Character Personalities

Starting school two weeks ago Monday, I found that it's actually not as long and tedious and boring as I thought 12th grade would be.  It's actually been quite enjoyable.  British Literature is my FAVORITE subject as of right now, and I'm sure that won't change.  :)  As a part of my literature, I'm doing a vocabulary study and I'm enjoying it immensely!  While reading it last week, I stumbled upon ten different personality traits and their meanings.  Naturally, being a writer, as I came across the personality types and read through them, I compared them to my characters and placed my characters in the personality types.  It helped  me, in a way, see the actual MIND SET of my characters, but not necessarily their individual PERSONALITY.  Note the difference, my dear readers.  So.  Away we go.

Egoist

(Me first attitude)

This type of personality is basically, what it says in parentheses, me first.  Not necessarily conceited and stuck up, just me centered.  Not over the top selfish, but just thinking about "their" needs first, not others' need.  Self-seeking, but not over the top.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Abigail Blackburn, Nikki Taylor, Colton Flynn, Soleil Corsetti.

Egotist

(Height of conceit)

Don't get EGOTIST confused with EGOIST.  Egotists are more intense than egoists, more self seeking, definitely stuck up, over the top selfish, and - in a way - rude.  This type is all about them, with no room for other people in their thoughts.  This can sometimes even lead to more advanced and a more intense levels of egotistic behaviors, such as egomaniacs who are basically mad.  Literally... mad.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Owen Tracy, Alex Wayne, Alister Reynolds. 

Altruist

(Let me help you)

Altruists are the some of the kindest people, putting other's needs before their own.  They are the type of people who are always there helping, doing whatever they can to make others comfortable.  But sometimes this can lead to self negligence, not on purpose, of course.  They are so concerned with needs of others that they can forget about themselves.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Allison Beauregard, Gareth Corsetti, June Forwen, Theodore Yeshevsky. 

Introvert 

(Leave me alone)

Think of a turtle who hides in its shell and doesn't want to see people.  That's the introvert.  The introverted personality likes to be alone, or with a small selection of close people (and when I say small collection, I mean small collection).  They're timid, shy, and quiet people, and personally one of my favorite personality types.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Jemma Corday, Jagger Bachar, Elsa Altobelli. 

Extrovert

(Let's do it together)

Now think of the opposite of introvert - the exact opposite - and then you have the extrovert.  Extroverts are loud (and when I say loud, I only mean it in the best way - being an extrovert myself :P), exuberant, excitable, and big people lovers.  They like being with others and can't be alone for too long or else they'll go through withdrawals.  Very people oriented, extroverts are need socialization, it being crucial to their survival,

Characters of mine that I would place in this category: Mallory Steele, Riley Blackburn, Aggie Lennox. 

Ambivert

(Neither extreme) 

Neither and introvert or an extrovert, Ambiverts are a happy medium.  They're not extremely outgoing, and they're not extremely closed off people either.  They're a good balance to anyone.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: David Cruse, Edwin Anniger, Jadon Ross Ives, Samantha Reynolds. 

Misanthrope

(People are no darn good)

Misanthropes believe that people are stupid and "no darn good!"  Everything people do is not good enough, complain worthy, and far less better than anything they could do.  Whatever someone else can do, they can do better.

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alister Reynolds (again)

Misogynist 

(Women are no darn good)

Women haters, women dislikers, women scorners, annoyed by women... Shall I go on?

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alex Wayne (if I had to place a character here, it would be him.  He doesn't hate women, he just thinks they're quite annoying.  Pft... Shows what he knows.)

Misogamist

("Marriage is an institution--and who wants to live in an institution?)

Free spirit is the word for this personality type.  They don't want to be tied down by obligations or priorities.  They prefer short term things, such as in the the case of relationships.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Alva Callen 

Ascetic

(Self-denial, lonely contemplation) 

I see this type as either "woe-is-me", or the deep thinker and philosopher who contemplates life very deeply.  Self denial and living alone is the story of their life.  I wouldn't call them hermits... Well, yes I would.  They're a bit like introverts, except lonelier.

Characters of mine I would place in the category: Elsa Altobelli, Kaliana




So that's my list.  What do you think?  Where do your characters fall in these categories?

Thanks for reading!


~Angie <3

Hope

"Hope is the air our spirits breathe. Without it, our spirits suffocate."
Pandora of Athens by Barry Denenberg

It is quite tempting to let your writing be filled with a sense of hopelessness. After all, conflict is what drives the story, and it usually involves making things go "out of the frying pan and into the fire." To keep the reader engaged, you must torture your protagonist and their allies with as little mercy as your kind-hearted heart can stand. Worlds without hope are also very popular at the moment, especially dystopian worlds.

