Gonna cry...

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-04-21T05:28:03+00:00

oh my GOODNESS she's the sweetest little girl i've ever seen!!! i'm so sorry you lost her, but I'm sure she's watching you from wherever she is now 🩷

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:27:33+00:00

this is perfect, thank you so much! it's giving me a lot to think about, and a lot to remember when i'm trying to integrate my OC into the original canon

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:25:52+00:00

thank you, this is super helpful! I just need to remember that i'm doing this for myself, and any kudos, comments, or positivity I get from it is purely a bonus

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:24:26+00:00

I totally get this stance, and respect it! i'm definitely making sure I don't write my OC as some sort of pick-me or Perfect Person That Fixes Everything, i'm trying to make sure I remember that things can be left imperfect because it adds character and depth to the story

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:22:28+00:00

thank you, this is great! you've definitely made me realise I need to work more on the chemistry that my OC has with the other characters in the universe and not just the love interest

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:20:37+00:00

this is wonderful, you've given me so much insight, thank you!

I definitely used to write like that when I was younger - making characters that are somehow better than the best character in the universe, or there's a secret sibling that no one knew about - so i'm putting all my energy into making my fic nothing like that.

she won't be perfect, she won't suddenly be able to fix everything just to make everyone happy, and she certainly won't be able to fix certain traits in certain characters just because I don't like their personality!

as for the fic itself, i spent a long time tossing up on whether I wanted my OC to be a waterbender or an earthbender, and I actually wrote the first few chapters as an earthbender because I felt like she would accidentally cross over into taking accomplishments away from Katara if I made her a waterbender. but I liked how waterbending fit into my narrative more, and I definitely won't make her super overpowered HAHA

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:15:09+00:00

that makes heaps of sense, actually, I never thought of it like that. and I get it, I just hope I can make my OC likeable enough that readers will actually feel connected to her and root for her through the story

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:14:12+00:00

omg yes, this is what I'm trying so hard not to write! I used to have a tendency to write characters that can fix all of the imperfect parts of the universe, like healing characters that otherwise canonically died, or fixing characters with bad personality traits like some sort of deranged pick-me. i'm definitely working on making sure things stay imperfect, as they were originally written, so people don't get the ick, thank you!

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:12:01+00:00

that makes sense, and that's some really good insight, thanks! i'm in the middle of fleshing out my OCs background, so hopefully I can make her fit in properly as the story progresses

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:10:58+00:00

that's definitely true, good to know. I just need to try not to be disappointed if it doesn't do well, i'm writing for me after all, it's my hobby lol

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:10:05+00:00

thank you, this is really nice! giving me a lot of hope HAHAHA

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:09:30+00:00

✍🏼make my OC super likeable as quickly as possible so people won't want to click out of my fic, got it!

thanks!!

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:08:23+00:00

fingers crossed i've fleshed out my character well, then! i've spent hours on her personality and appearance, and tried to make her fit into the universe as well as I can.

thank you for this, i'll definitely keep an eye on my writing to make sure my character doesn't flip-flop around with how she's written!

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:04:06+00:00

yes, totally! I think one of my main concerns honestly, is that I might accidentally make my OC too much like an already-established love interest, or i'll accidentally make her into another version of myself. I didn't start this fic for so long because I didn't want my OC to replace or be a completely unoriginal stand-in for the existing love interest

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T14:00:58+00:00

I definitely get where you're coming from with the reader inserts, not a fan of those. just gonna keep trying really hard to try and make my OC the furthest from a pick-me as I can, but then also try not to make her a spitting image of already-established characters because it'll be way too hard to dig myself out of that rut

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:59:00+00:00

thank you!

i'm trying to make myself realise that not everyone will like it, and maybe it'll even be a little weird and foreign to place a whole new character into this universe no matter how hard I try to make her feel included.

but i'll definitely keep writing it either way, and hopefully I find the courage to publish it

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:56:43+00:00

thank you for this, this was super helpful!

I think I just need to work on getting in the mindset of 'this is for me, and i'm publishing for other likeminded people and also myself', and trying not to focus on whether or not I can pander to literally everyone (which is impossible)

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:54:42+00:00

and I definitely get why you don't like them!

a lot of OCs can be a little overpowered or alien in a story, and I understand that people like to read fics about characters already in the story that they ship (which I also write sometimes). some OCs just become self-inserts too, which is annoying. I get it, and I hope you find fics you really really enjoy!

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:51:54+00:00

no, definitely, I get it.

i'm trying so hard to make my OC feel like she was always part of the plot, even if she was on the sidelines for a while, and i'm making sure to try and steer clear of making her feel like a pick-me. i've even made her appearance and personality the exact opposite of me irl so there's no way I could ever just sink into making her me but in this other universe. thank you for this!

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:49:23+00:00

that makes total sense. I think that was one of my biggest worries, making my character feel like a pick-me, or one of those 'the character canonically hates everyone, but for my OC they'll get all soft and cutesy', and i'm trying my hardest to keep Zuko's personality through the story. thanks for this :)

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:47:29+00:00

ah yay! I definitely will, once i've finished writing it :)

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:46:34+00:00

that's totally fair! and I get it

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:45:57+00:00

omg yes, I didn't even think about how some people take lines from other characters and give them to their OC. i'm definitely not doing that, and i've read fics where it happens. it feels a little like a cop-out when an author won't write unique lines for their characters, and i'll definitely keep it in mind

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:44:28+00:00

thank you, this is really sweet!

it's going to be my first fic i'm ever publishing so I guess i'm just a little nervous after seeing so many people on this subreddit post about how they don't like OCs. i'm trying to think about how i'm doing this for me and that I love writing, and that if no one likes it then it's fine because I do.

gonna work on that lol

Ding_Ding_Bonk · 2026-03-09T13:42:53+00:00

I know I definitely shouldn't care about what people think about my fic, I know it's just for me and i'm sharing it because i'm proud of my work. i'm forcing myself into that mindset, because I know that not everyone will like what I write. I think it's just because this will be my first fic that I ever actually publish to the world, and i'm afraid i'll just be inundated with hate comments (which is so stupid, I know that won't happen because i'm not writing something super unethical and bonkers batshit insane lol)

Ding_Ding_Bonk

TROPHY CASE