As writers, we can develop this fear of creating stereotypical characters. Come on, we all know that realistically people are so much more than just a stereotype, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make use of those same stereotypes and labels that we may fear that our characters will fall into. When creating our characters, a stereotype can actually be a really good place to start. This does come with a catch however, as it is easy to make them little more than that label, so you have to remember that it is just a starting point to develop from.
So, let’s look at how we can make use of a stereotype as giving the creation process a jump start.
Step 1:
At the most basic level, how would your character be labeled?
First, let’s think about what kind of labels and stereotypes there are that we could use. These can range from more specific, to more vague. It can be a more known stereotype, or it can even just be a label that you come up with yourself based on some key characteristics that you had in mind. Any of these are fine, its whatever works for you and the character you want to develop. Is your character the bad boy, the popular girl, the shy nerd, the dumb jock, the goodie two shoes, or the sweet guy that seems invisible?
Step 2:
Is that label how the character actually is, or is it just how the world sees them?
This is where you can start developing detail on the stereotype side, or differentiate them from the stereotype. Is your “dumb jock” actually the most intelligent person in school, but everyone just thinks of him that way? Is the goodie two shoes really someone with such good behavior, have they ever stepped outside of the rules, or would they?
Step 3:
Why?
This is where the ball really starts rolling on making your character who they are and more than just their label. Why is your character attached to that stereotype? Why does that sweet but invisible guy stay in the background? Why is the popular girl popular, and why does she want to be popular, or does she? Does your “dumb jock” hide his intelligence because he was bullied and picked on because he was small and weak, but smarter when he was little?
Keep asking why your character exhibits the factors that link them to the stereotype. Why other characters see the side they show, why the character may be hiding the real them if it’s different from the stereotype people see. Why did your character become this way?
Step 4:
Details, details, details.
This is the point where you work out the details behind the why questions above. The who, what, when, where, how, and as you keep going continue asking why. Never stop asking why as you make them. What experiences made your character like this, how do they feel about the way they’re viewed, do they view themselves differently?
If your character is really like their label, here’s where you find ways that they are more than just that label.
Maybe your bad boy really is the bad boy, but where are his soft spots? Does he have someone that he isn’t guarded with? What about his hobbies and interests? Maybe he likes motorcycles and doing all the things he shouldn’t, but maybe he also likes to bake, or he secretly loves karaoke. What are his fears and insecurities?
This is where you develop how your character became the way they are and why.
Alright guys, so this are my steps for how to make a character well rounded from a basic label or stereotype, and this is something that helps me personally so much. So many (probably a majority) of my characters have started off from a stereotype, trope, or label (sometimes just where I’ve created a 2-3 word label to describe them before I have a name), and become so much more, so it is definitely possible, you just have to practice and put that love and effort in to make them really come alive.
So @RPers if you have any tips on this, feel free to share! If this is something you do with you characters and you do it in a different way, feel free to share your process and maybe we can all learn something helpful.