How do *you* get into your characters' heads?

[Riven Wight]

Can't write for any of my characters right now, no matter how hard I try, which got me thinking. I know how I try to get into my characters' heads when they're being stubborn, but what about everyone else?

So, how do you get into character for, well, your characters, be they for a roleplay or personal stories?

One of my methods is to run a Cliff's Notes version--if you will--of their history and overall personality through my head as a refresher for why they are who they are. Has decided to not work for me for the past day or so, but hey. There you have it.

[Dolerman]

I think this more a topic for Roleplay Discussion rather than Off-Topic

[ArenaSnow]

It is. Fuck it. Posting here 'till they move it.

My system is a little strange I thought you knew I was strange but seems to work a good portion of the time. It fell apart lately, and I'm still piecing it back together. But it did alright for years.

Each character tends to get their own little "compartment". A little voice, something I let freely develop into something of its own. A character for me is not the backstory and wall of text on a sheet. It's the sum of three variables, which is a character's core, biases and experiences in relevance to their personality. The core is usually a bunch of little wrenches I throw into the mix that serve as modifiers for their voice. Their biases help determine how they approach any particular situation. Their experiences are modifiers based on the things they've done and lived that have a baring on how they act. All three can be changed over the course of interaction, though the core is pretty static. From there, I tend to try and squeeze a physical appearance into the mix; a mental image of how they look/react during a given scenario. This is usually in addition to making a mental scene of everything that is going on relative to the char so they have something to react to, and sometimes this will be done in conjunction with many other characters doing the same thing - reacting to the new variables placed into the mix based on how their personality is structured. Opposing characters also take part in a scene, and I'm obligated to create a "shell" for them based on my system to handle the specifics.

From there, it's a matter of transcribing what occurs in the scene.

The biggest issue is when the scene itself falls apart, either by too much time passing or someone throwing in a wrench that causes a "logical exception" that shuts me down. Sometimes it recovers, other times the scene fails, and my ability to roleplay is compromised.

An edited expansion: The "easy way" of doing it that many roleplayers do (especially introductory or free, but all the way up to people in advanced here) is just put themselves into the place of the character. From there, they modify elements of their personality - or not - and that makes it easy to answer occasionally tough questions if they don't have the patience or energy or ability to create a character from an almost completely different foundation (almost, because while I like to think my characters are their own individuals, my head must cause a heavy bias in many of the angles they take). It's easy for reliability, and being able to relate to characters and things always makes it easier for people to roleplay. It's viable, provided it's done right.

Below, I would say = done right. "rawgh imma demon lord edgy teenager (repeat across a dozen platforms)" = probably not as alright.

[Dion]

I think this more a topic for Roleplay Discussion rather than Off-Topic

@Dynamo Frokane

@Hank @Ruby I find myself agreeing and I imagine this topic would get more traction there. Perhaps an idea to ask the OP, but at least now you guys are aware.

Can't write for any of my characters right now, no matter how hard I try, which got me thinking. I know how I try to get into my characters' heads when they're being stubborn, but what about everyone else?

So, how do you get into character for, well, your characters, be they for a roleplay or personal stories?

One of my methods is to run a Cliff's Notes version--if you will--of their history and overall personality through my head as a refresher for why they are who they are. Has decided to not work for me for the past day or so, but hey. There you have it.

@Siaya Dragalorn

I self insert a lot of the time. I know that is seen as a bad thing a lot of the time, but as with all things involving writing, the tool is only as good as the craftman is. If you are a good writer, you can do a self-insert in a way where it's not a totally obvious attempt to play out your fantasies a lá I want to be a badass shadow elf who is super edgy, witty and intelligent, who can sail through the air effortlessly and shoot down 2 bad guys before landing on top of the big bad boss and destroy him, ending it with a witty one liner and so forth, oh and also even though my character is a badass and very angry he's actually a nice guy kthx.

So how I tend to do it is I take one aspect of myself, usually 'bad aspects' that are more like character flaws, and enlarge them. For instance anger is a good one. Then the character would grow and embody anger, or another symbol.

This can change during the RP, in fact I hope it does, but it's generally a good rule of thumb so that you always know how to react.

