How cool is your character?

I don't often write stories... But the few times I've participated in RPs on LV, I've mostly created new characters for the stories themselves. Some have been good, others I didn't like as much.
To answer the first question: It depends on what your definition of "OC" is. If it's any fictitious character or persona I have conjured up over tmie, I may well have a hundred or so. But, if it's only those characters you really took the time to develop and hold a special place in your heart, then the number reduces drastically. However, I'd still have to take a closer look in order to verify how many, but I'd probably never really settle down on an exact number.
To answer the second and fourth question: It truly depends on the character. For some, the names came after. Despond is a unique example: His name's obvious meaning helped shape and define his already somewhat-clear personality. Also worth noting is that I have trouble finding names. As in I always take so looong... My end choice usually ends up good though.
To answer the third question: Concept art comes in pretty early in the design since I draw (crappily but still)
To answer the fifth question: Yes! It's a requirement! I have to be comfortable with the character's name!
To answer the last question: None, really. :x
I'd also like to make the important note that most of my characters have never been released into the internets because of my childhood fear: plagiarism. Though recently, I've considered doing so anyway and taking measures, but I have not gotten to that yet.

 

When I create an OC, or even a character in general, I choose names with meaning and character. One such example is a character for an RP. Her name is Erimentha, which means "determined protector".

Usually, I'll draw them myself. But half the time, I scrap the OCs because I never use them.
In the current story I'm writing, Greyscale, I'm not using OCs. Instead, I'm using background characters and fleshing them out.

 

1: A lot. Ones that matter for the majority of a series? 6 in Delta Effect (with four more written and named that I never got around to implementing), and eight so far in my next story, with 2 (4 expanded) and 2 being baddies, each.

2: I put a lot of thought into my OC names, partly since I almost never use canon characters, and my names usually have a lot of forethought and research for an appropriate name (sometimes I just want them to sound right). For instance, my next story is going to include a male character who is, boiled down, the arrogant smartypants type (who can back up his arrogance). Right now his name is slated to be Leon Aspen, Leon for the lion and pride reference, and Aspen because maybe he was going to be a Professor like all the other tree-named Profs.

3: I can't draw, and I usually get too undescriptive with how these people look, but I'm working on reaching the sweet spot between under- and over-descriptive. Sometimes I make pictures elsewhere, like in Mii Maker, or games like Fallout and Skyrim with pretty good visual character creation; but I've never actually drawn a character. I was going to pay Ravenide to make all my Delta Effect characters, but by now I'm glad I didn't, since hardly half of them got used.

#4&5: See #2

6: Of my original characters, I think I'm going to have Alexa as my continuity character, but so far I like how I'm making Monica (probably the second-to-main chracter) from my next series organic and believable. Smart, organized, and talented enough to show she's a good, competent person; but on the side of that I'm working on making her subtly seductive, just to get a little reaction out of her coworker/teammate/friend characters. She reminds me of someone, I don't know if she's someone I know personally, or a more innocent version of one of James Bond's ladies. Why are my (self-decided) best characters female? Maybe I'm trying to avoid making myself a character.

 

I write stories sometimes. I usually create them in my head and let the ideas boil for a few months. Right now I have maybe 10 characters in the pot, although I only have names for like... two. And those names probably don't mean anything relevant to the characters, but it would be fun it they did. Character design isn't something I delve into, though I'd love to find an artist willing to draw my characters. I have a favorite character, I think, but she hasn't shown up yet in my stories, and she's probably a huge Mary Sue.

I should move some of my stories over here. Although I'd still never finish them.

 

Oh god, where do I start? I have two MAIN OC's (Geist and Lerene Kessler, who are part of my own little personal world thing). I have around 20 or so scattered among fandoms like Pokémon, Digimon, Vocaloid, etc.

I usually name them from things that catch my attention in real life. For example, "Lerene" was supposed to be the name of my sister until my parents decided otherwise. I draw them all myself, but it never hurts to see them in other artists' perspectives!

I've actually started to believe that I MAY have too many OC's. I should recycle/reboot some of them. xD

 

OCs are generally one of the reasons some readers continue to support your work. Them as well as other characters must be made memorable (unless that was your intent). I usually come up with the characters first and then how they themselves fit in the stories.

I have ideas for characters, but they are not the OCs that I believe fall into that category. The scene is usually the independent variable in this scenario.

My drawing skills are fairly lacklustre in my opinion, but I also have a good imagination that allows me to jot down what the characters look like, and maybe sketch them later.

Since my story uses local colour, it is necessary for me to add a little meaning to the characters. The main character of my story, Ikiru Yasashi, translates to "Live Friendly". This not only allows me to use the name as a structure to build upon, but it allows me to add a few more colours to his character that may even contradict what his name means. Irony is something I started getting into.

The names do not usually conflict with my writings, but as a challenge I do try to put those that do somewhere in the story.

As for the last question, it would have to be the character Hayashi Sei-Shun. For potential spoilers, I will not reveal much, but do know that even when faced with a problem, he usually tries to keep his cool and looks for the positive in situations.

My OCs are very personal to me. They not only represent their names, but they also represent my persona and qualities. Whether it be true or fabricated, they represent my own dreams and aspirations as well as my internal troubles.

For an author to put their own experiences in their characters not only allows the character to be more detailed, it allows a connection to be drawn between them and the author.