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Hero or Heroine
Chatterbox: Crowd Sorcery
Hero or Heroine
Hero or Heroine
I’m so excited when I start a new story! Most writers believe that the single most important part is the characters. If readers fall in love with your characters—especially the main character—they will read to the end, feeling every emotion, taking part in the adventures. So as we work together toward building our story, please give a lot of thought to the conversation on this thread. Share your own best ideas, think about ideas others come up with, and discuss ways to make the character as interesting and memorable as possible.
Be original, and don’t be afraid to be surprising! What if the main character had a really unusual background or ability or fear? What if she were a girl who could only come out in the moonlight because a witch cast a spell on her great-grandmother? If you’re like me, you’ll find that the more questions you ask and answer about the main character, the more the story will begin to write itself in your head!
For example, if I wanted to introduce the girl who could only come out in the moonlight, I might write: “Quill pushed aside the velvet drape and peeked out through the window’s glass to where the moon glowed, huge and silver, behind the oak trees. It was their nightly ritual, Quill and the moon each peeping through curtains to see if the other were awake.”
I can’t wait to see your ideas! Here’s my list of traits for brainstorming the main character. After you have your ideas, you can write a Crowd Sorcery Sentence, or two or three, that might introduce your character in the story.
1. Name
2. Appearance
3. Background
4. Personality
5. How is he/she different from others?
6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?
7. How is he/she strong?
8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?
9. What does he/she fear most?
10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)
The voting for hero and heroine is now complete. Go here to see our main character and learn the schedule for creating and voting on a villain and sidekick.
You can still add to this Hero and Heroine thread for fun.
submitted by Fred Durbin
(April 23, 2014 - 10:05 am)
(April 23, 2014 - 10:05 am)
Very nice word choice. Sounds like an realy interesting book.
(June 29, 2014 - 9:41 am)
OK, I'm sorry but I'm almost jumping in place trying to figure out what is going to happen next. You have a very good plot line and character development is surely a possibility. Maybe she can figure out that she has skills and shouldn't be cooped up and complaining, but should take action and do something rash that will change her life forever. i dont know, just an idea.
(January 4, 2015 - 1:44 am)
That is totally AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
(May 10, 2015 - 4:03 pm)
1. Name
Eko
2. Appearance
Jet black hair cut into a pageboy style that's always scruffed up, deep copper skin, crimson red eyes (many think it's a sign of evil, but in Eko's tribe it's no different than blue or green), tall for his age (12) but scrawny with knobby knees, at school he wears a kind of like squire outfit with a hunter green tunic and belt but when he's in the gadget shop he prefers his scrappy linen shirt covered patches and stains along with his leather apron ( what else should you wear when your inventing magical new objects!)
3. Background
Eko is from a small group of island in the warm waters of the southern seas. He's from a poor but proud family of tinkers and thinkers. His parents recognize his bright and brillent mind so they made the difficult decision to send him to a boarding school thousands of miles away where he may find the best education. This is a strange place where everyone fancies themselves "modern and civilized." The people look down on this "primitive and unsophicated" child. But Eko doesn't care what they think. And besides, he's too busy with school and his side job as an assistant at this caretaker's (an old friend of his father's) magical tinker shop! Everyday after school, Eko creates magical objects using the leftover copper and brass in the tinker shop, such as an inkwell that will also politely point out your spelling mistakes or a clock that predict the wearer anywhere in the world!
4. Personality
Eko is very clever. He sticks to his guns and doesn't care what the snobs of his adopted land think of him.
5. How is he/she different from others?
Namely his appearence. He's a copper-skin, red-eyed island boy surrounded by the fair upper class who look down upon anyone who's different. He's also much smarter then them despite their insistences on being far more "modern and civilized" than he. Eko has a talent for inventing gadgets and magical machines.
6. What does he/she most desire or hope for?
Eko wants more than anything to learn as much as he can. After family, education is the most important thing in Eko's life. Once he's finished with school he will return to his land and make life better for everyone in his family.
7. How is he/she strong?
What Eko lacks in physical strength he makes up in smarts and will. He bravely left all behind in order to get an education.
8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable?
