r/IAmAFiction and Other Ways to Flesh Out Characters

[The Dark Fiddler]

So I recently came across a subreddit that I thought the Playground might be interested in knowing about. It's called r/IAmAFiction (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmAFiction/). It's a riff on reddit's r/IAmA where people post about themselves (usually something extraordinary, like "I am the writer of Hyperbole and a Half" (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1ozt33/i_am_allie_brosh_the_drawwriter_of_hyperbole_and/) and field questions from users.

The differences with r/IAmAFiction, though, is that you post as character you've made for a game, for a story, or just for fun, and answer questions as them. I thought it was a good way to help flesh out your character, or just kill some time. And it is! Sadly, the subreddit doesn't move too fast, but you can't win 'em all.

Anyway, like I said, I thought the Playground would be interested in knowing about this. Does anybody else have similar resources for fleshing out your characters to share? Maybe just techniques you use, even?

[Arbane]

In the last game I was in, I was thinking of writing an in-character journal (since I obsessively keep notes on the game anyway), but the game ended.

[The Dark Fiddler]

In the last game I was in, I was thinking of writing an in-character journal (since I obsessively keep notes on the game anyway), but the game ended.

I did similarly, once, making a tumblr for a character I had in a Mutants and Masterminds game.

Sadly, that game didn't last very long either, and it folded after two updates.

[Zahhak]

Well, I subbed.

[AgentofHellfire]

So...the rules say no fanfiction or established characters, but at the same time significant alterations of an existing character are fine.

Which leads me to ask: What about original characters from established settings, like Exalted or Faerun?

[The Dark Fiddler]

So...the rules say no fanfiction or established characters, but at the same time significant alterations of an existing character are fine.

Which leads me to ask: What about original characters from established settings, like Exalted or Faerun?

Pretty sure they're okay, because the summary of the subreddit says, "If you are working on developing an invented character for creative writing, roleplay, or pure novelty..." (emphasis mine) and a lot of roleplaying takes place in established settings. Furthermore, the rule you're citing is headed with "Original characters only!" (emphasis theirs) which makes me think it's just to make sure people don't come in and, say, do an IAmA as Harry Potter or a character from a fanfic they really like.

Also, my friend did one as a member of the Inquisition, so while it's possible they just didn't catch it it's slight anecdotal evidence for characters that exist in established universes being allowed.