some help, perhaps?

[Deleted]

so, i'm in the midst of writing new stories and rewriting old stories
and i just have a simple question for you awesome writers out there
how do you go about your characterization?
like...are you just really good and nail it with no help
or idk...how the heck do i do it?
should i just watch every 5sos interview recorded ever?
i always delete bc i hate the way i write the dudes and i just don't know what to do

any advice?

[katie]

I don't think there are any fandom primers for 5SOS (WHYYYYY NOT) but in the other fandoms I write for (Hockey RPF, Fall Out Boy, etc) there are usually fandom primers which give you a brief introduction to a group and its members. In this case, watching a lot of interviews is probably your best bet. Video diaries and/or behind the scenes videos are always really, really helpful because the members aren't under pressure from media like they are during interviews. Also, remember it's RPF - any writer's version of a real person will not be completely accurate. The unique thing about writing real people is that they are, effectively, original characters, and whether or not your version of a real person "matches" with their actual personality is ultimately irrelevant. People are not characters, so attempting to adapt a person into a body of fiction will never be fully successful. That basically gives you freedom to make any person behave however you like within your fic's canon. 

[megmalone]

i agree with the last post about watching interviews as research! that's how i started off and i found it really helpful. You really don't have to stick to the rules with the boys... you can basically turn them into whatever you want. I think the most important part about developing your characters is to make them realistic. No one is going to relate to a female character who's absolutely flawless and has everyone falling over her feet. Don't be afraid to give your characters some depth, give them a backstory which explains why they act the way they do. I personally leave a piece of myself into every main character that i've created and that really helps me out.

This was kind of a ramble but i hope it helped.
xx

[Deleted]

megmalone & katie Thank you both, this actually helped a lot. I think I'm just afraid to write them really shitty because I've read so many amazing stories and ughhh, idk...I definitely compare myself too much to everyone else. But I am definitely keeping all this in mind.