The last (for the moment) of my archetype list. I don't even know why I'm botheirng to comment - the list is more for my own benefit than anybody elses!

 

 Here we go - only two more main archetypes to tackle. This is the third - the mentor. 

Look below for a loooong cut.

 Here is the second part of my 'archetype' list. This time the heroine. Go behind the cut for the loooong list and my own answer to the exercise.

There are a million books (or so) on the market about writing, and I believe in never truly subscribing to any one of them. Try their ideas out, do the methods and testing, and see what works for you. If it doesn't work, give it up, if it does, keep using it. Eventually it'll come together.

Recently I've had a bit of a revelation as to why I've not been writing. I've been so determined to do it in what I think is the right way, that I never even considered that it might not actually be the best way for me. Simple observation should explain it:

Fiction written using the 'plot it all out in advance' method: 2 (Never finished)
Fiction written with a vague idea and a bit of creativity: Quite a few. (Mostly well recieved. Some even completed.)

Looking back, so long as I was comfortable with the characters, writing always worked well enough for me. The problem for me, is creating character. Fanfiction is easy because I already have them ready made, but creating my own well enough to carry a story might be a little bit harder. 

So last night I sat down and I had a think. I thought about the characters I really love and enjoy watching or reading about the most and then I thought about their traits. In the same way that Chris Baty reccomends creating a Magna Carta listing the things you really enjoy in fiction, I decided to create one for characters.

So I'm listing 

My Archetype (hero/heroine/villan, etc)
Examples (characters I love/enjoy)
Traits about them I like 
Examples of the traits I could use 

I'm putting it behind a cut because this is looooong.