Lakely's Role-play Rules: Rule #1

Our young friend, FluffyStuff, keeps requesting that I start a blog called "Lakely's Role-play Rules" to help out our fellow role-players on here. Alas, I have decided to participate as she wishes, so I bring you the first rule of Lakely's Role-play Rules.

Rule #1: Have a Well Developed Character

Well developed characters are a must in any form of writing, be it short stories, novels, script writing, or 3rd person role-plays. As a role-player, it is important to know exactly who your character is and where they are coming from so that you can have a well developed character. These characters are not only helpful to the role-player, but also to the readers or other role-players. With a well developed character, it will be easier for you to put yourself in the characters mindset to know how they would react or respond to certain situations or circumstances. Since already knowing who your character is helps strengthen your writing, it will make it easier for your fellow role-players to understand your character and follow along with your role-play. I chose this as rule number one because I personally feel that this is a forgotten part of many role-plays, and it's the most fundamental part because it starts at the beginning.

Now you can tell that I believe well developed characters are a strong part of a role-play. What you may be asking now is, "What is a well developed character?" No need to fear. I am here to clear up all questions that anyone may have. A well developed character starts right from the beginning. You should have this figured out before you even apply for your character or at least before you start role-playing with other people. The next question would be, "If the character should be created so early, where is a good place to start?" The character's background, of course. Where is your character coming from? What kind of life-style did they lead growing up. We aren't interested in every part of the character's past, only the parts that are relevant to who they are now or parts that will have any impact on any of the stories they might tell. Sometimes it is quite difficult to even get a background for your character down. The good news is, there are some role-plays that require characters with specific backgrounds, so that would automatically be your starting point.

There is no such thing as a perfect character. After you have your background for your character figured out, it is time to think about their strengths and weaknesses. This is my favorite part of character development because this is when the development comes in. Character's with flaws are any audience's favorite because they are the ones that will grow and improve throughout the story, and are probably the only reason the story exists. There are all kinds of resources online for helping you develop your character's strengths and weaknesses, so use those to your advantage. 

The final step of character development would be giving your character all of their extra information. What are some of the character's fears? What does your character like to do? Does your character have any allergies? This is not quite as big of a step as the background or flaws, but it is still great information to have because it can help guide your writing. Even though it doesn't seem that important, it is better to make this up before going to deep into role-plays than it is to make it up as you go along.

The final part of character development is simply to stay consistent. If you have a character who is carefree, it is probably a good idea to keep them carefree in most situations. If your character hates sea food in one scene, we shouldn't see them chowing down on lobster in another. Just remember who each of your characters are, and you will find working with, not only to be easier, but a lot more of an enjoyable experience.

Resources

Character Strengths
Strengths 1 
 

Character Weaknesses
Weaknesses 1
Weaknesses 2

Character Hobbies
Hobbies 1

Character Habits
Habits 1

Character Fears
Fears 1

Character Acheivements/Goals/Motivations
Motivations 1

Character Balance
Balance 1
Balance 2

I do want to add that it is important to not just stick to one person's opinion. While I have my own style of writing, which I am constantly trying to improve, every person is different. If you would like to improve or explore even further, by all means! Look up other tutorials for character development online.