my name is Seok Hyunae and I am an original character —

If you haven't, take a look at tutorial/chapter 23. By no means whatsoever do you have to read every post I put up. It may prove to be beneficial but nobody is forcing you. Not all chapters will apply to everyone depending on how well they write or what they write. I've been trying to include things other than the basics -- grammar, spelling, help with plots, etc -- because there are other things to AFF than just writing, oddly enough, that needs could use improvement. I started to explain how to make application stories more unique and now I've decided to expand it by helping out with making characters for application stories.

Before applying always read the rules to the fullest extent. Don't graze over words, really pay attention. This is where passwords sometimes come into play. I use them to keep readers on their toes to prove that they really are reading it and just aren't applying because that's the only thing they do on this website. Sometimes users put their password in between their text by making their font white. Which in other words, means you have to highlight around it to see the password. But I horribly digress sometimes. I'm not supposed to be giving you advice on how to apply but how to fill out your application! I don't know why the exclamation point is there. I'm not that excited about writing this all out because I can be very picky when choosing people.

Tips on how to make an interesting/liable character:

• No Marry Sues. A Mary Sue -- if you don't know -- is an original character/OC that is perfect. You might as well put a halo over the person's head. When I put out application stories, I dread seeing Mary Sue characters. They're a bit annoying because there's nothing you can do with that person. They're all flat. They aren't the type of dynamic character that an author needs to write a story.
• Remember the setting of the story. Most stories take place in South Korea because it's more common to see K-Pop fans on this website than anything else. If you write that your character is born in the Bronx, New York, USA then you have to write how they got to South Korea when you fill out your character's background. You can't leave an empty space in their past. It's a bit sloppy in my opinion and if I see an application like that, consider them not chosen already.
• Applicable languages. It makes sense for a -- example: half-Japanese, half-Korean -- to know both languages; fluently is a different story. That may or may not apply depending on how you write out your OC's background. People have the capacity to learn four (plus) languages but most don't. If you put that this half-Japanese, half-Korean kid knows both his/her parent's native languages, that makes sense. To randomly throw in Tagalog, a language that his/her parent's don't understand, in there is ludicrous. It doesn't add up. Why would he learn Tagalog if his parents can't understand an inkling of it? There are exceptions though. If you write that this person wants to go to a place that they speak that language for college with dreams of being a fill-in-the-blank. That may be understandable. You can't leave gaps in applications that leave your author -- the person reading your application -- trying to guess what you mean.
• Don't go overboard. Some stories like all a game and troublemaker are stories that required not so cheery characters. With stories that may require a character with a troubled past, don't cross the line. By that I mean, don't go on about how your character was brutally tortured in their short lifetime. There is always a limit to which you should set and not cross. Also, never go for generic backgrounds with tragic stories. So-and-so was a gangster. In stories that need/is (or are) looking for characters with troubled pasts, they don't have to be these macho, killer, bad people. They can be fragile people. Just remember that. Once you're broken down, you have no rock -- no rock, no confidence, no confidence, you end up in a tragic application story.
• No contradictions. Keep your stories straight. You have one personality, one background and that's it. You can't say one moment that so-and-so did this and later say the complete opposite. There is one exception to this rule -- that bugs me to no end when people do it --  bipolar people or schizophrenics. They're people who, from what I understand, have multiple personalities that can be triggered by their mood(s). Schizophrenia is a bit different. I don't know too much about it but I did read a bit about it in Ellen Hopkins's novel "Impulse" a while back.
• I got the power, don't you? If you sign up for a story that involves superpowers be careful. Don't make your powers unreal even for an AU. I never liked Superman for that reason. He became such an overpowered being. It became unrealistic even for a cartoon. I may be critiquing a bit hard but that's how I feel. I liked the genuine characteristics of Batman and the Flash seemed more reasonable. You can't overpower a character because they might not come off as appealing as you hope. I never understood why the Green Lantern needed to charge his ring. He could do anything but his ring had to be charged. If you power your character appropriately be sure not to do something like that. (Give them a cool power and then take it away with someone weird like that; charging a ring for a source of power.)
• I bring the boys out. Even if your character is drop dead gorgeous it doesn't mean that it'll turn heads of every male on God's earth. Not only that but I hate it when I see in applications -- for any kind of story -- that the person is addicted to skinship. I have nothing against it, and frankly I'm not a big fan of PDA (public displays of affection) around those I'm not too familiar with, but it seems unreasonable to put that in an application. A little is alright. It is reasonable to say that you like skinship but to put it is a hobby or habit -- to have skinship with people -- I'd be backing away from you at all times.
• Tone it down. Do not get me wrong in any way now. I would love to have a gay, guy (only because I was hit on once by a girl and it freaked me out; I'm no homophobe though) best friend but I don't like it when characters are overly gay. It's a stereotype that all gays are flamboyant. I would like to beg to differ. Even if a person -- male or female -- is gay they don't necessarily act like that. Now, excuse my poor example but I watch the show Survivor. It's a reality TV show in which a certain number of people are outcast onto an island and compete to win a million dollars. Almost ever season there has been a gay contestant. Not once have I been able to spot him/her. That means that the typical descriptions of a gay person do not apply for all gay people. Just be careful and don't go by stereotypes when writing out a gay character. I am sorry if I offended anyone that may be gay or biual in this point. I'm sure that nobody would write a character (OC) that was gay if they weren't. I'm just pointing something out. This can actually apply to any character though. Female characters do not have to be all bubbly. Just like with anything else, there is a limit that should be set and not pushed or crossed over.
• Say my name. There are a lot of Korean  -- I'm saying Korean because that's more popular than anything else on here; I do not mean to discriminate -- surnames out there. Here is a list of Korean family names. Here is a page on Japanese names. Here is a page on Chinese surnames. Keep in mind that there is a chance that your chosen surname is one of the most common (surnames) used in Korea -- north or south it doesn't matter. Don't go for general (generic) names.
• The talent. If you apply for one of those apply stories that are forming a new band remember a few things. You are human. You cannot do everything. If you can that would be what is called "Jack of all Trades". Just because you are the jack of all trades does not make you a prodigy to those elements (singing, dancing, writing songs, rapping, playing instruments, etc). It just means that you are capable of doing so and are good at it too. A "Group Face" is the person who has the 'best looks' according to the eye of the public. For example, Infinite's group face is L from what I've understood about their band. Even idols have their talent limits so do not push them even with a fictional person. It can come off as making your character arrogant or you might not get picked anyway.

My OC's name is found in the title of this chapter/tutorial. I wouldn't say she's the perfectly written -- meaning, there're no kinks. But no human is perfect anyway. The purpose of writing/creating/making an OC isn't to make the character perfect but believable. A while back when I first started to write on AFF I started an application story that majorly failed. It was a bit absurd and I was a bit over my head as a new author.

If you don't get into your first few application stories, don't worry about it. Plenty more will come out eventually. If you have any more tips that you want to be elaborated on just let me know.

Here's a fun fact. Lee Joon is bipolar. Source. Another fun fact. I am addicted to Huh Gak's Hello. Check out my oneshot His Unanswered Call if you like 2AM. If you would please do check out my forward for a new story that I plan on beginning soon called Wanting Invisibility. Updates will be slower once I go back to school.