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Nefhiriel
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Post Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 17, 2004 07:04
OK, I need some serious help from all you Faramir fans - I'm writing a short fan fic with him in it and I'm having a horrible time getting a grasp on his character. I've written a few other stories (I like to write about the friendship between Aragorn and Legolas), and have never really had trouble with characterization before, so I'm at my wits end what to do with poor Faramir

The story is a humor-fic, and in the beginning I have Faramir talking with the hobbits - or at least trying to! I've always prided myself on my diolugue, it's my favorite part, but suddenly I just can't write any for Faramir :cry:

Anyone have any suggestions, or thoughts on how I might write his character? I realize this is a rather broad question... but I would really appreciate any ideas.

- Nefhiriel

[Edited on 18/11/2004 by Nefhiriel]
j_mercuryuk
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 18, 2004 06:30
bear in mind the fact that if its a humor fic then you don't nessacerly have to stick that close to the charater.
Faramirs_first_kiss
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 18, 2004 07:16
If you're trying to stay close to the film character then imagine David Wenham, in character, saying it. Try and choose lines that follow the same rythym of something in the film. He's got a slightly sarcastic sense of humour ('his bodyguard?') but he'd be quick to laugh in lighter times. The sarcasm is pretty easy to mimic: if you can picture someone saying something with a slightly raised eyebrow then you're probably half way there. He's also pretty intelligent, which comes out in his eloquence, so long words and sentences work.
pv
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 18, 2004 01:29
It might help to give Faramir the personality of someone you know very well - that way it might be easier for you to think of how he would speak or act in a particular situation. (Your Faramir might turn out to be very different from the book or movie Faramir, though, but what's wrong with that! )

[Edited on 18/11/2004 by pv]
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Nefhiriel
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 18, 2004 04:03
Oh, thank you all so much! You've all been very helpful :hug:

I'm sort of following both the book and the movie (I love them both so much, they kind of run together sometimes). And yes, I suppose Faramir doesn't have to be exactly in character...but I'm a little bit of a fanatic So I like to make sure I have everyone just right

Faramirs_first_kiss: I especially liked what you said about his sense of humor, that will help a lot.

Thanks again! If anyone else has any ideas, I'm still fanatically trying to perfect "my" Faramir, so let me know if you have any more thoughts on his character.

- Nefhiriel
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 20, 2004 05:49
This is probably more of a broad-scale tip, and not one necessarily for just Faramir, but one thing that helps me is to figure out every possible thing about a character, as if they were a real person that you could meet in every-day life, then just put them into the situation and kind of let them go and do what they want. I know that sounds confusing, but I really don't know any other way to put it.

~SilvanElf
Nefhiriel
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: November 20, 2004 12:49
No, That's not confusing at all! I was also having a little trouble (not quite as much, but some) with Eowyn and the hobbits...so what you said helps a lot! Thank you :love:

- Nefhiriel
Ireth_Telrunya
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 26, 2005 03:34
Help.... I'm writing a fanfic about Elrond, and someone read my story and said I made him into a "schoolgirl", to quote. How can I tell if I'm getting people out of character? And if they're out, how can I nudge them back in???
Far over the Misty Mountains cold, to dungeons deep and caverns old. We must away ere break of day, to claim our long forgotten gold.
j_mercuryuk
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 26, 2005 10:27
Best way is to image that charater saying it/doing whatever you've writen and think if that character would actually do that. Try to figure what's wrong with it and then try to image what he would say.
The best thing you can do I regcon afteer this, to make sure, is to have a Beta reader. They can suggest more approiate reacts and comments. It can be easier to see the mistakes in our peoples work them it is your own.
HeriTavaril
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 27, 2005 06:11
My technique for character writing is to get a piece of dialogue in my head and follow it through. Faramir in my fics (mostly 4th age) tends to come over as slightly awe struck when talking to Aragorn. When he is talking to Legolas they are trying to score points of each other. Elrond tends to be very dignified ...think Vulcan! Of course every writer will have their own ideas but this works for me.
arwen_the_evenstar
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 28, 2005 06:54
Well the best thing I can recommend for Faramir is to watch the scenes with him in and pay close attention to how he interacts with the other characters. Have a notebook near by to write down any notes which you realise about him. Also try to put yourself in his shoes. Think of how he would react to whatever thing is happening in the fan fic. Sounds confusing but it is really easy once you get the hang of it. But most importantly practice! Remember practice makes perfect! Faramir is perfect anyway :drool: Sorry but anyway I dunno whether what I said made the least bit of difference but I hope it did!

Namarie,
~Arwen
pv
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 30, 2005 06:41
Help.... I'm writing a fanfic about Elrond, and someone read my story and said I made him into a "schoolgirl", to quote. How can I tell if I'm getting people out of character? And if they're out, how can I nudge them back in???



Sorry to hear this, Ireth. Would it help if you kept the actor in the movie in mind while you worked? Or someone you know, who behaves in an Elrondish manner? Keeping either the actor or the person in mind, you could mentally try out your dialogue, etc on them and see if it sounds convincing to you.
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Ireth_Telrunya
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 30, 2005 06:45
Sorry to hear this, Ireth. Would it help if you kept the actor in the movie in mind while you worked? Or someone you know, who behaves in an Elrondish manner? Keeping either the actor or the person in mind, you could mentally try out your dialogue, etc on them and see if it sounds convincing to you.

Thanks, I'll try that... (ok, Hugo, let's get to work.)
Far over the Misty Mountains cold, to dungeons deep and caverns old. We must away ere break of day, to claim our long forgotten gold.
Alya
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 30, 2005 08:47
I'm probably going to make myself sound a bit off my rocker here, but if I'm having problems with characterization, I play the scene out in my head, seeing the different characters, the setting, everything, and see where it goes. If something goes off, I always feel the character screeching at me - "I wouldn't say that!" And then I feel highly obligated to change it.
Alarien
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: July 30, 2005 04:18
Well, from the books, Faramir is a sensitive, gentle, protective kind of guy. He doesn't fight just for the sake of fighting, he fights to protect his country and its people. He's sensitive because he's always lived in Boromir's shadow, and I really don't know why I think of him as gentle...that might be just me. :twitch:

And for Elrond...Well, I'm not so sure about Elrond...I guess he's probably solemn and quiet because of all the hardships he's endured, but also wise from experience because of that. And since he lost Celebrian, maybe he's a bit over-protective of those he loves? I dunno...
Twylight_Aelf
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: August 12, 2005 12:53
In my experience, it helps if you watch every scene and read every scene with that character over and over again, study every movement, their behavior, lines, nuances, etc, then lock that character's essence in your mind and get down and write.
Alarien
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: August 24, 2005 11:52
Also I believe that a person's personality is formed very much from the environment the person was raised in and also the experiences (sp?) the person has had before. I remember reading a quote that was like, "Genetics load the gun, but it's the environment that fires it." or something like that...I don't remember who said it. xp
Twylight_Aelf
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Post RE: Keeping characters IN character!
on: August 26, 2005 05:00
Also I believe that a person's personality is formed very much from the environment the person was raised in and also the experiences (sp?) the person has had before. I remember reading a quote that was like, "Genetics load the gun, but it's the environment that fires it." or something like that...I don't remember who said it. xp


Good point, and it can also be considered the opposite way around when you are making a background for a character. Studying their personality and culture (whether it be elf, orc, hobbit, or man, or whatever) can actually reveal some background that may not have been spoken or outwardly considered in neither the books nor the movie.

You can notice and write something new about a popular character this way.

[Edited on 9/5/2005 by Twylight_Aelf]
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