Back to 1997, I became the originator of online literature

Chapter 91: Characters based on roommates

To Cao Sheng, Ai Qian is just a book fan.

It’s just that this book fan is cute, a little good-looking, and looks rich, that’s all.

When he returned to his residence, he put Ai Qian out of his mind, made a cup of tea, and went to the study on the second floor.

I turned on the computer, but suddenly realized that I had drunk some wine tonight and my brain was a little slow, so I was not suitable for typing.

But going to bed at this time is a bit too early and can easily mess up your biological clock.

So I opened the outline of "God's Tomb" and thought about whether I could improve it.

You know what, he actually has some ideas.

I want to adapt my former roommate Wei Dongming’s behavior today and put it into the outline of “God’s Tomb”.

Just imagine: if the heroine of "God's Tomb" was introduced to the hero by a supporting character like Wei Dongming, wouldn't it be interesting?
It seems interesting that she verbally claimed that she was his lover, but after introducing her to the male protagonist, she denied it herself.

"No! Some readers might not like the heroine's appearance like this, so let's assign this plot to a female supporting role..."

Cao Sheng muttered to himself, thinking it was a pity not to write about Wei Dongming's behavior today in his novel. In real life, not everyone could give him such inspiration.

So he assigned this small plot to a supporting actress in the outline of "God's Tomb".

Someone has long said that there are two ways to write novels.

One is to use the plot to drive the characters forward.

The other is to create different characters one by one, and then all the plots are deduced based on the identities, backgrounds, personalities and other information of these characters. Occasionally, adding a little coincidence or accident, you can deduce the entire plot of the book.

The plots of the first writing style are often more exciting, all the plots are under the control of the author, the story will be stronger, and the plot structure will be more logical.

The plot of the second writing style may have inconsistencies or even absurdities, but some of the main characters in the book may be portrayed as more vivid, like living people with flesh and blood. If the main characters are not portrayed in a way that makes readers hate them, works written in this way can often attract readers to continue reading with the charm of the characters in the book. Even if the plot of the story may make the reader suffer to death, many readers will persist in reading because they like one or several characters in the book.

Cao Sheng previously used the second writing method when he wrote "Living with a Flight Attendant".

The focus is on the characterization of the male and female protagonists. The image and personality of the heroine, Ran Jing, are likable enough to make readers like her.

The hero Ding Yang is portrayed as a bit ruffian and lazy, but he is kind by nature and has a sincere heart, so readers don't dislike him.

Then, in the process of designing their love, the good of Ran Jing is further demonstrated, and the readers' perception of Ding Yang is improved little by little, so that readers gradually fall in love with the character of Ding Yang.

Only if these two characters are portrayed in a way that readers like, will readers feel heartbroken and moved when the plot progresses to the point where Ran Jing dies. Only then will readers' impression of the male protagonist Ding Yang improve, and will readers be interested in continuing to watch Ding Yang's one-man show after Ran Jing's death.

It can be said that when Cao Sheng was writing the outline of "Living with a Flight Attendant", all the plots were designed to shape the male and female protagonists.

This is a work that puts character creation first.

Of course, such a design is difficult to see from the reader's perspective.

It is the effort beyond the main text of the work.

In the book "I Want to Become an Immortal", Cao Sheng mainly used the first writing method, using the set plot to promote character changes.

When the plot requires, the personalities of the characters in the book will change accordingly.

Like becoming mature.

For example, a sudden awakening of conscience.

For example, sudden darkening.

Or maybe he suddenly has an epiphany, turns over a new leaf, puts down his butcher knife and becomes a Buddha.

and many more.

Even when the plot requires it, the characters in the book can suddenly change their gender (such as castrating themselves or being sent directly to the palace).
Of course, there is no plot about character gender change in the outline of the book "I Want to Become an Immortal".

As for "The Tomb of the Gods", for which he is currently writing the outline, Cao Sheng intends to combine the two writing techniques.

He focused on creating characters with distinct personalities, including the male and female protagonists, important supporting roles, and villains. Regarding the plots of these characters, he deduced the plots based on the set character personalities.

But apart from these main characters, for the supporting roles and extras, he uses the writing method of using the plot to drive the changes of the characters.

This writing style easily turns these characters into stereotyped characters.

But he thinks there is no problem. As long as the main character's personality is distinct enough, some unimportant supporting roles and extras are written in a stereotyped way, which may make it easier for readers to remember these characters.

The role that Cao Sheng just created based on Wei Dongming is a supporting character with a relatively distinct personality.

Regarding the future plot of this character, Cao Sheng plans to make a decision by observing the changes in Wei Dongming in the next period of time.

If you want to create a character with a distinct personality in your work, finding a prototype of the character in reality is naturally the most hassle-free and labor-saving way, and also the most effective way.

……

What Cao Sheng didn't know was that when he used Wei Dongming as the prototype for the character, Wei Dongming was fighting with several roommates in the dormitory where he used to live.

The reason was that the roommates all knew from someone that Wei Dongming's claimed girlfriend, Ai Qian, had denied in person tonight that she was Wei Dongming's girlfriend.

It was so funny that several roommates who had never gotten along well with Wei Dongming started to mock and ridicule Wei Dongming in a sarcastic manner.

How could Wei Dongming, who was already very depressed, bear such stimulation?

He immediately questioned Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi, asking them who told this matter to others?
But Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi both denied it.

Wei Dongming didn't believe it and neither of them said it.

In extreme rage, he started fighting.

Beat Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi together.

By the way, he also threw things at Song Chao and others, as if he was going to overturn the entire dormitory by himself.

The result was naturally no surprise. He was not a kung fu master, so how could he possibly overturn the entire dormitory by himself?

……

The next day, when Cao Sheng came to the classroom, he was surprised to find that Pang Yunhai had a blue eye socket; Guan Zhi had a sore and scab on the corner of his mouth; Song Chao walked with a limp; and Zheng Xiaoqiang had two Band-Aids on his forehead.

At this time, Zhai Jun sat next to Cao Sheng with a book in his hand and a smile on his face. Cao Sheng raised his chin and gestured to Pang Yunhai and the others, "What's wrong with them? What happened?"

When Cao Sheng asked this question, Zhai Jun, who had just sat down, started laughing, and his shoulders trembled slightly.

Two classmates nearby were also laughing.

Cao Sheng's smile made him even more curious, and he asked immediately.

Under his questioning, Zhai Jun and others lowered their voices and talked one after another about what happened when Wei Dongming challenged the entire dormitory last night.

As Cao Sheng listened, a thought flashed through his mind: Whose general is this? So brave?

Wei Dongming actually dared to challenge the entire dormitory alone.

This really surprised him.

Then he realized that Wei Dongming had not come to the classroom yet. Cao Sheng hadn't seen Wei Dongming the whole morning.

It is said that Wei Dongming was beaten black and blue last night, but no one was cruel to him, they were just minor injuries, and he went to the school infirmary for treatment last night.

Zhai Jun and others guessed that Wei Dongming was in a depressed mood and had a bruised face, so he was probably embarrassed to come to class.

At noon that day, after eating in the cafeteria, Cao Sheng returned to his residence and went straight to the study on the second floor. He adapted Wei Dongming's heroic feat of challenging the entire dormitory last night and incorporated it into the plot of "God's Tomb".

He suddenly felt that using people around him as prototypes to shape the characters in the book was a good choice.

I am even more looking forward to Wei Dongming's performance in the next period of time.

(End of this chapter)