Character contemplations: Opinions appreciated.

[Leigh]

So, I've been thinking. (And yeah, it kinda hurt, don't mind the smell of smoke.) Eionen will, ideally, be transferring to Emerald Falls proper in another teaching job next year in-game, and staying for a game year, maybe two. I was toying the idea of having him meet a nice lady there and start to fall in love again.

However, Eionen will always love Erisalle and regret the choices he made, so that might put a crimp in things and keep him from completely moving on. Plus, he's a f--king idiot, so I'm not certain he entirely deserves happiness. On the other hand, he's sorry for all his f--kups, so maybe a second chance is what he needs?

Once more, I'm not sure where to take this, so I'd really like to hear your thoughts, everyone.

[Suzee]

lol, waves away the smoke...

So a flawed character is always great to write. What is sometimes nice is a surprise our persona plays on us when we think they're going to zig and they zag instead.

It happens to me from time to time.

Now, I have an idea for you that might not relate to your future plans for him but might be a good side story to tell.  We can chat about it if you like.

[Eimi]

Coming from someone who loves to torture their personas for their mistakes...

A persona who is already the best version of themself (heck even a human being who is) has no way to really grow.  Run with the flaws!  Let him run into walls!  Let him fall on his face!  Let him make his mistakes and let him learn from them.  That's my favorite part about writing my personas.  They all have their beautiful flaws.

(There is a reason why Bree dubbed me "Evil Eimi" all those moons ago...  )

[Yvonne]

Do it. I agree with Eimi and Suzee. Characters who are happy with their lives make for writers who search for something for them to do. Flawed, scarred, unhappy characters give you way more fodder to draw plots from. And if they're relatively happy people to being with, then give them a goal or dream that they're working toward. And then snatch it away or make it hard to get. *EG*

Go for it!

[Paula]

Go for it, mess him up properly! That's where the best stories come from.

[Miriah]

Honestly, I find that truly happy characters are a chore to write. That's why I like my characters to completely screw themselves over on occasion. (Or if you play Sims, you can relate to being a cruel and vengeful god that will stomp on your persona's happiness just to see how they tick or kill them...not that I know ANYTHING about that...)

Flawed characters are the most interesting to read as well.