That said I don't always do this. Sometimes I play characters that are total opposite me; easy-going, friendly, understanding, empathetic, etc. It's a bit harder but generally I just ask myself 'what would I not do.' Sometimes it just comes naturally. It's all dependent.

[Ruby]

I literally let my characters take over my mind/emotions, just kind of use me as a vehicle. It tends to work.

The other thing is to keep into focus what the character's primary conflict is, and never really lose sight of that while writing. Likewise if they had some event in their past, keeping that in mind when writing them helps.

And moved the topic.

[Rilla]

By focusing on their story. Whatever it may be. I'm primarily an Arena fighter with q heavy specialization in story. So everything I do there HAS to have some story. It helps me get into their head, because I'm literally building their past, present, and future, with each post.

[POOHEAD189]

I wouldn't say I generally self insert, but I have various types of characters.

Type 1: Characters that represent different parts of me: I love to make characters that represent me when I am angry, when I am silly, when I am happy, when I'm in a more intelligent mood, etc. So it's easy for me to delve into them and become them.

Type 2: Characters that interest me: I make these characters just because I enjoy what they are. Let's go with examples. I love Warhammer Fantasy and my two favorite races are Lizardmen or Dwarfs, so I choose one of them to be a character often enough because I simply am interested of the races. Or if I am interested in being an Anglo-Saxon because I am a history buff, etc.

Type 3: Characters that represent something I value: These are characters I make because I think they're needed to add value to the roleplay, or they'd be valuable to our world in general. Either they're fiercely uncompromising in being effective in the roleplay/role they are in, they represent something I believe is needed in our world, or they're very good simply because they're a contrast to the other characters.

[Kratesis]

I don't really mesh with a character until I write them consistently (two or so times a week) for about six months. Then the magic happens.

[GeekFactor]

Slowly and carefully :D

Trying to force myself to play a character that I can, in no way, relate to, OR trying to throw myself into a new character too quickly, leaves me feeling disoriented and disingenuous in my efforts to RP them.

There's also a difference, I find, between a character that I can really sink into and embrace on a deep, personal, "they're inside my soul, dammit!" sort of level, and a character that I simply enjoy writing from a more external perspective. The first type is extremely enjoyable because it can produce such profound feeling and some subtle nuances in RP that aren't present any other way. The second type is more relaxing, less intense, but can be just as enjoyable and satisfying to me as a writer. It all depends on what type of story I'm aiming for.

I always try to take a few minutes at the beginning of the RP or writing process, and just sit quietly and imagine that I *am* the character. What do my clothes feel like on my body? Am I wearing a soft, flowing gown, or am I a man in thick leather armor and muddy boots? What's around me? Am I in a snow-laden forest in the middle of winter, with numb fingers and frost on my eyelashes, and a silent, hushed world around me? Or am I in a tavern, full of hazy pipe-smoke, with loud, cheerful banter that forces me to speak a bit more loudly, while I can feel my blood growing warm from the ale I'm guzzling? How am I feeling? Did I just finish a satisfying day's work on the farm, or am I perhaps pondering the recent death of someone I cared for? Am I more likely to stare quietly into the distance in a thoughtful fog, or smile and laugh and engage the person closest to me in friendly banter?

I could go on, but that seems to be enough rambling from me for now!

[GeekFactor]

I wouldn't say I generally self insert, but I have various types of characters.

Type 1: Characters that represent different parts of me: I love to make characters that represent me when I am angry, when I am silly, when I am happy, when I'm in a more intelligent mood, etc. So it's easy for me to delve into them and become them.

Type 2: Characters that interest me: I make this characters just because I enjoy what they are. Let's go with an examples. I love Warhammer Fantasy and my two favorite races are Lizardmen or Dwarfs, so I choose one of them to be a character often enough because I simply am interested of the races. Or if I am interested in being an Anglo-Saxon because I am a history buff, etc.

Type 3: Characters that represent something I value: These are characters I make because I think they're needed to add value to the roleplay, or they'd be valuable to our world in general. Either they're fiercely uncompromising in being effective in the roleplay/role they are in, they represent something I believe is needed in our world, or they're very good simply because they're a contrast to the other characters.

