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How to Make a Self Insert/Fandom OC

Solar

• 3 min read
Light and regular blue gradient background. Text reads "Making a Fandom/Self Insert OC!". A doodle of Solar surrounded by two of sea creatures! What fandom this is in reference too...
If you haven’t noticed, I’m a fandom self-insert too, y’know!

Before we start, if you’re looking for how to make an OC in general, you’ll find an article here! Consider this a little supplemental article to that one.

Go look! Seriously! 

Ever thought to yourself, “gosh, other people’s fandom OCs are so cool, but I don’t know how to make one?” Or maybe you’ve got an idea in your head, but you’re used to making characters for your original world and the idea of making a fandom OC is fresh and new? Well, this article is for you! 

To start, two quick definitions:

  • A ‘self insert’ is often a version of yourself, the author, that you’re creating to put into a story; basically a persona (sona) or sorts. It’s you, but with powers or a backstory that fits the world you’re making the self insert for.
  • A fandom OC is a character you make to insert into an existing work, and is actually usually the way the term ‘OC’ (original character) is used as most writers describe their characters in their original works as just ‘my characters’. 

For this article’s purposes, we’re just gonna focus on how to make a character for a pre-established setting or work so that this can also apply to collab worlds on Unvale!

The sleepy self insert vs. the non-sleepy fandom OC… knowing the difference could save your life!

To put it simply, you don’t need a deep understanding of a work to make a character for it; but personally, I think the research is what makes it all the more fun! When you’re a big enough fan of something, you often start to note down interesting questions that you have about the world, and things that excite you about.

Think about your favourite piece of media or fandom for a second.

Some works are perfectly made for fan characters, like one of my personal favourites, Splatoon. As you can see here, there are hundreds of Splatoon Inklings and Octolings that could all exist in the same world! 

So, the first thing I’d suggest if you want to create a fandom character is use pre-existing lore as inspiration.

Some potential ways you could go about it:

  • Maybe you hear about a character and never see them, and you want to create your own OC version of them
  • Maybe you love a certain species of characters and you want to make your own
  • Or, maybe you just want to daydream about being in the world to date your favourite character!

Having a specific base idea is always the best place to start.

Personally, I like using the rules set in place by the story to help design my characters; as an example, the Sheikah tribe of The Legend of Zelda series almost always have white hair, so my Sheikah OC would too! But making OCs is supposed to be fun, and if you have something in mind already that doesn’t fit the story, it’s okay to bend the rules and just have fun!

I’d also recommend looking at other community member’s fandom OCs using the search feature on the explore page. You might be able to make some new friends, and maybe some friends for your new character!

Or maybe new rivals!

Wanna see some fandom OCs? Check these ones out!