Alex & Chen: My Characters' Inspiration
Here's how Alex and Chen looked in my head when I wrote my first-ever gay erotic romance novel. Photo credits to @aforarts at DeviantArt.
Hi, my friend! Mecyll here.
In today’s email, you will be learning the process of how I conceptualized the characters and came up with the images of them for the book, using different strategies I have been using since I started writing books.
Although I have shared some parts of it in the last couple of years on my website, I’m uncertain (leaning towards doubtful actually) whether I have shared the process of creating the characters for the story from scratch.
So, I’m going to introduce the characters of my upcoming book “The Rival” and explain the process behind creating them. Alright?
Before we start, I’d like to invite you to preorder “The Rival” in your favorite eBook stores worldwide. Don’t miss its official book launching date which will be on October 31, 2022.
BONUS: Get the book for a special preorder price of $0.99 instead of $3.99, make sure you preordered before the launching date. Click the button below to preorder. Thank you.
Let’s get into it. Shall we?
Alex & Chen: My Characters' Inspiration
Just to give you a brief background of who these characters are, Alex and Chen are the main characters of my BL erotic romance novel “The Rival.”
In the book, they are both aged 21 to 25 years old, both musicians but they have different personalities which often clash and caused havoc among students in the university.
Despite the differences, the student council, as well as the bands, found a way to resolve this issue, resulting in organizing a charity event in which the protagonists have to participate.
Little did they know that this event could lead them to something they never have thought of before. To make a story short, the seduction and flirting have turned into something more serious.
And this is where the book concentrates.
The tension between the two of them created spice and an emotionally-driven joyride from the first chapter to the end.
As a result, this book reached 145K reads on Wattpad even though it was written as my 2nd draft back in 2018. Until now, I still receive heartwarming and kind messages from readers worldwide because of the book’s story.
Now, back to the question.
Where did Alex and Chen come from?
I know they were created from scratch.
But, if I were to ask the questions like the whys and the hows of character formation, I could list down these questions like the following:
How did I create Alex and Chen?
Why did I create Alex and Chen that way?
Where did I get the idea of Alex and Chen possessing those abilities and/or flaws in life?
Who were my real-life inspirational models for these characters?
1. How did I create Alex and Chen?
It all started with inspiration taken from a Korean BL series I watched over 5 years ago. Click here if you like to watch it on YouTube.
2. Why did I create Alex and Chen that way?
Alex and Chen’s personalities are quite complicated, although they’re introverted. Despite their introversion, they still have their differences shown throughout the novel.
Even though they were based on inspiration, their complex individualities were mostly taken from real-life situations. When I wrote this novel, I wasn’t mentally healthy, as I mentioned in my previous emails.
As a result, Alex and Chen became who they are — impulsive, erratic, aloof, distressed, yet, warm, loving, and caring individuals.
3. Where did I get the idea of Alex and Chen possessing those abilities and/or flaws in life?
Honestly, I also wondered why they acted like this or that when I was editing the book.
A few days ago, I reviewed the novel outline which I did years ago (back in 2018) and brought it all the way from my home country (Philippines) to Germany. In fact, I didn’t bring that many clothes in my luggage, just my drafts. Haha!
So, where did I base their abilities and/or flaws in life?
In my outline, I noted this
Click this image to see it on DeviantArt.
Alex Yoon
Birthday: January 27
Zodiac sign: Aquarius
Age: 20 years old
Height: 6 ft.
Click this image to see it on DeviantArt.
Chen Lau
Birthday: November 11
Zodiac sign: Scorpio
Age: 20 years old
Height: 6’2’’
Based on their zodiac signs and age, I studied the differences between these two men and created scenarios in my head.
If you have read the chapters of the novel “The Rival,” you will notice how Alex was far more vocal than Chen, though Chen expressed more intense and passionate affection for Alex.
Although Chen was the one who initiated the “bromance game,” it was Alex who strived to make more efforts to chase Chen.
4. Who were my real-life inspirational models for these characters?
In real life, these are similar scenarios for most people I know, especially within my family, as well as acquaintances, who fall under the Aquarius and Scorpio zodiac signs.
Conclusion
There are a lot of ways you can do to create characters for your stories. You can use your life’s experiences or other people’s lives. It doesn’t matter.
What matters is this: The more complex they are, the more human they become. The more challenges you give them, the more relatable they become for your readers.
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