Making A Character

Not sure you fit in with the Berry Crowd? Worried you might not be interesting enough? If so you came to the right place!

This page will give you some tips and tricks on how to make a great Strawberry Shortcake character.

Name
For a series based on foods and sweets the names are limit-less! It's understandable that repeats are bound to happen, and in the case they do, don't throw a fuss. Try to work with it or find a new name.

There's no real way to screw this up, as long as you don't name the character after one already established unless it's an alternate persona of them. Also keep in mind if you decide to break the chain, don't overdo it. In most cases, some people may try to make an overly impressive name to show-off how special their character is, like Sweet Lily Golden Sunset, for example.  

Yes, some people do that. This is a character, not a perfume brand or crayon color.

If you find yourself in this situation, just try to break down the name into something more suitable, like:

Lily Gold, Sunset Sweet, Golden Lily, Sweet Lily, etc.

If you struggle and wish to come up with something meaningful- try to think of something in relation to the character. A pale cutie from a cold region could be frozen treat themed, if there's a berry girl whose family runs a tropical resort, go with a tropical fruit.

You can even make up your own name, or learn to spell the same name differently. For example, take Lemon. If you want a Lemon-themed girl but don't want to copy Lemon Meringue, you could try think of an alternate Lemon item to name her after, or try to spell the name in a new way, like Lemen/Remon/Lemin/etc.

Theme Colors
This is what makes a character. They can be colors fitting their personality, based on the item they are made from, and so fourth. Just take a look at the real cast:
 * Strawberry Shortcake: Pink, White, Green
 * Lemon Meringue: Yellow, Pastel Blue, Light Green
 * Raspberry Tart/Torte: Raspberry (a shade between pink and purple), Fuchsia, Pink, Purple, Pastel Green
 * Plum Pudding: Purple, Powder Blue
 * Blueberry Muffin: Blue, Violet, Green
 * Orange Blossom: Orange, Peach, White
 * Cherry Jam: Magenta, Light Purple, Purple
 * Huckleberry Pie: Dark Blue, Green
 * Sweet Grapes: Lavender, Lilac, Powder Blue, Pink
 * Sour Grapes: Black, Neon Green, Purple
 * Apple Dumplin: Red, Gold, Yellow, White, Orange

If all else fails you could also designate colors based on the characters type of personality.
 * Passionate, bold, hot-blooded - Red, Orange
 * Energetic, perky, bright - Yellow or other Vibrant shades
 * Shy, gentle - Pastels or Pale shades, White
 * Flirty, friendly, sweet - Pink, or shades bordering on red or purple
 * Lonely, keeps to themself, or mature and intellectual - Darker colors, shades of blue or grey.
 * Mysterious - White or Black

Remember to get creative! If a specific shade is overused try to go for a variation; for example, if you want to make a green girl but it's used too often, try cyan or teal.

Symbol
An icon in which to identify your character. For example, Strawberry has a full strawberry, Raspberry and the Grape twins has several spheres to make up their symbol, and some even have flower accents. Usually the symbol is based on the food, but can be inspired by their career.

Pet
Keep in mind that not everyone has one. They're not necessary, and there really isn't any rules when it comes to making them.

Appearance
This one can either be really easy or difficult. You may have a design in mind to begin with, or you might not. Not only that, but you need to be careful to avoid "Mary-Sue" territory. You want to be descriptive so that others can picture the character, but don't overdo it or else risk making her sound like Perfection Reincarnated.

Here are some examples:

Physical
No - ''She has tan skin and pink eyes. Her hair is blue. ''

Keep in mind that isn't bad, but it doesn't offer much.

Yes - ''Pineapple Aloha has tanned skin from working outdoors. Her long, azure hair is held in a pair of low braided pigtails accent by pineapple clips. She has bright pink eyes. ''

Again, descriptive is good. But don't overdo it, like this:

No - Banana Custard has long, flowing hair as gold as the morning sun and as soft as wool curled on the edges like the gentle ruffles of a dress. Her large gold eyes are said to resemble glistening gold, while her creamy soft skin accents her petite frame.

See how obnoxious that is? You don't need to drop everything from that, but try to make it sound more humble, like this:

Yes - Banana Custard has soft fair skin and a pair of large golden eyes. Her long gold hair has curls on the end to match her ruffled bangs and fringe. She has a petite/small frame.

Clothing
Same as above. Be descriptive but dont overdo it. If you're stuck just look at other character outfits, or try to think of a way to modify the outfits worn by the girls.

For example, Plum wears a dress with stockings, ballerina flats with leg warmers, and a bolero. You could give your character a blouse worn over a frilly dress or skirt, and keep her flats but remove the tights and/or leg warmers.

Occupation
While having a job isn't entirely manditory, mostly everyone has something that makes them special or gives them purpose. Just try to think of something that fits them, or have her assist someone else with an established job if you're unable to.

For example, she could work at her families business, or maybe she's an assistant to Blueberry at her book store.

Personality
A girl needs personality. But this is the biggest problem, right there. Mary-sues often have the 'perfect' personality. Or people copy the character they color-over. For example, a Strawberry Shorcake recolor may be described as "A beautiful and popular berry girl who everyone adores. She is often requested for help, and loves to see others smile. She does her berry best and loves to bake. Strawberry is envious of her popularity."

Not only is that ruining an already established character, but it gives your character no room for growth.

Instead try to go in another direction by giving her some natural appeal. For example:

''She admires Strawberry Shortcake and wishes to become as selfless as she is. She enjoys baking and lending Strawberry a hand, but she's a bit clumsy and has a tendency to spill things. She also likes to help others and always tries her berry best. ''

People like realistic characters, don't trash an official character just to make yours seem better. Even if your character relates to Strawberry it doesn't mean she has to be a selfless and mature type of berry girl who aspires to become a baker like her. She could be a tomboy who hates helping others, or an immature type who admires someone else.

Final notes
Remember to be creative with your character and most of all, have fun!

Now that you read this, you are ready to make your own Fan Character!