AltRealities: Characters

Creating AltReality characters extends beyond surface traits and settings. It encompasses the interplay between the environment, culture, relationships, moral quandaries, and internal conflicts.

Making Characters Believable in AltReality

Creating believable characters in an alternate reality is like crafting people who live in a different world or universe. To make these characters seem real and understandable, there are some important things to consider.

1. Understanding Your Characters: Just like in any story, characters need to feel real, like actual people with their own unique personalities, goals, fears, and things that drive them. For instance, let's say you have a character named Alan who lives in a world where humans coexist with robots. Understanding Alan means knowing what makes them happy or scared, what they dream of achieving, or what they struggle with.

2. The Impact of the Alternate Reality: Think about how the world they live in affects who they are. Maybe in this alternate reality, Alan grew up in a society that highly values technology, and that influenced their curiosity for inventing new gadgets. Or perhaps, due to historical changes, Alan faces discrimination because of being different from others. This kind of background shapes who they are and makes them more interesting.

3. Consistency Matters: Even though the world is different, characters should still act in ways that make sense for them. If Alan is known to be brave, it wouldn’t make sense for them to suddenly act cowardly just for the sake of the story. Consistency in their behavior helps readers believe in them.

4. Showing Instead of Telling: Instead of just telling readers about the characters, show them in action. Let Alan interact with the world around them, react to situations, and make decisions based on their personality. This way, readers get a better feel for who Alan truly is.

5. Relatability: Despite the wild world they live in, the feelings and challenges your characters face should resonate with readers. Even if Alan is dealing with futuristic technology or magical creatures, the emotions they experience—like fear, love, or determination—should be something readers can understand and connect with.

Remember, creating believable characters in an alternate reality is a process that needs time and care. Rushing it might make the characters feel unrealistic or disconnected from the story they're in.

<The articles below expand and explore these topics.>