Pointless character drabble or characterization

[EldritchCoomer]

Okay, I originally to do a post regarding certain actions that might useless information or just pointless writing vs characterization for your to put that doesn't add that much into the story.

Then I thought such thoughts don't matter in long run. If you want to do a little character drabble cause it makes you happy to explore an aspect of your character that doesn't give them more characterization or add to the plot. Just do it.

Trust you'd be a lot better writing that cringing silly stuff about your character (s) being goofballs rather than not and might make your readers enjoy it even more.
Who knows.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I don't know though, but all the things I wrote in my story--from Volume 1 to the current volume 15--serves a purpose, even the seemingly mundane details.

A lot of those usually go to the characterization, to tell readers that this character has this trait thru his/her actions.

Others serve as a 'break' for the reader, while building on the characters and the world.

And some even end up as 'discovered' plot points to benefit future volumes.

I don't think those are pointless.

 

[TotallyHuman]

I always believe that adding fodder is not a bad thing.

 

[EldritchCoomer]

I don't know though, but all the things I wrote in my story--from Volume 1 to the current volume 15--serves a purpose, even the seemingly mundane details.

A lot of those usually go to the characterization, to tell readers that this character has this trait thru his/her actions.

Others serve as a 'break' for the reader, while building on the characters and the world.

And some even end up as 'discovered' plot points to benefit future volumes.

I don't think those are pointless.

I guess it depends on what you feel is pointless to the story or not. Like your smart character doing something incredibly dumb for the memes. This doesn't do much for plot or characterization just something fun to do with the character instead of strictly following through with how their character is written.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I guess it depends on what you feel is pointless to the story or not. Like your smart character doing something incredibly dumb for the memes. This doesn't do much for plot or characterization just something fun to do with the character instead of strictly following through with how their character is written.

Yep.

I actually did that in my first volume, even breaking the 4th wall. Then, like some of my readers pointed out, as they go deeper into my volumes the characters and events go serious and even darker.

(Well the purpose of it is actually bait them into thinking that it is just the typical isekai, though it's not.)

I think I successfully subverted the usual isekai in that aspect. And it's pretty fun and fulfilling on my part as the author.

 

[Paul_Tromba]

Adding pointless stuff does add characterization or world building only if you can relate it to either a character or the world. For example, let's say I describe some jagged rocks a paragraph before and the have a character trip over some of them because he is doesn't have good coordination. This affects both the world and the character as it gives us something, which causes an action, and ends with us learning that the character isn't coordinated. An example of a poor use of pointless wordage would be a long the lines of rambling about something that hasn't happened, already happened, or is happening with no connection to the character, plot, or world. For example, let's say I describe the jagged rocks again but this time, instead of tripping over them the narrator explains that the character doesn't like peanut brittle.

 

[georgelee5786]

I agree. Make the characters more human being have them do illogical things

 

[EldritchCoomer]

Adding pointless stuff does add characterization or world building only if you can relate it to either a character or the world. For example, let's say I describe some jagged rocks a paragraph before and the have a character trip over some of them because he is doesn't have good coordination. This affects both the world and the character as it gives us something, which causes an action, and ends with us learning that the character isn't coordinated. An example of a poor use of pointless wordage would be a long the lines of rambling about something that hasn't happened, already happened, or is happening with no connection to the character, plot, or world. For example, let's say I describe the jagged rocks again but this time, instead of tripping over them the narrator explains that the character doesn't like peanut brittle.

LoL. I was actually picturing characters doing something random or not engaging with the plot directly for a period of time to just goof around, but that. That just sounds like bad writing

 

[Paul_Tromba]

LoL. I was actually picturing characters doing something random or not engaging with the plot directly for a period of time to just goof around, but that. That just sounds like bad writing

Goofing around and not engaging the plot directly isn't bad and creates a lot of character development. It's just when it doesn't flow with the story that it becomes bad writing.

 

[Empyrea]

I really enjoy writing my cute fluffy chapters. They humanize my characters and give them a break from their frankly horrible lives. My novel has the tragedy tag after all.

You can also add fluff to strengthen the bond between your characters, making their decisions later have more impact. Honestly you can probably make a lot of things relevant to your story if you go into it planning for them to be.