"You don't have to do this alone." ||
WRITING GUIDE. a book where i make my best attempt at helping you write a kickass fanfic for the 100.
[writing tips, the 100 facts, face claims, book recommendations, etc etc etc]
character development: the process of creating a believable character in fiction by giving the character depth and personality OR the change a character undergoes during the course of a story.
*NOTE: pls also check out the chapters 'mapping characters' , 'backgrounds' , 'descriptions' & 'character arcs', for more helpful ideas on character development.
i just wanted to start this chapter out with a clear idea of what i mean by character development. sometimes sitting down and like mapping out a character is referred to as character development which is an awesome idea and i totally recommend it...but in this chapter i'm going to be giving you tips on how to develop a character during the story. (i.e., how your character changes as the events of the story affect them.)
in a lot of fanfics for the 100 the main character/OC starts out being super badass, and ready to slay earth. and obviously the amount of "badassness" a character has will depend on their past. i.e. if they're a grounder warrior then definitely yeah, they'll be harsh and probably running around wielding weapons. but if your OC is a delinquent put in the Skybox because they stole rations they probably aren't going to be super epic and strong right away.
BUT it can also be flipped the other way. there's some fanfics where the OC is like a cold hearted murderer from the Ark, or a grounder who suddenly when the book is only on the second chapter becomes a softie and totally loose their edge....
this is where character development comes in. i'm not saying it's bad for a weaker character to become stronger, or a harsh character to become nicer. in fact, those are good things, they're what make a book worth reading. the trick is getting the timing right, and making the circumstances work in your favour. here's a guide that i find helpful to follow.
1: Summarise your character's core goals and motivations. (i.e., ahead of time make a list of different things that inspire and keep your character going. for example is it their family? their overprotective nature? their zest for life? their desire to be reunited with _____ ? their goal to keep the Ark from coming to the ground? their hatred against ______ ? etc.)
2: Plan external obstacles your character will face. (i.e., what are physical aspects that could get in your character's way of reaching their goals. for example, a broken leg. a fallen tree in the middle of their path. a grounder that kidnapped them? a storm keeping them inside the drop-ship? etc.)
3: Plan internal obstacles to character development. (i.e., what are internal struggles your character deals with that prevents them from reaching their goals. for example, they believe they aren't good enough. they lost hope. they have anxiety. they have a strong hatred towards someone who loves them. they're naive. etc.)
4: Give your main character 'foils'. (i.e., 'a character whose qualities or actions serve to emphasize those of the protagonist by providing a strong contrast with them'. for example if you want your OC to come off as rebellious you could make a close friend of their's super passive. if you want your OC to seem super naive, give them a friend who is super wise...etc,)
5: Include a reversal that tests your character. (i.e., character development doesn't have to happen at a smoothly: your characters can develop in sudden leaps or baby steps – variety is the key to drama and intrigue. it's something major that happens that either propels your character's development further or makes it spiral back down. for example your OC witnesses another character's. either this could encourage them to be a better person bc they never know which day may be their last, or it could make them go back to being a worse person bc they want revenge....etc.)
6: Use actions and dialogue to develop character. (i.e., many beginner writers will literally write out how a character has changed. for example "Willa no longer feared the grounders, but instead knew they should fear her". which isn't bad. but sometimes action speaks louder than words. for example let's pretend i'm still writing about Willa. She's a lover of peace who is terrified of the grounders, but could never even hurt a fly. as the story progresses she has to survive Earth, the other delinquents, grounders, etc. if i wrote: "Willa burst into the weapons tent, her eyes searching for something, anything she could use to defend herself . As a darkness glinted in her eyes, her fingers snatched the first gun in sight, and clutched it tightly to her chest. Those grounders wouldn't know what hit them." this text still shows Willa's development without blatantly stating it. to make your character development complex and believable, consider how changes in behaviour, speech and circumstances all intersect and can be used to paint a more convincing character portrait.
7: Let your character surprise you and your readers (i.e., how do we know character have changed? Often because the character makes choices we wouldn't have expected them to make. for example if your OC is super greedy, but makes a selfless decision, it's clear to the readers that your character is changing.)
8: Decide how your character will respond to all changes: cirumstantial, environmental, relational. (i.e., your character's circumstances are going to change. they're going to move places (from the Ark, to the ground, to MT. Weather, to Camp Jaha, to the City of Light, ETC), they're going to make new friends and build new relationships, and their circumstances are going to be ever changing because we all know how unpredictable Earth is in the 100 world. make your OC's development believable by making each of these new changes yield a response. whenever you change your character's circumstances, brainstorm the possible ways it can affect existing routines, views and goals.
9: If your main character's arc is flat, compensate in others. if your main character's arc is at a stand still, focus on how your other characters are changing. obviously your character isn't going to be the only one affected by earth. also keep in mind that other characters' changes may affect how your main character changes as well.
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me rn bc idk if that made any sense bc it's way too late at night lol↴
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hopefully that was somewhat understandable/useful for you guys! thank you so much for the insane amount of reads and support you guys are giving me on this book. you motivate me to keep doing it even though i'm running out of ideas lool. also if any of you have questions/chapter ideas comment them on the 'requests' chapter or feel free to direct message me anytime. again, ily all !!! xx tay
