Session 5: Characterization I
Announcements
The third assignment will be posted in a friends-locked post after this session. I also thought I should remind everyone that if you're choosing to take the fanfic option, please remember to leave me a link to your fic before the end of this course. The fanfic will be accepted as long as it's complete (or at least a significant installment of a multichapter fanfic) and has not been posted before the start of this course. (Please note that it's still acceptable if you've posted it after 8/4.)
Characterization I
Fixed points
The most frequent criticism of AU fanfiction I've encountered is that it's not in-character. Thus, I think the first question to ask when writing an AU is not what changes about the characters but what stays the same. When there are multiple interpretations of a character, not to mention established fanon assumptions in addition to knowledge from canon, the issue of characterization becomes one of the most important in writing fanfiction. In a sense, it touches upon a more general problem: what is inherent to a character's personality and what is dependent on their environment? What makes them recognizable as who they are? What aspects will remain the same no matter what the circumstances?
One of the ways to begin thinking about these questions may be to set down what you consider immutable about the character. I think of them as "fixed points" that remain constant no matter what transformations you perform on the character.
Maintaining identifiability
At the most basic level, the reader must be able to identify the characters. Usually, keeping the name and appearance the same will suffice, but sometimes the AU scenario may cause you to consider changing either one to fit the circumstances. In such cases, the writer should ensure that the character is identifiable by some other means, such as the archetype or role of the character in the story.
Avoiding OOC
What falls under OOC and what doesn't? In some cases, the boundary is clear (such as overt wish-fulfillment/self-insertion), but in others, it can be harder to determine. Sometimes the personal interpretation of the reader may clash with yours, especially in the case of an AU, where characterization has to undergo certain changes to suit the alternate universe. In this respect, it may be helpful to note down what are the key traits of the character appearing in canon (and which traits are fanon extrapolation) and decide which will not be altered in the course of the AU.
Adding dimension
Good characterization in fanfiction requires consistency with canon but it also involves character development. Unless you're deliberately simplifying a character for the purposes of humor, it's always worthwhile to think of complications and elaborations. It's true that Tezuka from Prince of Tennis is often expressionless and seems unemotional, but reducing him to these traits will make for an uninteresting story. One way of thinking about character development is to consider the reasons for various aspects of the character's personality. To use another Prince of Tennis example, Ryouma appears to be arrogant: is it because of his excellence in tennis, his father's example, a self-defense mechanism after moving to Japan, all of the above? It can also be helpful to think about motivations for the characters' behavior as well as their reactions to other characters, even if they don't end up explicitly stated in the fanfic. Another good tactic is to avoid obvious favoritism of one character over the others. I find that many AUs criticized as being OOC often suffer more from two-dimensionality rather than any serious contradictions with canon characterization.
Discussion
In an effort to make discussions more interesting, I thought I'd change their format a little for this session, and see what happens.
1. Leave a comment concerning any question or issue concerning characterization in AU fanfiction. It can be as general as the problem of original characters or as specific as a particular problem that you've encountered in your own writing.
2. I've suggested some ways of addressing characterization above. What are your own tactics and methods of writing AU characters? Also, what do you look for when it comes to characterization in AU fanfics?
The third assignment will be posted in a friends-locked post after this session. I also thought I should remind everyone that if you're choosing to take the fanfic option, please remember to leave me a link to your fic before the end of this course. The fanfic will be accepted as long as it's complete (or at least a significant installment of a multichapter fanfic) and has not been posted before the start of this course. (Please note that it's still acceptable if you've posted it after 8/4.)
Characterization I
Fixed points
The most frequent criticism of AU fanfiction I've encountered is that it's not in-character. Thus, I think the first question to ask when writing an AU is not what changes about the characters but what stays the same. When there are multiple interpretations of a character, not to mention established fanon assumptions in addition to knowledge from canon, the issue of characterization becomes one of the most important in writing fanfiction. In a sense, it touches upon a more general problem: what is inherent to a character's personality and what is dependent on their environment? What makes them recognizable as who they are? What aspects will remain the same no matter what the circumstances?
One of the ways to begin thinking about these questions may be to set down what you consider immutable about the character. I think of them as "fixed points" that remain constant no matter what transformations you perform on the character.
Maintaining identifiability
At the most basic level, the reader must be able to identify the characters. Usually, keeping the name and appearance the same will suffice, but sometimes the AU scenario may cause you to consider changing either one to fit the circumstances. In such cases, the writer should ensure that the character is identifiable by some other means, such as the archetype or role of the character in the story.
Avoiding OOC
What falls under OOC and what doesn't? In some cases, the boundary is clear (such as overt wish-fulfillment/self-insertion), but in others, it can be harder to determine. Sometimes the personal interpretation of the reader may clash with yours, especially in the case of an AU, where characterization has to undergo certain changes to suit the alternate universe. In this respect, it may be helpful to note down what are the key traits of the character appearing in canon (and which traits are fanon extrapolation) and decide which will not be altered in the course of the AU.
Adding dimension
Good characterization in fanfiction requires consistency with canon but it also involves character development. Unless you're deliberately simplifying a character for the purposes of humor, it's always worthwhile to think of complications and elaborations. It's true that Tezuka from Prince of Tennis is often expressionless and seems unemotional, but reducing him to these traits will make for an uninteresting story. One way of thinking about character development is to consider the reasons for various aspects of the character's personality. To use another Prince of Tennis example, Ryouma appears to be arrogant: is it because of his excellence in tennis, his father's example, a self-defense mechanism after moving to Japan, all of the above? It can also be helpful to think about motivations for the characters' behavior as well as their reactions to other characters, even if they don't end up explicitly stated in the fanfic. Another good tactic is to avoid obvious favoritism of one character over the others. I find that many AUs criticized as being OOC often suffer more from two-dimensionality rather than any serious contradictions with canon characterization.
Discussion
In an effort to make discussions more interesting, I thought I'd change their format a little for this session, and see what happens.
1. Leave a comment concerning any question or issue concerning characterization in AU fanfiction. It can be as general as the problem of original characters or as specific as a particular problem that you've encountered in your own writing.
2. I've suggested some ways of addressing characterization above. What are your own tactics and methods of writing AU characters? Also, what do you look for when it comes to characterization in AU fanfics?