What are they made of?
Yes, sometimes, they are made of stone. Sometimes cotton and sometimes gravel. But all of them have these qualities:
Self-Worth/Self-esteem/self-respect
Importante sa akin ang self worth ng isang tao. Mapa fiction man siya o real. At mas pinahahalagahan ko to sa mga characters ko. I make sure that all of them have respect for themselves.Maybe there are times na nawawala ang tiwala nila sa sarili but in the end, mangingibabaw yun. And I respect their characters. Ilang beses ko ng sinabi na kapag nagsusulat ako, I am putting myself on the shoe of my characters. And i wouldn't allow my characters to stoop too low to the point na pati ako na author ay bababa na ang tingin sa kanila. Call it pride, but my characters must always have a high regards on him/herself as a person.
And I am very particular with it especially with the girls. That's the reason why I seldom write teenage story. I am writing a Rom/COm genre. May Romance na part at hindi maiaalis sa romance ang kissing, make out, sex and all those stuff. And I don't want to read my teenage heroin having sex. Kahit pa sabihing dahil sa pag ibig pa yan. She is still a teen. And if I put myself into her shoe, I couldn't imagine myself having sex or making out at that age. So I couldn't write something beyond my imagination.
Everything has a reason
Kung magtumbling man si Mira sa susunod na Chapter, may rason yun. Kung sinasaksak man ngayon ni Michael ang puso ni Rachelle may rason din yun. Katulad lang ng lahat ng gawin ng isang tao ay may rason. ganun din sa mga characters. Lahat ng gawin nila may rason. Hindi pwedeng wala lang. I wanted my characters to have a depth of attitude. Na hindi kesyo makapambully lang, makapagtaray lang, makaiyak lang, makatawa lang. Ano yun baliw? I wanted my characters to have some credit on everything that they do. Kung mali man ang rason nila kung bakit nila ginagawa ang bagay na yun, then mali sila. And one more thing, I don't overdo their reasons kasi nagmumukha silang defensive.
Principle
I wanted my characters to have some principles to the point na makipag away pa siya sa akin para mapaglaban lang ang prinsipyo niya. Yes it happens. My brains is reasoning with each other. Or tawag ko dun, intrapersonal communication. (pang baliw term). And the most principled character that I have written is Oca. I don't want him to have a relationship with Angela because i hate third parties in my stories pero hindi siya nagpatalo.
Parang sinasabi niyang, let me show Joanne that I just had enough. To the point na nastuck ako sa susunod na chapter para sa Wanted:Babymaker. And when I finally agreed to let him and Angela met, sunod sunod na ang chapters and I came up with the story of Johann and Angela.
Then came Ana, her story is not planned and she is very vocal with hating me but her story is the easiest to write. The ideas are free flowing. No sweat on her.
Whatelse?
sa sunod na lang yung iba.
Next article: Infinity and Beyond