So yes, in any good story, the stakes are high. Your character must pay the price for whatever they are trying to attain. But that doesn't mean that the whole world has to be dark and awful. There is too much darkness in the world already without creating an excess of fictional darkness. Writers should create stories that bring light to readers, stories that inspire readers to make hope a reality. Don't underestimate the power of your words!
I challenge you to create stories that take place in worlds of hope. Make your futuristic stories bright with new ideas and inventions--anything that you think would make the world a better place! Put Elves in along with your Orcs (metaphorically speaking) Show the beauty of whatever world you work in, whether it's  1776 or 2076. Look at the works of Jules Verne. You never know if a whim of your imagination today might become reality and change the world! Write the change you wish to see!

Concerning Jodi

Although my books are all published under my real name, I chose to blog under the name of one of my characters, Jodi Fairforest, partly for safety and partly because we have a lot in common.

Jodi is the co-star of my newest book, The Gallant. Like me, she is a writer, but a much more successful one. She lives in the semi-fictional* town of Avalon Beach, Florida, the famous "Home of Real Superheroes." Her life, if not exactly ordinary, is pleasant and mildly exciting until she uses the town's slogan as inspiration for her (fictionally) bestselling novel, The Gallant. Everything changes one morning when a man who looks exactly like her main character, the dashing Sir Errol the Gallant, shows up at her apartment. It turns out that there are real superheroes in Avalon, almost exactly as she has described them in her book. Unfortunately, there is also a very real supervillain with dark plans for Avalon Beach. The most wonderful thing that ever happened to Jodi might also be the death of her...

*I took a great deal of creative license in describing Avalon in my book because I honestly didn't know it existed. In the book it is a combination of quaint beach town and thriving metropolis. In reality, it is just a quaint beach town.

You can find out more about Jodi Fairforest here:

 http://www.lulu.com/shop/olivia-taylor/the-gallant-2nd-edition/paperback/product-21751674.html

Hello from Jodi

"We are too young to know that certain things are impossible...so we will do them anyway."
William Wilberforce

First of all I want to say thank you to Angelina Zoe for inviting me to be part of this blog! Although I have written and self-published four books, this is my first blog post!

I put  the quote by William Wilberforce in because it has inspired me throughout my adventures in creative writing. One of the most important things I have learned in my journey so far is that you don't need to have a big publishing deal to get your work out there. It doesn't have to be horrendously expensive. I started out printing my books at home and getting them bound at Staples. At the moment, I use an online self-publishing company called Lulu.com. The actual publishing part is free, but you have to order and pay for the actual books. They do charge an outrageous amount for shipping. Still, it's a much simpler process than going through a publisher.
Don't be afraid to share your great ideas with the world! Always remember that the most awful rough draft that you've actually typed is a hundred times better than that perfect story idea in your head. It will become even better with love, time, and work. Try to enjoy the journey of writing a book as much as the destination!

Angie's Inspiration

This week's random inspiration from Angie...

WORD PROMPT! 

I'll put the prompt, and then I'll put the small snippet of the inspiration I wrote from it.  

"You know, I just don't care..." 

Brushing a dark strand of gelled hair that stuck straight up and out of place among his neatly arrayed hair, he lifted his chin regally and glanced at his visage in the mirror.  Very proper looking, he thought to himself.  Proper indeed.  "Look, Darling, your business is your business and my business is - well - mine." 

"I just don't see why I can't choose the victim this time, Daddy," the adolescence whined, slouching on the futon she was draped across with a pout spread across her round face.  

"Oh, for the thousandth time!  I specifically told Juanita to get all the blood out of my white laced kerchiefs!"  He muttered angrily, picking through an array of blood stained handkerchiefs to place in his coat pocket.  Turning towards his daughter, he delicately picked a small pistol from the top of his dresser and tucked it in his gun belt under his suit.  "You know, I just don't care...  Go pick your own for all I care, and here," he handed her another pistol, loading it and putting the safety on.  "Take this while you're at it."    

Hope this one sparked your creative spark.  I'd love to hear yours! 

~Angie 

Ultimate Writer's Hideout!

The first post on the new blog... *happy sigh*  I want to savor this moment so when I'm famous I can look back and cry at how youthful I used to be... *wipes a single tear away*  Give me a moment.

Ahem.  Anyways, I'm happy to introduce this new blog/website/writing corner to the world!  May it bring inspiration and encouragement to all writers out there, whether they be young, old, experienced, inexperienced, everyone.  There will be different types of inspiration (picture inspiration, word inspiration, inspiration through critique, all that fun stuff) for all types of writers.  This site will (hopefully will grow to) be the ultimate writer's hideout.

I hope that here, writers will come to unite together, be bold, be unafraid, be... INSPIRED.



~Angelina Zoe