Summary of "How to Make OCs People Care About"

Summary of “How to Make OCs People Care About”

This video offers insights and practical advice on creating original characters (OCs) that resonate with audiences, focusing on three main areas: personality, backstory, and presentation. The creator draws from over a decade of experience posting OCs online and participating in roleplay communities, sharing personal strategies to improve character writing and visibility on social media.

Key Artistic Techniques, Concepts, and Creative Processes

1. Personality

Importance: Personality defines how a character interacts with others and is the primary way audiences connect with them.
Use of Tropes: Tropes serve as useful shorthand to quickly communicate a character’s essence (e.g., jock, nerd). Instead of avoiding tropes, build upon them by adding unique or contradictory traits to avoid clichés. Example: Monster-hunting grandmas combining familiar grandma stereotypes with unexpected roles.
Adding Quirks: Small, unique personality traits (quirks, hobbies, fears) make characters feel realistic and distinct. Quirks can also subvert or soften common tropes (e.g., a stoic character who loves cute things).
Morality and Motivation: Consider what drives your character, their worldview, likes/dislikes, and how they react to authority or conflict. Characters can be hypocritical, but knowing why helps maintain consistency.
Tools: Use personality charts and character-building questions (e.g., from Tumblr) to flesh out details.

2. Backstory

Purpose: Backstory should explain why a character is the way they are and support their motivations and personality.
Avoid Overusing Trauma for Pity: Trauma is realistic and can be impactful but should serve character development rather than just evoke sympathy. Example: Jinx from Arcane has trauma but also shows other personality facets.
Balance with Personality: Strong personalities can make characters memorable even without detailed backstories (e.g., characters in Danganronpa). Build personality first, then develop a backstory that fits and refines it.
Theme-Based Writing: Choose themes (e.g., toxic masculinity, discrimination) to guide backstory and personality creation. Example: A Yakuza-turned-babysitter OC’s backstory reflects cultural and social themes influencing his personality.
Cycle of Development: Personality and backstory influence each other; revise both iteratively for coherence.
Non-Traumatic Backstories: Characters without trauma can still be compelling (e.g., a privileged character who enjoys others’ struggles). Ordinary or less dramatic backstories can be just as effective.

3. Presentation (Posting Online)

Challenge: Social media algorithms make it hard for OC artists to gain traction compared to fan art.
Tips for Posting:
- Avoid static portraits alone; show characters in action or doing relatable activities to convey personality quickly.
- Include small, meaningful details in the art (e.g., quirky socks, specific objects) to hint at personality.
- Draw interactions between characters to highlight dynamics and deepen audience connection.
- Grouping characters (e.g., a ragtag team) can increase interest.
Use of Brief Descriptions/Hooks: Provide short, catchy descriptions or trope-based hooks (e.g., “therapist OC,” “Yakuza babysitter”) to quickly orient viewers. Hooks act like tags or elevator pitches, enticing viewers to learn more.
Authenticity Over Trends: Don’t change your characters to fit trends; instead, find and grow your audience by presenting your OCs effectively.

Summary of Advice and Steps

Personality:
1. Start with a trope or archetype as a base.
2. Add unique or contradictory traits and quirks.
3. Define morality, motivations, likes/dislikes, and worldview.
4. Use character-building tools for depth.
Backstory:
1. Develop backstory to support and explain personality.
2. Avoid trauma-only backstories; use trauma meaningfully if included.
3. Consider thematic consistency.
4. Iterate between personality and backstory.
Presentation:
1. Post characters in action or relatable scenarios, not just portraits.
2. Include small details and props to hint at personality.
3. Show character interactions and group dynamics.
4. Use brief, trope-based descriptions or hooks.
5. Stay true to your characters rather than chasing trends.

Creator

The video creator is an experienced OC artist and roleplayer with over 10 years of experience posting original characters online. They share personal insights and do not claim to be a professional writer but offer effective methods learned through practice.

This summary encapsulates the creator’s approach to crafting memorable OCs through thoughtful personality and backstory development, combined with strategic online presentation to engage audiences effectively.