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Word Clusters Help Generate Ideas

I was talking with a friend the other day and when we got on the topic of stories and characters, I proposed that he try something one of my art professors had us do.

It is simply a word cluster map. The idea is start with a word--in this case, my character's name (see example below)--and branch off continuously. After a while, you will end up with words that differ from the ones you started with, and oftentimes, these can help you see more aspects of your character or new avenues for your story, all of which can still be traced back to the original concept.

This is a great activity if you are having trouble coming up with ideas, whether for stories, characters, or art. Explore ideas and possibilities you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

Great to pass time in boring classes or on rainy days, too, while still being productive!

Question of the Day (Day 49): Cell Phones

So if your character had a cell phone, no matter the time period, what kind of cell phone would it be? What things could you find on it? Would they hide the contents of the phone from a significant other?? Opens up a whole new avenue of character exploration for those medieval characters. Really, what -would- they do if they had access to cell phones back then?

Question of the Day (Day 48): Knowledge In Death

Say your character was offered the chance to know how and/or when they would perish. How would they react to this? That is, would they want to find out their fate? Would they rather be blissfully ignorant instead?

Question of the Day (Day 47): Breaking Ice

Some characters are outgoing and talkative, some are introspective and slow to strike up conversation, most are somewhere in between. No matter a character's inclination, they will occasionally find themselves in a position where they want to strike up a conversation or casually gather information from a stranger.

How a character breaks the ice can say a lot about themselves, especially since this is effectively a character's introduction to whomever they are talking to. Will your character energetically burst into another conversation shouting a greeting? or quietly wait for the topic to shift to one that they can introduce themselves as an expert on? There exist many ways to start a conversation, what's your character's go-to method?

Question of the Day (Day 46): Duty VS Family

Some characters have a strong obligation towards their duty. If not their profession, then towards some goal or mission. Regardless of their commitment, sometimes your character may find themselves in a situation where they must choose between their duty or their family. What would they choose? How does this affect them, their loved ones, and the task at hand ?

Question of the Day (Day 45): Room to Grow

Most people's values, beliefs, or even personalities change over time. A person in his mid-thirties is rarely going to find value in the same things he did when he was a teenager. When making a character one thing that can add more depth to them is to decide on something that they have changed their minds regarding. Either they no longer value something they once did, or they now value something they did not care for. Alternately, you can create a character with a value or opinion that you intend for them to 'grow out of' as the game progresses.

Has your character's opinion on something changed? Is it possible that an existing opinion or value might change? How has your character grown? How will or can they grow?

Question of the Day (Day 44): Trashy!

So you're walking along and see some people tossing litter onto the ground. It's messy. It's ugly. It's not good for the environment. Whatever. What's your character's view of trash and litter? What comes to mind? Why?

Question of the Day (Day 43): Bust A Move

How does your character fair when it comes to dancing? Do they loathe it? Do they spring to the floor at any given moment? Do they have some slick moves to show off?

Question of the Day (Day 42): Mistakes were Made

If every character reacted perfectly to every situation, they would become boring, sapping all the tension from their interactions and the greater narrative as a whole. Characters should fumble every now and then, they should stumble and fall. They should make a wrong call, come to a snap judgement, or get lost, maybe not all the time, but every now and then.

What was the most recent mistake that your character has made?

Question of the Day (Day 41): Truth VS Hope

Major plot twists can affect your character's will directly, such as the revelation that the major villain they've been conspiring to defeat all along is actually a long lost family member. These traumatic pieces of information can have the most profound effect on your character's very being. Would your character rather have this information at hand or live ignorantly in bliss?

Question of the Day (Day 40): Rituals

Characters often times will have a set of rituals they follow. While not necessarily religious in origin, these rituals could include a methodical way to clean their weapons, a special prayer over a fallen foe, pausing to remember someone or something on a specific anniversary, or simply a tradition they feel brings them luck.

Does your character have a ritual they follow? How did it start? Why does it continue?

Question of the Day (Day 39): What really grinds your gears?

So we all have our moments when something drives us to a breaking point were we just snap. I mean just full on go mental over something that pisses you off and would get angry at. What would be the one thing that would make you angry, that would just make you snap at something?

Question of the Day (Day 38:) What's in a Name?

When creating a character, one of most surprisingly time-consuming parts is often picking the character's name. A character's name s a sort of ambassador to the character, it introduces them to the world and can give a little snippet of their personality.

Sometimes the name is chosen by the character, sometimes it is assigned by a caregiver or authority figure, but it almost always has some sort of meaning to the player (even if it is chosen simply as a pun or because it sounds cool.)

To the character themselves, it my not have any particular symbolism or meaning, but what does your character's name mean for the character?

Question of the Day (Day 37): Ascension

Your character has suddenly been promoted in rank to one of, if not the highest, ranking of an organization. Perhaps they have become ruler of an empire or highest ranking official of a company. They have been entrusted with a great amount of power and responsibility. How does your character feel about accepting this newfound position?

Question of the Day (Day 36): Crypt

So what would your character do if they found themselves stuck in a crypt of some sort? You know, catacombs, tombs, etc. How would they react if there seemed to be no way out? Have they experienced such fear before? What was it like?

Question of the Day (Day 35): If you can chose to be something different

What if you chosen wrong, something that you didn't want to do or something that you wanted to change because that you didn't like. What if you could change the profession of your character to something that you would have wanted, what would it be and why?

Question of the Day (Day 34): A Step Away From Greatness

What holds your character back from reaching their true potential? Whether it be their true potential as a being, their value as a leader, etc. Is it inner conflict? A remnant of the past they refuse to let go?

Question of the Day (Day 33): Associates

When your character was growing up, the company they kept said a lot about them and your character would likely have learned a great deal from them. What sort of people did your character associate with in their formative years?

Question of the Day (Day 32): Accusations

Describe an instance in which your character was wrongly accused of something, and how they reacted to this accusation, whether it be about murder or stealing a stinkin' paperclip.