Eko's very lonely at times. He does have Fitz, his caretaker and friend, but that's really it.
9. What does he/she fear most?
Eko fears all his hard work may be for naught.
10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence
Once again, Eko found there were just not enough hours in the day for school and solving the world's many problems. Which was a shame, seeing he only needed a few more to do so.
(April 24, 2014 - 4:36 am)
Awesome Idea! Can't wait to see everybody's posts!!!
Name
Eliza-Grace
Appearance
Bushy brown eyebrows, has a tendency to chew ferociously on the side of her cheek when nervous.
Shoulder-length dirty blonde hair, large blue eyes, and a lean figure. Thin lips, tiny nose, pointy ears, and a beautiful smile.
Backround
Showed up one day on the old hag's doorstep. Says she can't remember anything from the age of 5 on, except the fact that she can shoot a bow and arrow exceedingly well. The weekly supply of food from the castle doesn't help at all, so she is the village's main source of food, and keeps everybody alive by hunting for animals. She also gathers plants from her GIGANTIC garden.
Personality
Always had a grim look on her face, but can be very hilarious at most times. You cannot see her on the street without a smile on her face, and a bow and arrow dangling from her shoulder.
How is she different from others?
Eliza-Grace can make andybody laugh, except the old hag, who has not been happy since she arrived on her doorstep. Eliza-Grace is the village's main source of food, so she can make plants grow faster then they normally do. Making plants grow is a common talent of the elves, and she looks similar to one, so Eliza-Grace is rumored to be a relative of the elves.
What does she most desire or hope for?
She hopes to one day find her parents, save her village from starving, and one day talk to her crush, **********.
How is she strong?
She is clever with plants and animals, and her knowlege is envied.
How is she vulnerable?
Eliza-Grace will threaten anyone who speaks of ******, and she is constantly getting distracted from him.
What does she fear most?
She fears getting confronted by her crush. Her nightmares consist of the animals she hunted coming back to haunt her as spirits. Eliza-Grace loves animals so very much, she just thinks she has to do her job for the village.
Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s)
Eliza-Grace blushed as ***** walked by. I can't think about him. I have to do my job. I want to be strong, Eliza-Grace thought. Then she cautiously lifted a hand and knocked on the old hag's door. She had some questions to ask.
By the way, the *****s are for her secret crush, whom I will reveal when a boy of Eliza-Grace's taste appears.
(April 24, 2014 - 3:43 pm)
Cool! But what do you mean by, when a boy Eliza-Grace's taste appears? Appears where? In here?
(May 7, 2014 - 11:15 am)
That's a really cool idea!
Name:
Poe Caliate
Appearance:
Soft skin, slim and small feet. Long blonde hair that is curly at the bottom. Has pointy ears, for she is an elf. She is about four feet tall. Bright green curious eyes.
Backround:
Her father and mother divorced by birth, she grew up with her mother. A burglar/mass murder came to her house, stealing and killing anything thing in its path. She escaped through the chimney and wandered in a desert for days, taking in a baby cactus owl. Finding ancient ruins(eventually), she finds a map of the universe, hidden under a heap of hardened clay and dry dirt, updated practically 4 billion years ago, 0.5 billion years away from when the earth was born.
Personality:
Very quiet and lives inside her head, talking to herself and wondering things. Eaves drops and sometimes is a bit sneaky. Often loses focus.
How is she different from others?:
She is extremely agile and swift, making it complicating for evildoers to chasing her. She discovers the magic wthin her soul, the strongest and hardest kind of magic there is to harness and use. As an elf, it is a bit easier, but still very difficult. She also adjusts to new things easily, and recovers from her daydreaming and becomes very alert. She also has incredible hearing, which helps her out a lot.
What does she/he most desire or hope for?:
She wishes to meet her father and once again have a family, whom cna love her for as long as she lives.
How is she/he strong?:
Her agility and ninja like moves are very effective in confusing attackers. She thinks of her father when she needs courage, and it gives her renewed energy.
How is she/he vulnerable?:
Her aggresiveness is highly limited, because she never liked violence or anything related. Her owl is a bit of an annoyance because sometimes it hoots whan she is hiding from somebody.