@POOHEAD189

This ^^! Well said, Poohead! (Oh, look, I rhymed.)

[Lady Absinthia]

This is why I have a theme song for each character. Music is a powerful thing, finding a song for them helps me get in their head. Just a quick listen and I am ready to go.

[tsukune]

Almost all my characters have a portion of me in them. It can be similar beliefs and values, or personalities, interests, background...
Helps me to be able to get in touch with my characters and allow me to slip into their shoes through that connection.

Suggestions by others above me are useful in their own ways, too. Like Lady A sometimes theme song does aid me to get into the mood of the character, or like Poohead, making characters that I do enjoy playing as.

[Ammokkx]

It's not something I really think about consciously while writing. When I write, I just jot down the first things that come to mind, the things that feel right. I often take breaks while writing to reread what I just wrote, maybe reword it a little and definitely fix any spelling mistakes I catch. To that end, when I'm writing a character, I just write down what I feel they would say. Almost as if they're my best friend I've known for years, so I know how they would act being put into a situation.

It's partially self-inserting, but less so in a 'fantasy fulfillment' way and more in a 'I am a different person now. What would I do with this personality?' way. I try to be someone else while writing.

I tend to notice, however, that I can play into stereotypes a bit too much because of that. Or, alternatively, make flat characters by focusing too hard on one aspect of their personality.

[kiiblade]

I don't get into my characters heads, they get into mine.
It's really weird, but for my more developed OC's, it feels like they completely take over when I'm writing a scene. I know how they think, so I know how they'll react.

Dialog comes naturally to me, writing expressions/body language is more difficult because I'm still a little rusty. Because of this, I usually plan dialog first, and go from there. :D

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

For myself, it depends on just who that character is to me. Did I write them for this project, such as a roleplay, or did they occur naturally and spontaneously on their own and were thus much more organic? The best characters I have ever wrote, worked on, designed or purchased works from were those that were entirely organic - products based upon the reality I experience. Many of them are shadows of real people, the darker sides more often simply because they make for better characters; they are flawed echoes of reality, distorted and twisted for fiction. In many ways, the real confirmation that they have become their own "persons" is when the dream can be made real. By this I mean, to think about them is not to make them do anything, just what they would actually do. Second nature put to narrative really.

Others, such as my persona here, are again reflections of the self, but not nearly as twisted or turned. They are characters themselves, but obscured in what is or is not them. This is both intentional and unintentional, yet it is a disguise all the same and adds to the mystique and mystery. It emphasizes their person as an independent agency, not just a thing to be read, but rather understood.

[Dervish]

My silly little exercise is when I'm out and about doing things, I ask myself what a certain character would be like doing whatever it is I'm doing. What posture do they carry, how do they walk, what would they think of the people around me or the general surroundings? What would they be trying to accomplish/ what are they looking for? So on, so forth. If you do something like that, it becomes a lot more natural later to write from their perspective and highlight their quirks and actions.

[GeekFactor]

...In many ways, the real confirmation that they have become their own "persons" is when the dream can be made real. By this I mean, to think about them is not to make them do anything, just what they would actually do. Second nature put to narrative really...

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

YES to this! The best RP is totally organic and has a nature of its own. Rather than me and my RPP constructing something in order to force it to happen, I enjoy *not knowing* what they're going to do or say or feel from one moment to the next because *that is the closest to reality* that we'll get. And that's what I strive for in writing and RPing.

[POOHEAD189]

I agree. And that is for both Roleplays and Novels. When the character writes the post/story, not you.

[vancexentan]

I think about their history, what they may have gone through, and smaller details that are in between the lines of the bio. I try to imagine their life, and their struggles and them adjust them for the roleplay's demands.

[NuttsnBolts]

For me music can help in some situations, but as the story goes on I find it to be less viable cause the characters eventually evolve out of that theme.

What I do find effective is rereading certain scenes and lines of dialogue, or viewing movie scenes that contain a similar sort of character to get my thoughts into that persona. That constant repetition along with imagining what my character would say is usually enough to build that identity.