Forums » RP Discussion » Writing a book need help on a few characters

So I'm writing a book for personal uses not comercial and I have a few side characters who need fleshing out please help with every response I get I'll be mixing and matching to make a character appealing to me. So without further ado.

Ellara Sunshadow: Named as such because even the sun dare not touch her due to all the blood she has spilt.
A merciless vampire commander, she is three thousand years old with a penchant for leaving behind a single survivor when she fights her battles to tell of what she did. She kind of helps the protagonist for her own ends and there are a few scenes when she mentions her past. (that's all I have on her I'm hoping for someone to come up with some ideas on her past maybe some redeemable features and her appearance also a reason why she can go out in the sun.)

??? : Crazy sun elf researcher who the protagonists go to for information on the long dead race that the main protagonist is apart of called nephilim. He lives in a small cottage and is crazy in the fact that he hears voices. (I'm looking for the same as ellara past, reason for craziness and voices also appearance.

Those are the only side characters I thought of so far I may make more posts with different and will put the final result on my profile as fully fleshed characters also if you want some more info pm me and i'll be more than happy to give it.

I don't know how vampires work in your world, but if they suffer severe burns when exposed to sunlight rather than dying immediately, maybe she has built up a resistance over many centuries? Her exposed skin could be covered in calluses. Every day she exposes herself to a little bit of sunlight, and it burns painfully, but when it heals it thickens the callus and gives her some resistance. Her name could be just a rumor or folk tale.

As for your sun elf, I suggest researching real mental illnesses like schizophrenia and starting from there. The characters in your world might not have a name for this disease, but your character will be more believable if you put in some research!

Hope this has given you some ideas!

Thank you very much that did really help

Hi, not to be that person, I imagine its unintentional but associating and calling people who deal with psychosis and hear voices, experience delusions and the like as 'crazy' has very negative connotations and impact. This article about explains it. You can make an odd and whimsical character without relying on negative stereotypes of very real mental health issues that suffer from a very strong stigma. A lot of pop cultural and fictional representations of psychosis and schizophrenia have done a very poor job and have left a very real stigma.

Not everyone experiences psychosis the same, some people don't hear voices, while others do. So all in all please don't take this as an attack or that your characters are bad, this is merely trying to help, as well as combat the stereotypes and stigmas alluding to this symptom. There are lots of medical and psychiatric articles and resources online but most importantly talk to people (who are comfortable!) sharing their experiences if you wish to write a character who deals with these symptoms.

Hey you're completely right Loki as someone who very much understands the impacts of psychosis i know what you mean. It's ok you not that person and I appreciate your care in the matter.

Thankyou, and thankyou for taking my words well it is deeply appreciated, I wish you well in your writer journey.

Hey no problem and thank you I think I have got all I need for my sun elf and will flesh him out soon.