What does he/she fear most?:
That her father has died and she will never see him. She fears commmunicationg woth a lot of humans or elfs, for it makes her nervouse and she starts losing focus.
Your Crowd-Sorcery Sentence:
Poe slid behind a large cactus. The giant lobstet-type thing sniffed around. Poe leaped gracefully behind a pile of old sun-dried bricks. "Hoot!" hooted Pepperdine. "Sssshhhh! Quiet!" hissed Poe.But the obster thing was already on her scen. She quickly darted behind a wall and crouched in a corner. She could hear it's tiny claws scratching the stones. it passed her. "Phew." whispered Poe. "Okay now, Pepperdine, let's go explore."
(December 8, 2014 - 5:59 pm)
I love your idea!!!!!!!
Name:
I have 2 heros: Sarah and Jake Typhoon
Appearence:
Sarah is 12, with dark brown hair, and green eyes. She is average height, and has a kind of weathered look. Jake is 11, and looks a lot like Sarah, but he has a fiery/proud look.
Background:
Sarah and Jake come from one of the oldest families in their town (Seaville), the Typhoons. They have always known that they are different from everybody else, but they don't know that they have the power to control storms. One day, a gigantic hurricane came to Seaville while Sarah and Jake were walking on the beach by their house. Of course, they weren't affected by it because of their powers, but their parents were. They watched in horror as a gigantic tree fell onto their house and crushed the half of the house where there parents were sitting and reading. that was the last thing they saw as they got swept away in the storm... S+J landed in a magical land called "Caporhon", where everybody speaks a language called "Orsahi". Here they go on a journey to find a magical locket that is rumored to have the most dangerous monster that was ever born inside it. The King and queen of Caporhon sent them to find it so they can protect the Kingdom from other deadly monsters that come to attack. The Queen promised them that they would get home and find their parents if they got back alive.
Personality:
Sarah and Jake are both very brave. Jake is proud and sometimes gets carried away. Sarah is wise and always seems to know what other people are thinking.
How are they different from others?:
S+J have special powers that allow them to control storms. They don't have many friends, and mostly keep to themselves.
What do they most desire or hope for?:
That they can find the locket that will save the Kingdom of Caporhon and be reunited with their parents.
How are they strong?:
Sarah and Jake can control storms which is very useful. they are also very brave, and do not fail while under pressure.
How are they vulnerable?:
Sarah and Jake don't trust a lot of the people who live in Caporhon, and therefor have no one to turn to if they need help.
What do they fear most?:
They fear that they will fail on their quest, and never see their parents again. They also fear that they will fail to save Caporhon from evil monsters.
My crowd-sorcery sentence:
"Jake, Jake, where are you!" Sarah called as she was swept away in the storm. She heard a muffled yell, and fought her way towards it. It was Jake! He was making a bubble of clear sky around somebody's roof, which he was sitting on. Sarah wasn't at all surprised at what Jake was doing, they had suspected that they had special powers for several months. Jake had just figured out what they were, they had the power to control storms!
(February 14, 2015 - 5:40 pm)
1. Name: Falok
2. Appearance: Messy brown hair, sky blue eyes, lighter skin than most Earthgards. Wears a pair of dirty brown pants, a green shirt that used to long-sleeved, but the ends of the sleeves were torn off a long time ago. Over the shirt, he wears a thin faded yellow apprentice uniform vest with old red stitching of gears and cogs along the edges. On his head he wears a red cap with the clockmaker's symbol of a rusted cog on it in brown stitching.
3. Background: Abandoned as a child, he was found on the doorstep of an Earthgard* clockmaker and inventor named Dalquiste. Dalquiste raises Falok kindly, and teaches him in the ways of his trade. Falok becomes Dalquiste's apprentice. Now, as Falok is about to become a Master Apprentice in the trade of clockmaking, he works on his magnum opus, the greatest work of his life at that time, that he must present to the elders of the Clockmakers Guild of Earthgard for his coming-of-age ceremony, in which he will turn eleven.
4. Personality: Curious, smart, stubborn (once he starts something, he won't stop until he ends it. It's the time in between projects when he gets lost.)
