CC, Is it essential?

I really don’t mind if there is CC or not!
Even when there is I usually just change little things about the MC (eyes/ eyebrow shape) to try and keep them as close as the author created them!

Im writing my first story as well and I decide to add limited CC for the sake of the story!
They can only change the features I wanted, some of them are important so I removed them!

But is ultimately up to you!

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Usually, I love customizing my characters, but if the story is interesting to me, I’ll still read it without CC!

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The fact that it’s changing doesn’t make a huge difference. Well, it does sometimes due to plot reasons or if somebody is supposed to be a specific race or ethnicity. It’s just that sometimes too much customisation interrupts the flow of a story. It can be put in more naturally but more often than not it’s just plopped on me before I even begin the story. Not that this is always a bad thing because I understand that it might be the way a lot of people like it I just personally don’t like it. I don’t really want full CC because I feel like it would mess with the flow but I don’t even know anymore, again with the seeing all perspectives thing lol.

Thanks. At times I definitely like to change a few things as well so I understand you.

Thanks for the feedback :blush:.

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I voted that for that very same reason. Ive never cared that much, however i know some some stories that I couldn’t get myself to read through because the created characters were just :face_vomiting: for me its really just lip color that can really frustrate me lol. What i personally do (and prefer) is to give limited cc- keeping things like skin/hair/eye color/eyes limited. That way characters with specific background or features will have what the writer envisions, but also making the reader feel like they have some amount of control in who the characters is. So if your character is asian you can limit eyes to shapes that are typical to asians, or if they’re black you can limit the skin colors to only dark tones. Its a nice lil compromise! I think there are some stories that work fine with no cc, especially those that are REALLY well written and have other choices the reader can make, also if a chapter is especially long no cc is good.

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That makes sense, and I do agree that too much customization interrupts the flow of the story. It does bother me when a story has me customizing every last person, and I have to customize someone new every few chapters. Personally, all I want to customize is the MC, and everyone else can just be set.

As for the up-front customizing, I’m of mixed feelings. I get that it can be annoying if you just want to get to the story, but I also prefer to get it out of the way asap so that it doesn’t interrupt me later. So I really have no strong preferences on that.

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“eyes/ eyebrow shape” speaks to me so hard. Some of the eyebrow options are so distracting to me! I personally find myself changing lips a lot, too, just because some colors are so jarring.

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In my story, I’m only allowing the LI to be customized that’s it.

I asked this question weeks ago and I got a lot of responses.
Speaking in general, people don’t mind about CC (most of them won’t even change the character) but they are bothered by things like the lip shade not matching the skin tone… Although, of course, there are people who won’t read stories without CC.
I recommend you to only put CC if you feel like your story should have it, if not, then don’t.
But keep in mind a that CC would probably give you more reads (if you’re entering a contest)
Happy to help :blush::blush:

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Im with you on the whole “plopped cc” at the very beginning haha I know its nice for a new writer to do that bc its a whole lot easier to maneuver the script, but once you get some experience under the belt I think the best way to introduce cc is to cleanly transition to it. So for example say theres a character you let the reader customize, instead of jumping into some jarring cc menu, youd do somethin like: “oh great, its that scumbag Paul. Ugh just look at that dumb face” and then you’d show Paul standin there bein a scum and have cc quietly sneak in to let the reader customize paul.

Yes or if in the first scene with said character have the character say a few lines of dialogue that somewhat reflects on them and then zoom in on them. This is my favourite way for authors to do it.

Oh thanks. I’ve been getting the same impression and no I’m not entering a contest (I go very off course sometimes and spend hours doing random stuff that is only slightly related to my story lol).

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I relate to this so much :joy: :joy:

Haha :sweat_smile:. Probably isn’t the best thing but I suppose it’s all part of the process. Right? lmao

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Of course, little details are amazing! Even if it takes 2 hours and only takes place for 6 seconds in te story :sweat_smile:

Yes. I feel so accomplished and then I realise it’s literally going to be 2 seconds long.

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I like having CC, wether I can change the character’s name or not. If their actions and beliefs don’t reflect mine then I just pretend I’m an actress lmao

That’s actually a really nice way of looking at it.

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