From Flat to Round

Well, I'll say it again, Redpaw and Crestlen (the main characters from my current story) were pretty flat. And it took me a bit to see it. Before I continue, though, I should explain what I mean by flat. Flat characters are one-dimensional, they don't change or do anything besides the one thing they're meant to do. A storekeeper who the main characters buy stuff from several times would probably be a flat character. He has character, but it doesn't change, and you don't see a lot of it. Round characters, the opposite, are characters that have depth, and change. You see into their minds, how they react etc. And neither Redpaw or Crestlen were doing that for me.

So now, I'm doing everything in my power to fix it. Step 1 was coming up with I call "descriptory word runs." By which I mean, "A long string of unconnected which help define and describe the character and essence of a character". So I did that. Step 2, something I haven't done before, was to create a backstory. For many of my earlier writing attempts a backstory wasn't necessary, since I started off my characters quite young, in other words, they hadn't had much time to have a backstory. And what backstory they needed I created as I went along. For Freeborn and Freegiven I hadn't made backstories, but they came out anyways as I wrote (which I'm really glad happened). At one point I even made references to something bad happening in the past between two characters, but I personally had no idea what it was. Not until later did it actually come out. (See? Writers don't always know every last detail of what's going on! :P ) Anyways, for Feather and Fang, Redpaw and Crestlen kinda need backstories. For one, they're older than most other characters I've written, so much more has gone on before the story opens. And for another, they are very good at what they do. So there has to be an explanation of how they got that good.

On that note, here is the backstory I wrote up for Redpaw. Hopefully this will help me in my writing him, and in how he develops as a character.

Redpaw:

Born somewhere along the border of Flamehope and Deepdale in the Year 90 after the Blood-Invasion, Redpaw’s parents were a he-fox of Flamehope and a she-wolf of Deepdale. Slave-born, it was Redpaw’s great-grandparents who had been Contained in their creature forms at the time of the Invasion. With their close proximity to the shieldsfell outpost on the border of Deepdale and Darkdell, neither of his parents survived past Redpaw’s seventh birthday, and he was forced to fend for himself . Those six years of running wild in the woods of Deepdale and the rocks of Flamehope left a lasting impression on the hunter in the years to come. He would forever have a contempt of anything weak and soft, as well as a corresponding admiration for anything done with gut and strength. His own voice was his only company for a long time, so he developed a habit of speaking to himself, a habit that has stuck with him. He also developed a uncanny knack at hunting, so it was only natural that he continued that occupation after the Breaking. He became known throughout both the south provinces as being the best at what he did. Folk know him for being easily angered, a excellent boxer, and always cutting quickly to the heart of the matter. He is blunt, strong, fearless, loves a challenge, tends not dwell on the past and is always moving, acting on his instinct. He can have a morbid humor at times, and can be extremely stubborn. His clothing is simple but protective, and his weapon of choice are two arm-blades which he wields like bladed fists
Quote: “You state the obvious.”