Creating Characters – A reference List

writingandresources:

Another helpful list of references, this time for creating original characters for your own stories, RPGs, or even fanfictions! Brought to you by writingandresources.

NAME GENERATORS

• Seventh Sanctum’s Noun Generators
• Behind the Name’s generator, with advanced options (you can choose from different languages and more!)
• Fake Name Generator gives you a first name, initial and last name as well as an address.
• Fantasy Name Generator, with an advanced option if you wanna learn how to use it.
• Generates name, gender, appearance ans age.

CHOOSING NAMES

• Writer’s Digest – 7 rules for picking character names.
• Tips for writers on Babynames.com
• How to the right names for your characters, from Writer’s Relief.
• A forum about overused names.
• Another Forum.
• And Another.
• 10 tips for naming characters

PERSONALITY AND BACKSTORY

• Character personality generator
• A generator for skills, abilities and traits.
• A list of 638 primary personality traits.
• Examples of personality traits and how to put them together.
• A thread on overused character backstories.
• TV Tropes – Overused copycat character list (good for making sure your character isn’t an unintentional overused cliche.)
• 25 overused traits, backstories and character archetypes.

ALREADY HAVE AN OC?

• To make sure you haven’t created a monster, consider reading The Semi-Grand List of Overused Romance Cliches
• To make extra extra sure your character isn’t awful, put them through the Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test.