Forums » RP Discussion » Tips for avoiding “Same Character Syndrome”

Hey all!

I don’t know if anyone else feels this way but I have a tendency to lean towards certain attributes, mainly personality wise but even sometimes physically with characters. I may give them different backstories but ultimately they end up playing out very similar to my others.

Does anyone have any tips to avoiding “same character syndrome”? Or does anyone else feel like they relate to this problem. I think it may be a comfort zone thing or a tendency to subconsciously make characters have your own characteristics. I’d love to break out of the box a little!

Yes! I can totally relate to where you are coming from. I am guilty of this myself. It is something I am trying very hard to avoid and have been ripping apart characters to change them or scrap them all together.

I have a whole new line of characters that I am fleshing out to help break up my same rut. I just have been both lazy and swamped at work that their profiles are together yet.


I think it becomes comfort and habit. And sometimes for me it is the fact that I want to write but I have been stressed with work and my own personal life that if I stay the same I don't have to think as much when posting. But that isn't good because that isn't really what writing is all about.

So how am I getting myself out of it? I draw inspiration from elsewhere. Believe it or not it has been music lately. I find a song that is essentially the attitude of the character I'm building and roll with it. For example Problem by Natalia Kills and Castle by Halsey are currently two inspiration songs for two of the characters I am building. There are others it's just late and I can't think of them right now. I also get inspiration from books and shows and blend things together.

I am looking to put together a series of character that will coexist in their own world together and feed off each other stories. I am hoping that by doing this I can draw out different personalities based on their role in the backstories.

It is hard because my writing has kinda flat lined and I know that is my fault as I don't push myself like I used to. But it is something I have been working on.

I don't really have solid tips as it is something I am bettering myself. But this is a great topic and look forward to hear what suggestions are given.

I allow myself to post here, it's a very interesting theme.
I can relay what is meant with returning to same character all the time. In the beginning I had a lot characters too, trying to differentiate them by looks or some differences in character, but all in all mostly same idea behind. I ended up with only two chars left, and started to dig into that one. I mean my little doe, Lizbeth. Instead of making new personas, I came to change her, deeply change her. But then again I got stuck with her in always the same story, until I came to RPR. (Big change!!)
Here this little doe diversifies, I play her as a little fawn (had to make up her parents, never mentioned in her story), as an "aunty" daycare or facing her fears in a dramatic RP. I learned here not to adapt the character (by making a new one) to the play, but be stubborn enough to adapt the play to your persona. Show other sides of your character, dare change him/her, let your character evolve by time. You have to go beyond your own limits you set up, at least try and see what happens. You'll be amazed what your character can do, knowing its story and background. I don't mean a radical change, like the peaceful character becomes a feared fighter, but you can have that as ultimate goal, going step by step.

A little step for you, a giant step for your role-playing :


The only difference with me, I tend to write to forget stressful life. It's a soap bubble to get in for a moment, think about something else and don't let life influence ones writing. I don't know your characters, but I know mine, really deeply and can imagine letting her do something totally unexpected. So if you really know that one character, do the step with it into the field where magic happens.

A little tip from a changing doe

When I first started roleplaying I only had one character for 18 years. I had groomed, molded, and perfected my character and then came the dreaded asked by one of my writing partners - could I make another character. I had never wanted to create a new character before, but now I was challenged.

To avoid playing the exact same character I made them as different as they could possibly be. This challenged me as a writer to grow because it prevented me from falling into my tried and true habits. What worked for one character absolutely could not work for the other.

If you find yourself writing the same character just with a different name and face, then change everything about the character to prevent yourself from getting comfortable.

Best of luck finding how to diversify your characters.

If you're having fun with a certain trope or type of character, there's certainly nothing wrong with that. After all, fun is the main point!

With that said, here's a few things that have helped me:

* Write more men. I'm a gal and I find it easier to make male characters "not me" and thus give them a wider variety of personalities, quirks, and desires.
* Check out the myers briggs personality types. Pick one that you've never written before!
* Write villains and NPCs! Lots of them! Don't be afraid to make them colorful! Probably most will only feature briefly in your stories, but hey, every once in awhile you might really 'click' with one of them and they get promoted to main character material. The bulk of my characters started this way!