Hello friends! I recently found a list where I had jotted down chapter ideas (most of them old requests). While I never got around to them back then, it's never too late ... right?

     As I've been recently asked about this matter too, I thought I'd just write a chapter on it with my somewhat coherent ideas & tips.

    Today's chapter will be all about:

HOW TO CREATE 
UNIQUE OC CHARACTER(S)

⇣

Just in case there's anyone who randomly stumbled upon this & has no idea what the hell an OC Character is, allow me to explain.

    An OC Character is an "original character" created by an author. 

   Sometimes we make characters up 100%, and sometimes we base them off of others (celebrities, favorite characters from tv shows, movies, books, anime, etc). 

    Regardless, today I'll be giving you some tips on how to make sure that you have a unique OC character.

   T I P # 1: GIVE THEM A BACKSTORY

   Sounds simple, right? Yet, I can't tell you how many times I've read stories where I know absolutely nothing about the OC. Don't just tell your audience where the character is from. What is unique about their hometown? Are they fond of their birthplace? Why, or why not? 

   For example (I'll be using a wrestling reference here since most of my readers will get it). Say your OC is a wrestler from Chicago. If she/he is accustomed to rowdy crowds, tie it back to how Chicago's crowds are known for being loud & opinionated.

    What's their upbringing like? Do they get along with their parents? Why/ why not? Any siblings / friends worth noting? Anything significant from their childhood? Any traditions? 

      Giving details of an original character's upbringing is quite important because that could mirror the reason they behave a certain way. It can also serve as a 'teaching lesson' if say a character was brought up in a bad environment but turned out to do great things with her/his life & is not troubled at all. It adds character depth / an arc to the story.

   T I P # 2 TAKE YOUR TIME 

   When writing a backstory, do not feel the need to rush it. Do not feel the need to explain everything right away. Think of your OC character as an onion, with many layers. Expose each layer as the story goes by.  

   Or, think about it as a yourself. We all have stories and quirks we don't reveal right away. Once your character has gone through some stuff, or reached a moment in which they can 'open up' to trust someone or even confront something on their own, go for it.

    For the smaller things like revealing what their favorite this or that is, always connect it with something so it doesn't fall flat. For example, say your character's favorite candy is Jolly Ranchers. Why? Does it remind him/her of anyone / anything.

    Say your character randomly bursts into tears when on a ferris wheel. Why is she/he crying? Does being in a ferris wheel remind her/him of something?

   If your character is insecure, which please know it's okay for your oc character to not be f*kn perfect, how long before it's exposed / how long till they talk about it with someone / take steps to be less insecure of said thing?

   ** If your character is flawed, let him/her fuck up before immediately going on the defensive to then write about them as perfect / overcoming of said issues.

   TAKING YOUR TIME is easier said than done. The only one time I feel like I've really done that (to the point where I'm thoroughly pleased) is with this story of mine called, Brass Rings. Previously known as Charisma, a Cesaro x OC Fanfiction. Since I'm a piece of shit that always unpublished content / chapters, here's something else you can reference.

   If you want to see what I mean by taking your time and exposing little things about a character masterfully, please check out Too Sweet by -MammaMia- in her joint account, indywrestling 

   T I P # 3 CONSTRUCTING PERSONALITY + DETAILS ON OC

      If you need more examples on exactly what type of information to disclose, please check out chapter ten in this book titled [ 10 ] constructing characters.

    There I have a list of information you can use for your OC. I had intended to say that that list should be used to help create a character in a story, but I then saw someone answer all the categories I wrote down on that list & essentially create an, OC book ( a book dedicated to all her OC's), and I found that bloody amazing because a) if you can fill out that whole list & even add some of your own, you've got yourself a well described original character! :)

✧  QUESTION: VIOLET, HOW DO YOU 

CREATE DIVERSE CHARACTERS? ✧

   If you're anything like me, then you are constantly publishing new stories with OC's because you have too many ideas and not enough time to finish one book completely so you might as well keep writing.

   Right?

   Anyways, for a while I've been on a mission to make sure my OC's are more diverse in ethnicity / race / nationality.

   Meaning, I want my OC's to be a broad range of shades. To put it more bluntly, I need more than your white girl representation. I want my OC's to be latina/latino, African American, Mexican, Arabian, Italian, Asian, etc, etc, etc.

   White girls/boys, brown girls/boys, yellow, pale, bronze, etc.

    You get my point? Not just for the sake of saying, "oh look here's some diversity in tone" but to try to represent each culture in a NON stereotypical way. 

   If you're not comfortable with your original character fully repping a certain nationality / race/ ethnicity (you shouldn't be apprehensive) but I get the apprehension as you ( I hope ) never want to misinterpret a race / ethnic group, etc.

    You can always rep the region they are from. I understand that many regions share similar traditions, but focus on the differences. For example, the UK has Nandos. The USA does not. 

    Dive into religion if it's your thing (just be respectful). 

A N O T H E R T I P: 

   If culture representation isn't your thing, you can always go for personalities. Meaning, get a journal down and jot down the name of your characters. Then, try to decipher what kind of personalities you have. 

    To avoid burning out in writing about the same type of character over and voer again, challenge yourself to write for different personalities.

    The extroverts, the introverts, the rebels, the punks, the nerds, the jocks, the geeks, the ENTP'S, the INFP's, the Slythindors, the Hufflepuffs, the anything and everything in between. 

    ** please not that you don't have to stereotype a personality either // introverts can actually talk just as much as extroverts can have the need for peace & quietness **

✧ VIOLET, HOW DO I AVOID
USING THE OVERUSED OC FACE
CLAIMS OVER & OVER AGAIN? ✧

You could be brand new to Wattpad, and I bet you've already seen a book with Nina Dobrev, Lily Collins, Megan Fox, Holland Roden, or Candice Accola on the cover / as a face claim on it. 

   Don't be too frustrated, we have all done it. I certainly have. It's okay as we'll all do it once or twice, but try to be more unique with your choosing? As in, don't feel pressured to use a certain OC just because she is popular. 

    F A C E C L A I M S

   - Again, don't just pick the 'star of the moment' because it's trendy. Take your time. Find someone and watch her/his interviews. Really get to actor / actress and see if there is gifs that can help.

    I do have a book on more, 'diverse, unique' OC's, but please feel free to also type in face claims onto wattpad's search box and find books with many more options! :)

    ** Despite all of this, please also know that it's TOTALLY NOT NECESSARY to have a face claim.

   SOME OF THE BEST stories I have read here don't even have a faceclaim for said original character(s). They just have amazing descriptions. 

    However, if you really are a visual person / like that gif usage, go for it!

    ✧ FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE ✧

       I may sound redundant here, but don't be scared to really dive into the OC's backstory. Take chapters if you need to. Heck, even center the story on your OC because it's the OC's journey as much as it is the other character's arc.

   For example, in this wrestling community you'll see a lot of OC x Seth Rollins. Dive into this OC's world / backstory because again, it's just as much his / her story as it is Seth's. For wrestling stories, some people stick to storylines. That's fine, but remember that without that OC it's just like a recap of an event / show.

✧ SUGGESTIONS? ✧

I hope that has remotely helped. If you have any other questions / want me to give some tips on another topic, please let me know. 

   P.S. I'm curious about something, so help me out? Who is the most used face claim you've seen?