5. How is he/she different from others? He secretly dreams of going to Skyhide, when everyone else in Earthgard despises the Skyhiders, calling them "haughty little rich kids and good-fer-nothin's!". (Also, although no one knows it, he is the son of some powerful magicians in Skyhide.)
6. What does he/she most desire or hope for? To find out who is parents are, and to find a family other than Dalquiste, because as Dalquiste grew older, he grew grumpier. He also wants to become a Master Apprentice of the Clockmaker's Guild.
7. How is he/she strong? He always keeps his word, and he can make the most beautiful and useful things with his hands and some metal.
8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable? Without someone to tell him what the most important thing in his life is, he gets lost. Whenever he isn't working on something with his hands, he is very clumsy.
9. What does he/she fear most? He fears that his magnum opus won't work, and that he might get thrown out of Earthgard. He is also terrified of heights (which will be a disadvantage in Skyhide...).
10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s): Falok ran through the dusty, steaming streets of the Earthgard city of Lenroberg, clutching in his hands the small wooden box that contained his magnum opus. I musn't be late. Can't be late, or they'll disqualify me, he thought as he jumped over an abandoned fruit stall and into the main courtyard of the Guild. Past a jostle of people crowding around the main podium, he ducked and weaved through the crowd, tripping more than once. "Sorry, sorry!" he said, pushing past an elderly man. Finally, he reached the place where Dalquiste, his mentor, was sitting, nearly tumbling into him as he did. "Whoa there, rushing stallion!" Dalquiste said with a twinkle in his eyes. A twinkle that Falok was seeing less and less those days. "They've only started with the intermediate apprentices, your turn won't be for a while," Dalquiste tells Falok as the young boy sits down on the bench beside him.
Sorry that's a lot of sentences....
* See Earthgard and Skyhide in the Fantasy Dictionary...
(April 24, 2014 - 5:02 pm)
(April 25, 2014 - 10:08 am)
That sounds awsome. Go elves!
(June 29, 2014 - 9:39 am)
1. Name: Alodia Nike Mitchells
2. Appearance: Black hair in a bob, deep brown eyes,
freckles, tall.
3. Background: Alodia was born on exactly midnight on the
first of January, 1900. Her mother has always told her that children born on
the dawn of a new century were special. Her family is rather poor, so, as the
eldest of eight children, she takes care of her younger siblings quite a lot when
her parents are trying to earn money. Alodia has never had much schooling, but
she can read, and does so whenever she can. She lives in New York, and is
currently 13 years old. Her mother works as a maid for a rich family. Her father
doesn’t have a job right now.
4. Personality: Talkative. Warm. Loyal. Loves history.
5. How is he/she different from others? Has an amazing nose. Could smell what flavor
lollipop someone was eating from a mile away.
6. What does he/she most desire or hope for? Alodia really wants to make a difference in
the world.
7. How is he/she strong? Thinks outside the box, and can easily tell
people’s strengths and weaknesses.
8. How is he/she weak or vulnerable? Gets stressed under pressure.
9. What does he/she fear most? Physical pain, and having to make hard
decisions and sacrifices.
10. Your Crowd Sorcery Sentence(s): I trudge down the slushy street, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
under one arm. February is by far the worst month. 5-year-old Margaret trails
behind me, begging to go to the sweet shop on the corner. “You know we don’t
have the money,” I remind her. I’m mad at the world. Marge deserves to be one
of those rich little girls, with pretty dresses and expensive dollies, whose
parents take them to sweet shops whenever it catches their fancy. I wish I
could make things better for her. For all my siblings, and my parents, too. I
sigh.
(April 25, 2014 - 7:07 am)
Sorry the formatting's all weird; I wrote it on Word. Do I have to have my character be from the same time period as everyone else's?
(April 25, 2014 - 6:15 pm)
Epic!
(June 26, 2014 - 4:19 pm)
These characters are amazing! I'm impressed with the detail and careful thought you're all putting into them. Isn't it interesting how, when you start to think about what characters want, what they fear, and what their personalities are, stories just start bubbling up in your mind? I'm excited about all you excellent writers who are taking part in this -- I can't wait to read/see more!
(April 25, 2014 - 5:04 pm)