How To Make An OC: Tips From Holz by Hollypaw

Hollypaw shares some tips on making original characters.

Hihi! It’s your favorite waffle-whipping, demon overlord of Rickrollandia here to order you around about making your characters! 😛

Anyways, welcome to my article! I’d like to specify that these are not RULES, instead more just TIPS that I found useful. Keep that in mind as you’re reading this! <3

So, let’s start with the personality! I always find it useful to do that so I can base everything else off of it!
So, for personality, I like to do an equal number of positive and negative traits for a balanced, relatable character. Here are some I came up with:
(+)
-Logical
-Smart
-Creative
-Brave
-Good planner
-Strong
-Swift
-Confident
(-)
-Reckless
-Angry easily
-Aggressive
-Not that good at social stuff
-Talks too much
-Sometimes can get lost in their own world
-Perfectionistic

This looks like a pretty good character! Remember to choose traits that complement the others and make sense for them!

Now, let’s do the appearance! I like to base the appearance somewhat off the personality.
I think this cat would be a muscular dark gray classic tabby with large ears, a black tail, paws, and ears,(logical, smart, not that good at social stuff, perfectionistic), fierce orange eyes (brave, strong, angry easily, aggressive), and a long tail because why not. Idk how I really got that, they just gave me those vibes ok 😛
I try to make my characters unique and recognizable, not generic and simple like “gray with orange eyes”, instead adding patterns, black markings, and other descriptions like “large ears” and “muscular”. Make your characters so that if someone saw them, they would immediately know it was them.

Next, the name! I like to combine a personality trait and physical trait to create it. Let’s do…Darkeningflash! Darkening for their fur and flash for many of their personality traits!
Just like for appearance, I try to make my names very original and recognizable. Not “Darkclaw”, instead “Darkeningflash”!

Now, we need to choose Darkeningflash’s gender. Sometimes the character will kind of just TELL you their gender, and Darkeningflash told me he is a demiboy and uses he/they. I also found out that he is gay! 😀

Where will Darkeningflash go? In a bloodthirsty, violent Clan where he has to fight for everything they care about constantly? In a divided Clan on the brink of civil war, where they have to choose their loyalty? In a peaceful Clan where he feels bored all the time only to be destined for a huge prophecy? Exiled and falling in love with a rogue? Let’s see where the stories lead us :3

(Darkeningflash is my new OC and is NOT free to use, please do not steal him! :D)

Hope this was helpful! May StarClan light your path!