Post by Hermione Granger on Mar 7, 2012 10:49:46 GMT -5
A few key words you should keep in mind when filling out an application.
COHERENCE;;
It’s very important when filling out an application to check that the various sections do not contradict themselves. For instance if one of your character’s strengths is Lying you should avoid mentioning in the Personality category that your character is very honest and sincere. Or to make another example, if in the Likes you say your character enjoys torturing and manipulating others, you shouldn’t later on say that they’re harmless and naïve. Coherence is maybe the most important aspect of an application, unless your character suffers from an acute case of schizophrenia you should be able to make every trait merge together in a fluent outline of your character’s personality and history. Also, keep in mind the descriptions of the Houses posted here to ensure your character fits the House they have been sorted into.
SETTING;;
Let’s not forget that we’re an Harry Potter site and that all characters live in the Wizarding World, therefore they have thoughts and opinions on the events they witnessed. In the application be sure to touch on the main events from the books: for instance the return of Lord Voldemort, Umbridge’s regimen, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, anything that could have influenced your character’s life whilst at Hogwarts. Have your character find their place into the Wizarding World.
SENSE;;
This may sound obvious but your application must make sense. Keep in mind the plot line and when creating a character ask yourself if everything you’re writing would actually happen and be possible in the books. For instance if you’re planning on making your character the daughter of a Death Eater and the family House-elf, you might want to re-think it. If you’re making a Death Eater you should avoid the old story of “he/she has been forcefully branded with the Dark Mark because his/her parents were faithful followers of the Dark Lord”. Voldemort doesn’t accept anyone into his ranks, he certainly won’t gift those who aren’t 100% faithful to him with the Dark Mark; they would be of no use to him, he’d most likely kill them off when they reluctantly offered their services to him. What would he do with an army of rueful and potentially traitorous followers? Also, Draco is the only student who happens to be a Death Eater as his history is peculiar and he was made one by Voldemort to reinstate the Malfoy name and mostly to punish Lucius. The Dark Lord wouldn’t rely on a gang of untrained teenagers to win the war, therefore Draco is the only Death Eater student accepted.
BALANCE;;
We all enjoy drama, it’s fun and it spices things up but there’s a point where it becomes too much. Especially when writing the History be careful not to exceed with the drama. We all have some drama in our life to an extent and so do our characters but we need to keep in mind that we’re all role-playing together on an Harry Potter site and that while our character is the protagonist of their own story, they are not the main character on the site. Having all kinds of mishaps and misfortunes happen to them won’t make them special. Why does your character have to be abused, tortured, hated, misunderstood, bullied, sick, an orphan, threatened with the Dark Mark (which should remind you of the Sense category), pitied and so on all at once? What fun is playing a character like that? Let’s keep the History realistic and be sensible when it comes to drama, no one should have it worse than Harry.
COHERENCE;;
It’s very important when filling out an application to check that the various sections do not contradict themselves. For instance if one of your character’s strengths is Lying you should avoid mentioning in the Personality category that your character is very honest and sincere. Or to make another example, if in the Likes you say your character enjoys torturing and manipulating others, you shouldn’t later on say that they’re harmless and naïve. Coherence is maybe the most important aspect of an application, unless your character suffers from an acute case of schizophrenia you should be able to make every trait merge together in a fluent outline of your character’s personality and history. Also, keep in mind the descriptions of the Houses posted here to ensure your character fits the House they have been sorted into.
SETTING;;
Let’s not forget that we’re an Harry Potter site and that all characters live in the Wizarding World, therefore they have thoughts and opinions on the events they witnessed. In the application be sure to touch on the main events from the books: for instance the return of Lord Voldemort, Umbridge’s regimen, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, anything that could have influenced your character’s life whilst at Hogwarts. Have your character find their place into the Wizarding World.
SENSE;;
This may sound obvious but your application must make sense. Keep in mind the plot line and when creating a character ask yourself if everything you’re writing would actually happen and be possible in the books. For instance if you’re planning on making your character the daughter of a Death Eater and the family House-elf, you might want to re-think it. If you’re making a Death Eater you should avoid the old story of “he/she has been forcefully branded with the Dark Mark because his/her parents were faithful followers of the Dark Lord”. Voldemort doesn’t accept anyone into his ranks, he certainly won’t gift those who aren’t 100% faithful to him with the Dark Mark; they would be of no use to him, he’d most likely kill them off when they reluctantly offered their services to him. What would he do with an army of rueful and potentially traitorous followers? Also, Draco is the only student who happens to be a Death Eater as his history is peculiar and he was made one by Voldemort to reinstate the Malfoy name and mostly to punish Lucius. The Dark Lord wouldn’t rely on a gang of untrained teenagers to win the war, therefore Draco is the only Death Eater student accepted.
BALANCE;;
We all enjoy drama, it’s fun and it spices things up but there’s a point where it becomes too much. Especially when writing the History be careful not to exceed with the drama. We all have some drama in our life to an extent and so do our characters but we need to keep in mind that we’re all role-playing together on an Harry Potter site and that while our character is the protagonist of their own story, they are not the main character on the site. Having all kinds of mishaps and misfortunes happen to them won’t make them special. Why does your character have to be abused, tortured, hated, misunderstood, bullied, sick, an orphan, threatened with the Dark Mark (which should remind you of the Sense category), pitied and so on all at once? What fun is playing a character like that? Let’s keep the History realistic and be sensible when it comes to drama, no one should have it worse than Harry.
