For the last few months, many bloggers and marketing folk have been talking up the pros and cons of so-called “character blogs”, weblogs written by fictional or imaginary people. You know, like Batman blogging, or a company’s mascot, or a now-fictional corporate figurehead like Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemima. I think character blogs could be pretty fun reading, however, as I talked about in my Q&A What’s a Character Blog?
Now that the storm of discussion about character blogs has passed and everyone seems to be able to at least grin and bear it, if not embrace it wholeheartedly, I have a question to ask: What fictitious characters would make a great character blog?
I think about my favorite novels and think that there are some amusing short-term blog possibilities, like Casaubon in Foucault’s Pendulum, or even James Bond in some of Fleming’s more amusing writing. Sherlock Holmes (or, better, Watson) in a few mysteries, unraveled before our eyes entry-by-entry?
Arthur Dent from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy could be brilliant, or Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings, or what about even having Harry Potter blogging? (actually, Draco Malfoy would be a more interesting blogger, don’t you think?)
How about Romeo Montague from Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet or Algernon Moncrieff from one of my favorite plays The Importance of Being Earnest, or even a two-author blog with Paul and Connie Bratter writing about being Barefoot in the Park?
Alright, some more random thoughts: Hajji Baba of the fabulous early 1800’s book The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan, Passepartout of Around the World in 80 Days, Tintin of the wonderful comics series, or even unlikely protagonist Robert Langdon of the blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code?
Let your mind wander, there are thousands of characters that could be the basis of some entertaining and engaging weblogs, fictional or otherwise. What comes to mind?
Casanova 😉
Oh! and Nancy Drew 😉
Howard Roark
I can think of lots of fictional characters I’d like to hear from [and I’ll refrain from suggesting President Bush as a fictional character], but the problem is what non-fictional characters would be doing the writing. I want to hear from the fictional characters, not the mere writer who created the fictional characters.
But, let’s start at The Beginning. Both Adam and Eve should have blogs… they can give their respective views on temptation. The snake should have a blog too… surely that vile monster must have *some* socially redeeming characteristics he (?) can write about. And I suppose we’ll have to let God chime in with her (?) own blog as well, especially on the ongoing controversy as to whether seven days literally means seven days and whether we really are obligated to take the commandment against Adultery seriously.
A variation on the fictional character blogging theme is historical figures. Each of the Founding Fathers could offer political commentary on what *they* really meant would they wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It might be a little tricky to get consensus on which non-fictional “characters” should be authorized to write these blogs.
— Jack Krupansky
The existing Darth Vader blog is excellent.
John Connor or the Terminator from Terminator would also be excellent. (A machine wasting time blogging. That could be funny.)
I’ve posted this on my blog as well — I would love to see blogs written by the characters from Joss Whedon’s Buffyverse — Buffy, Spike, Angel et al. To some degree this already exists in fan fiction, but I’d love to see the “real” thing, written by Whedon and his immensely talented group of writers.
This topic seems to get ever more current with time. Now that social network marketing is The Big Thing, and gurus of the subject are hot pickings in job market, the use of fictional presence in blogging, communication and marketing is ever more appealing to companies. It is a way to stand out and build positive brand image.
In this particular use I don’t think popular fictional characters would do. Licence problems are reason nro 1 and people tend to remember the character’s origins first never mind who owns the figure rights now. Connection to new company can be hard to solidify or build without rejection.
I think this works best when you have the fictional character custom designed. Sounds like a job for cartoon figure to me.