Among other things, answering Margaret Rowena's question

First, a couple of prayer requests. One is for my dad; the surgery to remove lump on his leg is coming up. Please, please, please, PLEASE pray that it's not cancer. We're already not 100% sure if his neck/lymph node cancer has been fully taken care of.

The second is for Laurea at Center Stage. Please go over there and drop a nice comment or two saying you'll be praying for her. She's going through a very tough time with something. Basically, the last thing she needs is to be yelled at.

Now onto Margaret Rowena's brilliant question:

What do you think about slightly stereotyped characters?

I would feel like a loser if I couldn't create my very own characters, but I am always seeing a character in a book that has traits that must be in a character of mine.
~Margaret Rowena

Ah...stereotypes and cliches. One of my favorite subjects! By the way, that is a really good question, Margaret! I'm sorry I didn't get around to answering this as early as I (and you too, probably) would have liked.

First off, what are the different kinds of stereotyped or cliched characters? The four I'll mention here are only a small number of all the types out there!

1. The tomboy. Sometimes she's the main character, sometimes she's a supporting one. Tough, unsatisfied with her role as a female, and rebellious. (I honestly think it's sad to read about these girls...they're always trying to be like something they're not, and disillusioning themselves that they'll only be good if they're male.)

2. The old mentor. Experienced, grizzled, wise, and has a hidden history. Many times the mentor dies in the middle of the book, when the MC no longer needs a guiding hand. Famous examples are Obi Wan Kenobi from Star Wars Episode IV and Brom from Eragon.

3. The sibling. They can be annoying, comic, or helpful. Oftentimes they're a way of expanding your MC's personality by showing how they react to their family.

4. The cool hero. Like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, they're smart and they know it! Sure of their ability, they sometimes (unfortunately) strut it in front of 'slower' people.

Stereotyped (which I substitute with 'cliche' from time to time) are that way because they are actually very good ideas! Or, at least, they were at first, and then people liked them so much they started following the example. Soon, they lost their 'punch'.

I honestly don't see a problem with using those types of characters in your book, as long as you add something of interest. If you completely copy Obi Wan Kenobi, they just won't have your personal 'stamp'. Give your character something that is completely his own, like a knack for origami or an obsession with proper grammar.

Of course, many characters will have similar traits, no matter who they were created by. They might have short tempers, or show flashes of kindness in a usually harsh demeanor. It's just like people--I have something in common with many of my friends.

However, it doesn't pay to purposefully model your character after someone else's. People don't like it when authors copy other authors. Have you ever read The Ranger's Apprentice Series? Have you ever been annoyed at the too-often reoccurring parallels between those and Lord of the Rings? Yeah. That's what it's like.

Long answer for a very 'to-the-point' question! I hope this is what you were looking for, Margaret Rowena!

We just went to the pool an hour ago, and I still haven't showered. An appraiser is coming to look at our house on Friday, and Erestor's gone fishing.

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

Answers to some questions that were asked:

Eldarwen: I love Fellowship of the Ring, but I think my overall favorite (talking books) is The Two Towers, too! Also, for the band-thing, we sing mostly Celtic or Contemporary Christian music (that also answers part of Saerwen's question also)

The other half on answering Saerwen's question: Yep, we're planning on a CD. I'm so excited!