childhood best friend.

The Bad

Love Triangles are “bad” because we see them frequently. We get it, the main character is awesome and everyone loves him/her, so naturally he/she has at least three people vying for their attention. (The third one isn’t a threat. They are there just because? Not sure.)

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But what’s made even more terrible by this cliche is the fact that the main character is such a complete jerk that they tend to string one of the love interests along, ultimately resulting in readers sympathizing with the poor sap because main character is an attention addict. *sigh* Get over yourself.

The Good

Okay, okay. So, I’m not completely against love triangles, but only if they’re done right! (Not looking at you Stephanie Myers). A love triangle needs to feel like an actual competition. It may just work if, for example, the main character must marry Archduke Willem to save her family from social exile versus her true love, Derrik. (Gosh, Derrik. Why do you have to make things so complicated?) She has to choose from learning to love Willem (who isn’t a bad guy, perhaps) or elope with Derrik (who she thinks is pretty fiinnne).

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It will even work if the main character is actually having a crisis deciding between the two, sure. Life is complicated, especially when you throw emotions into the mix. Teens are even more emotionally mixed up, so it really isn’t a surprise that this cliche exists…it just needs to be a bit more believable and less cruel. Besides, love triangles give us Team Willem and Team Derrik merchandise!

Insta-love

I met him and it was love at first si–*gags*

The Bad

It just isn’t all that believable and is usually seen as a see-through plot device author’s use to further the story. I understand, books can never equal an entire lifetime and you’re supposed to write the absolute most important instances, but I’m often taken out of the story by such instant attraction.

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Remember that part in The Swan Princess (bear with me) where Derek (DERRIK!) says to Odette that she was all he’s ever wanted. She’s beautiful. She then proceeds to ask him, (rightly so) but what else is there? He asks, what else is there? And she storms off upset, understandably. Beauty fades but love, true love, should carry on and should mean more than looks.

The Good

This is difficult for me. However, I do know at times people experience intense attraction towards one another and though I may not consider that love (not in the true sense. Language fails us…), it is a wonderful plot device to keep the story going and to set up a relationship that will result in a much more mature type of bond.

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Brooding Bad Guy 

He sits in his dark and twisty tower, pondering life’s woes and plotting the annihilation of mankind.

The Bad

This is hard for me because I absolutely ADORE brooding bad guys. But, I can agree that a contemplative, tortured soul bent on destroying the world is getting a tad old. I’d like to see something where the villain is just an absolute lunatic who honestly wants to see everyone suffer because…why not? I mean, the Dark Knight had success with that.

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Oooor, someone who actually thinks what he/she is doing is right and professes this throughout, visually showing the reader that he/she is sane (or at least believes so), just not necessarily morally sound.

The Good

Ah. The brooding bad guy. Poor Duke Willem, isn’t unrequited love just the worst? Doesn’t that make you so unhappy to the point where you could just take that rage out on the entire kingdom? Or, you know, maybe just sit in a coffee shop and pout?

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I love a good dark, menacing villain. Someone who contemplates every little detail when devising what to do with our poor unexpected hero. There’s something intriguing about the idea of someone so entrenched in sadness and bent on revenge that of course it’s popular enough (especially in anime and JRPGs…). It just depends on what the reader/viewer wants out of a character. But, come on, there isn’t anything intriguing about tall, dark, and brooding?

The Chosen One

You are the chosen one, tasked with saving everything…and junk.

The Bad

UGH! This is a tale older than myth. In fact, many myths and legends speak of a person with incredible strength, wit, or secret/ancient ability that’s been given to them by some invisible beast or gnarled old witch.

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It’s indicated by a mark (HARRY POTTER) or birthright, or sword, or any number of things, but the chosen one is ALWAYS the center of attention. Why does a story have to be about someone with incredible powers? Why can’t it be about the ordinary girl down the street who isn’t very strong or pretty or not as smart as her classmates but still manages to tell a story worth telling?

And besides, there can’t just be ONE person for the job.

The Good

Okay, so it’s much easier and much more entertaining to have a chosen one. And heck, sometimes a chosen one isn’t perfect (YES! PLEASE, they need flaws). It’s a riveting ride to watch someone who didn’t have anything before and frankly didn’t want an adventure get forced into completing a gallant quest that could impact the world.

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There is also something heart-racing about one character who is the only hope for survival. It also makes for easier character building. Hmm, would be interesting to see more stories about the chosen one turned villain.

Trilogy

It’s as easy as one, two, three.

The Bad

With the recent rise in stand-a-lones, duologys (only TWO?!) and tetralogys (Four? We aren’t done yet? Hooray!), we’re getting away from the trilogy, at least for the moment. In certain books, I thought they could have been better with another book so that they didn’t rush the story or take time from characterization. Sometimes, we need four books to wrap it up. And sometimes, we need only one or two! In Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, two is all we need for the gangs’ various heists. Though, to be honest, I wouldn’t complain if she expanded on the world and its characters.

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By not limiting yourself to three books, an author is able to play upon different story telling techniques to create something unique.

The Good

But the number three is magical, and I do love a good trilogy. It just works. Maybe it’s because I’m so used to the pacing of a trilogy or maybe it’s because I’ve read so many series with three books, but I think it works well, either way.

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We have book one, which introduces the story and characters. Book two expands and, though it can be less action-packed, is still a good moment to understand the characters and the world. Book three is the wrap-up, the exciting bit! It closes the story.

 

So, there you have it. Let me know what you think in the comments below.