We've all written original characters of some sort that has come solely from out imaginations- even if you've only created an OC. I love coming up with a new, fresh character- it makes me a little happy on the inside. You get to come up with a new name, a look, a past, a family, a story, and even get to think up little details down to pets and personality. 

But, of course, there are so many completely new characters you can come up with before your 'new' character is just a walking cliche. Which isn't bad, don't get me wrong, but a lot of 'original' characters (I'm guiltily of this myself) are just like a ton of others on Wattpad- even if it's by accident. 

I was reading an article about how there are only seven types of stories in the world- because I am very grow up and mature and I don't love a fictional character whom does not exist (forgive me Bucky I have lied)- and I stumbled upon this phrase: "There are only seven stories in the world. I used to think there were a lot more than that, based on visits to Blockbuster and my school reading list, but my high school Creative Writing teacher, Mrs. Post..... She said that all plots are a variation of one of seven basic themes. She used a list made by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch. Here they are: man against man, man against nature, man against himself, man against God, man against society, man caught in the middle, man and woman."

I just thought that was pretty friggin cool. And somewhere through my very adult-like reading, I realized that while this may be true for stories, this was no different from characters. And since I conveniently have this book where I rant about things on a writing website- I asked myself, "What the heck, Elise! You already have a new chapter, because you are totes not already running out of ideas for this book! Also, you are totes not sleep deprived and listening to Lana Del Rey while sulking in self pity!"

So, here are the six types of characters on Wattpad and/or just in general. Because I am totes not already running ideas for this book!

ONE: THE CHILL ONE. This character is like, just legit chill. He/she is totally cool with everything- even if their pet just died. I guess some people are really like this, but I think this character also comes from lack of knowing how to write emotion. I suffer myself from this not-knowing-how, but I try my best to write my characters emotions. Even if I fail. 

Some people do this to, but like me, all writers have their weaknesses. 

And then, of course, there are those characters who legit just don't care- and the writers know this. 

Example: 

"Oh, my gosh, Tyler! Your dad just died of a heart attack!" Gabby yelled, hanging up her phone call. "You must be devastated!"

Tyler shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. He's in a better place, though." He smiled. "You wanna go get a taco?"

TWO: THE ROOTED ONE. Okay, so take the character I just described- The Chill One- and add a huge, unnecessarily giant backstory to her/his life. One that's very confusing and has the readers scratching their head in confusion.

I mean, we get it, this character was hurt back in the day- but come on, that person he/she just passed in the street was someone who looked like a person who witnessed he/she's first cousins murder, which is an event she/he's remembered since he/she were still a little baby in he/she's mother's arms?

It's okay to have a flawed characters with a dark background- but don't make it so over dramatic that the readers are left thinking a plant on the side of the street had something to do with her/his dark past. 

Example: 

I looked at an old sock. "Darn you, Paul." I grunted. Paul Rock was probably wearing that sock when he murdered my mother. "Never again will you hurt me or my family!" I shout, throwing the old grey sock I found in a dumpster into the sky. My yell reminded me of my screams that horrid night. I broke down and cried in the middle of the road. I don't know how I got in the street- I was by a dumpster. This reminded me that time travelers possibly exist, which made me scream in confusion. Cars tried to avoid running me over. The sound of cars going by reminded me of the car I was taken away in as a child to be tortured for information I didn't have. I heard a cat's meow. The meow reminded me of the time I was thrown into a giant pit of angry tigers who-

Just stop already!

THREE: THE ROMANTIC ONE. No matter what, this character will romanticize any situation he/she is in- and it get very bloody aggravating. Even though this character is fictional, you wish you could just Force choke them a little bit to snap them back into place. 

Example: 

David gasped. "We've got to get out of this toxic chamber, or we'll die!" He exclaims, frantically looking around for a way out of the deadly glass room. 

Hazel just smirked. "Oh yes, kill me now with your love." She says suggestively to David. 

David sighed, who turns around and slaps her right on her cheek even though he'll probably be called a rapist for slapping a girl. "Hazel, we're going to die! We are not making out!"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Whatever. We all know you want me. The only reason you want out if because you want a bed to do it with me." She smiled. "It's all you think about." She giggled with a grin.

David sat down. He decided he would let the toxic kill him. 

