Board Thread:Fanon Wiki Proposals/@comment-25429296-20180111074826/@comment-26485526-20180321023342

Here's the thing, like I can see both sides.

I feel like when you create a character, you have to have some sort of idea of who that castaway is when they pop into your head. The proposal that was agreed upon when this thread was announced is simply a 50-word paragraph, minimum.

This thread isn't asking people to write full, complete backstories, or complete interviews, just a short little paragraph talking about who they are. Just jot down what popped into your mind when you came up with the character, and just so you know, I'm not about to read paragraphs counting "47, 48, 49... oooh, so close. That's not enough, ban this fanon." I feel like the profiles can't be the sole problem that people have when creating fanons. I feel like the writer's block in that sense may come into play, at least partially because people rushed into it, and didn't really flesh out their character. Yes, there are fanons that don't have profiles that were written very well, but by that same token, having profiles I can look back on helps me tremendously. It gives me something to glance at when I'm writing so that I can make sure have them react appropriately to a certain situation, or whatever I'm writing at the time. I feel like if you have nothing there about your characters, and you lose that vision midway through the season, it could really hurt you in the long run. So yeah, while not having profiles may help get you through that initial burst of energy, what's going to happen when you get writers' block a week into the season, or a month into the season? For me, Uruguay especially would've been totally fucked if I didn't have those.

On a more minor note, as a reader, I love looking at everybody's profiles before I begin reading the season. I like getting that sense of who each castaway is because for me, it helps hype me up because I can imagine all these different possibilities or scenarios. For example (using Waffle again because he didn't have profiles in his early seasons), seeing Courtney, a hardcore left winger on the same tribe as Norman, a hardcore right winger, and Phobos, a conspiracy theorist, it got me so hyped up to read the season because I just couldn't wait to see that drama.

But yeah, the big thing for me is more that wanting just these short little paragraphs about the characters is to not only get me hyped up for the season, but also to help you write out a little bit about what your vision for that character is when you come up with them. On this site, we write fan fiction stories, and you can't have a story without characters, and for the story to be compelling, the characters have to be compelling too. If you're that excited about the story, tell me what's in your head about this character that makes them compelling to you. If you think writing it out in paragraph form is difficult, then jot down little bullet points if you like, because as I said before, it helps keep you organized, and it gets me as the reader hyped up a bit. Getting through that first burst of energy is great and all, but what are you going to do when that fire dies down a bit in the middle and you get writers' block? That's all I'm saying.