The 4-Part Writing Special// Part Two: Characters

Hello y'all!!!! Welcome to week two of the 4-Part Writing Special. If you're just joining us, last week's topic was all about our WIP. But this week we're talking about characters! I'm so excited for you all to meet my lovelies, whom I delight in torturing!

~Who is the main character (bonus points for description or picture!)?~

My MC's name used to be *huddles up in embarrassment* Sarah. As I mentioned in a previous post, younger me thought it was a great idea to name my MC after myself. Yeah, didn't work out so great. Anyway, a few weeks ago I went through a whole name-changing thing for her and for one of my antagonists and I settled on Laylah. Laylah Febec. 

~What is the protagonist's goal? The antagonist's?~

She wants to prove to herself that the Knights are worth fighting for. She's spent her entire life believing that they stand for all things good, but when she finds out innocent girls are kidnapped and murdered on a regular basis, she loses faith in them.

He wants to be able to pursue his personal beliefs without answering to anyone. 

~A possession or memory that the MC keeps close.~

A journal that Farlina gave her when she was younger. She uses it at nights to write down thoughts/dreams that keep her awake. It helps her to sleep easier. 

~What is your MC's greatest fear?~

You mean besides spiders and rats? I think it's living a wasted life. She doesn't want her life's work to be in vain.

~Who is your favorite character?~

Farlina. It will always be Farlina. She's a beautiful person. She's fantastic. She's the best ever. I love her and can't get enough of her. 

~List some of the more prominent characters and then provide a line that describes them (from your WIP).~

A few of these aren't the greatest because they're from my previous draft.

Okay, so we've established Laylah.

After splashing water onto her face, she ran a brush through her dark blonde hair. Tired, blue eyes stared back at her as she looked in the mirror to braid it into a manageable style.

And then there's her best friend, Hannah.

Hannah muttered something incoherent. She sat up with a frown spread across her face. Her brown hair looked like a tangle of briars. Red lines and black circles framed her brown eyes. “Why were mornings created?” she mumbled as she threw herself back down onto her bed.

John (who I apparently forgot earlier, so I'm adding him in now).

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.” A deep voice boomed behind Laylah.

She glanced over her shoulder. The final member of the team, a dark haired, broad shouldered Knight stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

And the brothers, Will and Justin.

They directed their mischievous grins at her. They were opposites. Most didn’t believe they were brothers, as Will was shorter, staunch, light-haired, with a deep tan. Justin was tall, lanky, dark-haired, and light skinned. But the pair’s matching grins proved they were flesh and blood.

And Leah.

A glint shone in the woman’s brown eyes. “They said they would win today. They claimed that they knew our plan for the training today. I told them that our leader had contingency plans for every alternative and that they couldn’t win.” She pulled herself to her full height, which barely reached Laylah's shoulder, and gave a self-satisfied nod.

And James.

The man’s clothes and sandy hair were haggard from a long journey. ... His gray eyes were wide in wonder.

And Captain Arden.

An older man in his fifties marched her way. He nodded politely to those he passed, but his gaze was fixed on her. “Captain Arden.” She did a half bow. The rest of the Edifuni team were already halfway to the meal hall, oblivious to her delay. “What can I do for you?” He smiled and embraced her. “How are you this morning?” he held her at arm’s length and studied her. “Dark circles aren’t becoming on you.”

And Farlina.

The woman wiped her hands on her apron and turned around. Her dark eyes twinkled with a bright smile. Her equally dark hair, with faint silver strands, fought its way out of the bun she had it in. She was in her mid-fifties but was not one to contend with. She was strong and fierce. Hardly anyone would think she was a day over twenty.

And Sorrus.

The huge, dark man. The shadows. ... How the dark man’s voice rumbled, like thunder in the distance. The threats he leveled against the young man.

And too many others to list here. So I'll stop. #fantasyproblems

~Who is the funniest character? Smartest? Creepiest? Most reckless? Quirkiest?~

The funniest character award has to go to either Will or Leah. I think it probably goes to Will because Leah is more blunt than funny. She just says whatever is on her mind and leaves it at that. 

The smartest is probably either John or Hannah. Though Laylah is learned. So maybe it's her. I'm not sure on this one. 

Creepiest? Jason. Definitely. Bah. He's a jerk and a creep. 

Most reckless. Leah, Will, and possibly Justin when he's with Will. They're kind of like a fearsome threesome. Don't mess with them. You'll end up regretting it. 

Quirkiest. Gertrude, the herbalist. For sure. I always love writing scenes with her in them, though there's only a few. 

~How do you come up with names?~

Names just kind of come to me. Some of my earliest ones didn't go over so well, but after I practiced a bit, they usually stuck. Don't ask about last names. I'm still figuring out how I came up with those. Though I did read about someone who would go through graveyards to find good last names. It's not a bad idea, though most of the names around me are either Beam, Wehunt, or Mitchem. #yesiliveinthesouth #wearesocreativewithnames

~What is the Meyer's Brigg type of your MC? (Bonus points for side characters!)~

Laylah is an ISFJ. Or, at least, that's what the test tells me. I read through the description and I feel like it fits well for her.

~Are there any characters influenced by people in your life?~

Bahahahahahahahahaha! Yeah, unfortunately. Most of my prominent characters were originally based off of people in real life, then became their own person. but I think the one character that stuck closest to the original (and she wasn't consciously based off of anyone, it just sort of happened) is Farlina, who reminds me of my mom.

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed meeting my characters. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go sequester them again and ask them probing questions about their dark past. But while you miss me terribly, you can go check out the rest of the bloggers in this tag! Their projects are so totally, amazingly awesome! I'll update the links as the posts come out.

Julian
Ivie
Lisa
Carol
Jem
Faith
Lila
Evangeline