FOUR: THE PRETTY PATHETIC ONE. Okay, this one personally annoys me. It's when authors go a bit overboard on the 'girls are insecure these days' thing. I mean, they create a flawless character and have them whine about every little thing. And I hate to break it to those characters, but that's not what insecurity is about. And no way in heck is that what it feels like. And no way is the slight discomfort the character is going through what depression feels like. It's just annoying.

Example:

I looked at my thin, perfectly toned body, my flawless hair, my perfect teeth, my clear and soft skin, my pretty eyes, my perfect pink lips, my naturally shaped nose, my cute little feet, my perfectly thin arms, my two boyfriends, my secret lesbian lover and sigh. "I am so ugly! No one loves me." I cry as Greek gods pet my forehead. 

Just... stop.

FIVE: THE BADBUM ONE. Okay, I'm saying badbum because you know in this book I try my best not to flat out curse because kids are on this website and- screw it I say alternative words because it's 100000000% more fun to make words up than to flat out use damn and badass and bitch. 

So, I say badbum, but you know what I mean. 

And these characters are typically girls- just because generally, I'm talking about the short yet deadly characters. You know, the ones that are supposedly 2 feet tall and 1 inch wide but can somehow take down all of Hydra, all of the Greek and Roman gods, Voldemort, the Empire, a few demons, Hitler, a dozen assassins, an elephant, and the entire military all on her own because she was trained by some famous person whom we should all know. Probably Chuck Norris or something. Maybe Bruce Lee.

Anyway, I see this all the time and it's very cliche.

I not to mention she's either a bad guy, or she is super underrated and no one believes in her. This is very unrealistic- I assure you, if you can tame a wild lion and ride it into the heat of battle to defeat the First Order who is lead by an evil and corrupt Gandolf- you're not going to go unnoticed. Yet somehow this girl is working as a coffee maker, because she is underrated by everyone ever. 

Example: 

This is it! My tryouts to become a SHIELD agent! I do a triple back flip and take out twenty Hydra agents and manage to kill Baron Zemo as well- I also save all the Avenger's lives and gave Professor X a high-five. Also, I sang for Simon Cowell and he applauded my performance!

Maria Hill sighs. "Next?" She orders and motions for me to move on. I sigh. I guess I don't have any talent. Back to working at McDonalds! 

SIX: THE CHERISHED ONE. Since I just did one about a girl, I'll do a character that usually ends up being about a male. This one is a normal, every day jerk/jock- that every girl loves and seriously adores, despite his cat calling habits and rude behavior. Oh, and don't get me wrong, girls are not to only ones who love him. The main gay guy probably has a huge crush on him too. 

And usually his face claim is either Zac Efron or Grant Gustin- I'm just saying. And, he becomes a softie for some random girl who hated him. 

Example:

"Yo, Jessie! Are you so sweaty because you got out of gym or because you're just you?" Darren laughs.

Jessie sighs. "He noticed me!" She screamed as she fainted. 

Meanwhile, Anne looked on the scene. "Darren is a jerk. I hate him." She concluded. Darren just smiled at her and weeks later, he had changed his ways and they already had a two year old daughter named Liza. 

Maybe I'm just complaining because just once, I'd like to see a bad boy fall for a regular girl who had liked him for a long time and changed because she knew he could and that all hope wasn't lost- not because she hated him and in order to be with her he had to change to fit her standards. 

In the end, everyone always comes up with a cliche character. it's impossible to not come up with a person who isn't cliche- and I'm guilty of that. I have a Badbum in my story I'm writing, and I'm not afraid to say I'm using a popular cliche in fan fictions. 

It's not bad to use these cliches- but here's some advice; don't make it so obvious. Hide it just a bit and don't go overboard- even that will fool readers into thinking your story is more original than others. 

And don't go thinking your story is super original yourself, like that article said, there are only so many stories you can write. Just make sure your variation is really bloody good- because you'll be glad you worked hard.

But then again, we're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?

By the way, that right there was my quote for this chapter, thank you, I bow. 

Also, before I go (I know you're probably tired of reading by now) I'm sorry if this chapter seems rushed or lazy. I'm super tired since yesterday was a long bum road trip and I stayed up way to late and got up way to early yesterday. When I'm feeling better tomorrow I will go back and correct any spelling errors or anything else that needs to be fixed.

Also, yesterday this book was rated 193 in Humor! That's the highest I've ever been ranked! So thanks to you wonderful people who always comment and vote- ya'll make my day, not kidding. Don't ever change:-)

Until next time, I swear I am sleep deprived and I wrote this half-conscious. 

-Elise