How to Make a Good OC - Background

Been a while since I made one of these - but I'm finally back as on vote in the poll I made.

Y'all voted for this so let's get going.

To see my other "HTMAG-OC" posts click her - http://aminoapps.programascracks.com/p/8k3n2v7

Every OC (Original Character) is comprised of a key set of elements. One of those being the background - or history - of the character. Where they came from, events that happened to them. Their history makes up a huge part of their personality. Just like our pasts made who we are today.

If you got bullied in school - chances are you have slight trust issues when deciding who to he friends with. But if you were the kid everyone loved then you probably have next to no problem socializing with anyone around you.

Those types of things should apply to OCs too. You can't have an OC that's had a perfectly normal and fun life - that is for some reason all edgy and hates the world around them. Doesn't make sense does it?

Now their background usually comprises of...

- Home Life

Did they have a nice family? Or one that constantly criticised them into not being confident in themselves?

- Social Life

Are they a social butterfly? Or are they socially awkward and have trouble communicating with people?

- Major Life Events

What major events in their lives have impacted them? Did they win an amazing holiday experience that made them love nature? Or did they get involved in an accident that caused them to be paralyzed?

Things like that. How the surroundings and event in their lives have impacted them as a character.

Now. Here are things NOT to do...

- Don't make your character TOO edgy without a good reason other than 'I thought it'd be cool.' The history has to be planned out well enough so that it matches with all the other traits and such you want to give them.

- There seems to be a trope where the characters parents died. Or they're a long lost relative of the main character. Its okay to use that - but be aware it won't do anything to make your character special or unique. Try come up with your own idea rather than follow a generic trope lots of people use.

- There also seems to be a thing for making ship children. That's okay too - but you have to make it so they are still their own person. The kid won't be exactly like their parents, but they won't be total opposites either. A person is influenced by ALL the people and things around them and how their brains translate that information. As good or bad. To make your ship child a good one - and not just another random one to the pile - make them special but not too special. Make them realistic.

Example - Cressida by Gravityfying. Her Starco child is popular because she has a mixed style of Star and Marcos Spanish/Mexican family. (Sorry if I got that wrong. Feel free to correct me.) But she's not just a combo of her parents. She isn't all hyper like Star, but she also isn't all calm and but-kicking like Marco. She is her own character. Same goes to Elizabeth and Jam from MoringMarks AU. Again - they are more than just a combination of the parents. They are their own people.

Spoilers for MoringMarks AU below -

Jam is a great example! His history is with Starpocalypse. He SAW his parents die and he grew up in an apocalyptic landscape. As such - he finds it hard to trust others and is aloof. He also seems like he'd do anything to save his timeline parents. Even if it means destroying Elizabeth's timeline. (Tho not so much now.)

Spoiler over

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Its okay if you want to make a ship child. Its okay if you want to make a secret sibling or long lost relative. BUT do it in a way so they can still be a unique character when you remove them from the show. So they can still be an independent character.

If you reply too much on the world of SVTFOE you may get something too tacky.

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Let's look at my OC Terra as an example.

When I first created her I made her a basic psychopath. I made her go completely murderous and insane - saying she'd 'destroy' anyone she came across. The excuse I gave? Her mother is dead, her father didn't want her and she got bullied and death threatened.

I went the EXTREME edgy route. BUT I realized my mistake and fixed her. I changed it to she's only attack when she feels its necessary or she feels threatened. And I still need to go back and correct a few more things with her.

I also made her a sort of cousin or sister to Tom, originally naming her 'Terra Lucitor.' But again - I released this was a bad idea, and since I gave her cheek marks - it made no sense. I thought about removing the marks hut I really wanted to keep them. So I changed it to her being Stars 3rd or so cousin. I gave Celena a hypothetical sister and pulled down the family tree until I got to the same age as Star and made a character from that.

So yes - she's somewhat related to Star. But VERY far related, to the point where you can't really count it all that much. Since the only DNA they have in common is from Celena and backwards from her. So their DNA is vastly different.

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My point - if you already made an OC with these mistakes that's okay. We all do and all it takes is to go back and rethink it to fix it. Now with Terra, if I just removed her marks so she's unrelated to Star - she is her own character that can be disconnected from the show. She can be her own character. That should be the goal.

Yes its an OC FOR the show - but it can still be explained to someone who has zero idea about what the shows about. And if you ever wanted to live out if the show - it would be easier to take your OCs with you if you wanted.

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Even my OC Zyler needs some reworking.

Because at first I made it so he's in Mewni because his family fled from an attack on their home. But I need to change it to just regularly wanting to move - because I gave all the edgy sad back story to Terra. And I didn't want Zyler to be messed up too.

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To Conclude -

- Don't make the background TOO edgy for no reason

- Keep the characters history realistic and relatable in a sense. Don't just throw something in because you think its cool.

- Make sure their background connects with traits they have now and links together. Make the past have a clear impact.

- Don't give ALL your OCs tragic backstories, and try come up with an idea of your own rather than following clichés.

- Make sure that when you make the character, it makes sense outside the show universe your making it for - so that people who don't watch said show can understand your OC just as much as someone who does watch the show.

Hope y'all found this helpful! Feel free to add your ideas in the comments if you want.

Reminder, if you wanna see my other posts for "HTMAG-OC" click here - http://aminoapps.programascracks.com/p/8k3n2v7

Until next time, bye!

#DWA