Chapter 91: Using a Roommate as a Prototype to Set Characters

To Cao Sheng, Ai Qian was merely a book fan.

Just that this book fan was cute and charming, somewhat good-looking, and appeared quite wealthy; that was all.

Returning to his residence, he cast Ai Qian from his mind, brewed a cup of tea, and went to the second-floor study.

Opening the computer, he suddenly realized he had drunk some wine tonight, his mind was a bit sluggish, and it was unsuitable for typing.

But going to sleep at this time was a bit too early, likely to disrupt his biological clock.

So he opened the outline of "Divine Tomb," thinking to try and see if he could perfect this outline.

To be honest, he actually had a few ideas.

He wanted to adapt the behavior of his former roommate Wei Dongming today and place it into the outline of "Divine Tomb."

Imagine: If the female protagonist of "Divine Tomb" were introduced to the male protagonist by a supporting character like Wei Dongming, wouldn't that be quite interesting?

Claiming verbally that she was his lover, yet after introducing her to the male protagonist, having her deny it with her own mouth, seemed somewhat interesting.

"No! The female protagonist appearing this way might make some readers dislike it; then let's arrange this plot for a female supporting character..."

Cao Sheng muttered to himself, feeling that Wei Dongming's behavior today would be a pity not to write into his novel; in real life, not everyone could contribute such inspiration to him.

Thus, he arranged this small plot for a female supporting character in the outline of "Divine Tomb."

Novels, this thing, have long been said to have two writing methods.

One is a method where the plot drives the characters.

The other is to shape distinct characters one by one, then derive all plots based on these characters' identities, backgrounds, personalities, and other information; occasionally adding a bit of coincidence or accident can derive all the plots of the entire book.

The plots of the first writing method are often more brilliant; all plots are under the author's control, the story quality of the plots will be stronger, and the plot structure will be more logical.

Whereas the plots of the second writing method might have contradictions or even absurdities, but some main characters in the book might be shaped quite vividly, like living people with flesh and blood; if the main characters are shaped in a way that readers do not dislike, works written with this method can often attract readers to keep reading by the charm of the characters in the book, even if the story's plot might torture readers to death, many readers will persist in reading because they like a certain character or a few characters in the book.

Previously, when Cao Sheng wrote "Days Living with a Flight Attendant," he used the second writing method.

He focused his writing on shaping the male and female protagonists; the image and personality of the female protagonist, Ran Jing, were developed sufficiently to make her likable, earning readers' affection.

He shaped the male protagonist, Ding Yang, as a bit roguish and a bit lazy, but with a kind nature and a sincere heart, making readers not dislike him.

Then, in the process of designing their love, he further displayed Ran Jing's goodness and slightly improved readers' perception of Ding Yang, making readers gradually like the character Ding Yang as well.

Only by shaping both these characters to be liked by readers would readers feel heartbroken and moved when the plot advanced to Ran Jing's death; only by improving readers' perception of the male protagonist Ding Yang would readers have interest in continuing to watch Ding Yang's solo performance after Ran Jing's death.

It can be said that when Cao Sheng previously compiled the outline for "Days Living with a Flight Attendant," all plots served to shape the male and female protagonists.

This is a work that prioritizes character shaping.

Of course, such a design is very difficult for readers to notice.

It is the effort outside the main text of the work.

As for the book "I Wish to Become an Immortal," Cao Sheng mainly used the first writing method, using pre-set plots to drive character changes.

When the plot requires it, the personalities of the various characters in the book will change accordingly.

For example, becoming mature.

For example, a sudden awakening of conscience.

For example, a sudden darkening.

Or a sudden great enlightenment, reforming one's ways, putting down the butcher's knife and becoming a Buddha on the spot.

Etc.

Even when the plot requires it, characters in the book can suddenly change sex (such as cutting off their genitals with a knife, or being sent directly to the palace).

Of course, in the outline of the book "I Wish to Become an Immortal," there is no plot of characters changing sex.

As for "Divine Tomb," which is currently having its outline compiled, Cao Sheng intends to combine the two writing techniques.

He focused on shaping distinct characters one by one, including the male and female protagonists, important supporting characters, and various major villains.

Regarding the plots of these characters, he derives the plots based on the pre-set character personalities.

But for supporting characters and extras outside these main characters, he uses the writing method where the plot drives character changes.

This writing method easily turns these characters into stereotypical roles.

But he feels there is no problem; as long as the main characters' personalities are distinct enough, writing some unimportant supporting characters and extras as stereotypical might make it easier for readers to remember these characters.

And the character Cao Sheng just set based on Wei Dongming is a supporting character with a relatively distinct personality.

Regarding the future plots of this character, Cao Sheng plans to decide in the coming period by observing Wei Dongming's changes.

To shape characters with distinct personalities in a work, finding a character prototype in reality is naturally the most worry-free and labor-saving, and also the most effective.

What Cao Sheng did not know was that while he was using Wei Dongming as a character prototype to set characters, in the dormitory where he used to live, Wei Dongming was fighting with several roommates.

The reason was that the roommates, having heard from someone, all knew that Ai Qian, the girlfriend Wei Dongming claimed to have, had denied with her own mouth tonight that she was Wei Dongming's girlfriend.

Such a funny thing; several roommates who were already not getting along well with Wei Dongming started trading barbs, sarcastically and coldly mocking Wei Dongming.

Wei Dongming, who was already very depressed, how could he endure such stimulation?

Immediately, he questioned Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi, asking which of them had leaked this matter.

But Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi both denied it.

Wei Dongming did not believe that neither of them had spoken.

In extreme anger, he resorted to violence.

He beat both Pang Yunhai and Guan Zhi.

He also threw things at Song Chao and others, looking as if he intended to take on the entire dormitory by himself.

The result was naturally without suspense; he was not some martial arts master; how could he possibly take down the entire dormitory by himself?

The next day, when Cao Sheng arrived at the classroom, he was surprised to find Pang Yunhai with a bruised eye; Guan Zhi's lip was broken and scabbed; Song Chao was walking with a limp; and Zheng Xiaoqiang had two band-aids on his forehead.

At this moment, Zhai Jun sat down beside Cao Sheng with a book in hand, smiling; Cao Sheng raised his chin to indicate Pang Yunhai and the others, "What's wrong with them? What happened?"

At Cao Sheng's question, Zhai Jun, who had just sat down, laughed, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Two classmates nearby were also snickering.

Their laughter made Cao Sheng even more curious, and he hurriedly pressed for details.

Under his questioning, Zhai Jun and the others lowered their voices and, speaking one after another, recounted how Wei Dongming had challenged the entire dormitory to a duel last night.

As he listened, a line flashed through Cao Sheng's mind: "Whose general is this? So valiant?"

Wei Dongming had actually dared to challenge the entire dormitory single-handedly.

This truly surprised him.

Then he realized Wei Dongming had not yet come to class; throughout the entire morning, Cao Sheng had not seen Wei Dongming's figure.

It was said that Wei Dongming had been beaten black and blue last night, but no one had dealt him a severe blow; it was all just flesh wounds, and he had already gone to the school infirmary to be treated last night.

Zhai Jun and the others estimated that Wei Dongming, feeling depressed and with his face black and blue, was probably too embarrassed to come to class.

At noon that day, after eating in the cafeteria, Cao Sheng returned to his residence, went straight to the study on the second floor, and adapted Wei Dongming's feat of challenging the entire dormitory last night, weaving it into the plot of "Divine Tomb."

He suddenly felt that using people around him as prototypes to shape the characters in the book was a very good choice.

He looked forward even more to Wei Dongming's performance in the coming period.