Has anyone used Floorplanner (or similar programs) to get in touch with their characters?

[RepresentingCaution]

As many of you know, I haven't had time/energy to write for 20 months because of my kid, but that might change if I can get more peace and quiet. I'm not going to burden you with the details, but part of my plan to get back to writing involves setting up my office in its own room. I can't do it quite yet, but I'm hopeful I'll get to carry out my plans within a month. After I get my office set up, I still need to finish editing a novel I have a contract on before I can start having fun, so I still have a long road ahead.

Playing with this program has gotten me thinking . . . how many of you envision rooms for your characters? Bedroom, kitchen, the layout of the entire home? I know maps of fantasy worlds are popular, but a person's private space is much more intimate. I'd like to see any drawings or models you have! If you don't have anything yet, but you think it would be fun, here's the program I recommend:

Floorplanner | Online Floor Planner & 3D Room Planner Tool

Create 2D floor plans & 3D room designs online. Easy home design software for everyone - perfect for personal use, retail, real estate & more. All with Floorplanner

floorplanner.com

The thing about my project here is that the furniture colors aren't accurate, but the dimensions matter more for my purposes since I'm working with a small room. For example: the writing desk that looks white here is actually tiger maple and folds up. I'm using the unfolded dimensions for the purposes of my project. Also, it came from my grandmother. I expect that if you're doing this to figure out your characters, you can focus on choosing pieces of furniture that suit your character's personality rather than getting the closest thing you can find to the furniture you already have, even though the color of the furniture in the model is an insult to the real thing.

 

[NitroxDarks]

I didn't know this even existed, :OOO. Also, whenever I read your pronouns section under your profile image... let's just say I always get caught off guard. I'll try this, shyly, thanks Q_Q .

 

[BenJepheneT]

I find it difficult to empathize with writers who use third-party external apps to help with their craft. I mean, aside from a simple notebooks or a second word file for drafting purposes I can pretty much commit most elements in my head.

I was genuinely terrified for the first few months in this forum thinking I'm doing something wrong cause' everyone's using some variation of a flowchart or a bookkeeper but when I read their stories they usually have just as much if not less elements than mine.

In this case, yeah, it's fun to toy with a floorplanner to see how your character's rooms look like but if you have to genuinely use an app like this to keep track on how a room looks like I'm gonna label you an NPC. You just imagine a room. You don't need a 3D modelling app for that.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I find it difficult to empathize with writers who use third-party external apps to help with their craft. I mean, aside from a simple notebooks or a second word file for drafting purposes I can pretty much commit most elements in my head.

I was genuinely terrified for the first few months in this forum thinking I'm doing something wrong cause' everyone's using some variation of a flowchart or a bookkeeper but when I read their stories they usually have just as much if not less elements than mine.

In this case, yeah, it's fun to toy with a floorplanner to see how your character's rooms look like but if you have to genuinely use an app like this to keep track on how a room looks like I'm gonna label you an NPC. You just imagine a room. You don't need a 3D modelling app for that.

I haven't used it for planning my writing yet, but since I like commissioning illustrations for my story, I could see it helping with that. If I can get a good enough model, I could just commission the characters and ask the artist to use the model as the background, drawing the characters over the background.

 

[Kenjona]

As many of you know, I haven't had time/energy to write for 20 months because of my kid, but that might change if I can get more peace and quiet. I'm not going to burden you with the details, but part of my plan to get back to writing involves setting up my office in its own room. I can't do it quite yet, but I'm hopeful I'll get to carry out my plans within a month. After I get my office set up, I still need to finish editing a novel I have a contract on before I can start having fun, so I still have a long road ahead.

Playing with this program has gotten me thinking . . . how many of you envision rooms for your characters? Bedroom, kitchen, the layout of the entire home? I know maps of fantasy worlds are popular, but a person's private space is much more intimate. I'd like to see any drawings or models you have! If you don't have anything yet, but you think it would be fun, here's the program I recommend:

Floorplanner | Online Floor Planner & 3D Room Planner Tool

Create 2D floor plans & 3D room designs online. Easy home design software for everyone - perfect for personal use, retail, real estate & more. All with Floorplanner

floorplanner.com

The thing about my project here is that the furniture colors aren't accurate, but the dimensions matter more for my purposes since I'm working with a small room. For example: the writing desk that looks white here is actually tiger maple and folds up. I'm using the unfolded dimensions for the purposes of my project. Also, it came from my grandmother. I expect that if you're doing this to figure out your characters, you can focus on choosing pieces of furniture that suit your character's personality rather than getting the closest thing you can find to the furniture you already have, even though the color of the furniture in the model is an insult to the real thing.
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The bottles are to high up and should be lower within reach of the desk chair. ;)

 

[NotaNuffian]

That looks like a tiny office space with too much shelves.

Also, how big can the room be?

 

[RepresentingCaution]

The bottles are to high up and should be lower within reach of the desk chair. ;)

Since I'm breastfeeding, I have a limit of one alcoholic drink per day, as stated in the videos my doctor sent me, though it often works out to be more like one a week. I have a limit on caffeine as well, but I don't have to worry about that as much with drinking tea.

 

[AliceShiki]

Usually speaking, I don't think this much about details on layout of rooms and whatnot, so... Not really?

Especially because I usually write stuff on medi-fantasy settings, so I don't even know the exact type of furniture they'd have... I mean, I have a rough idea alright, but it would be hard to seriously try thinking about it in-depth. I'd need to do a lot more research, instead of my usual research of "when were pianos invented" and the like.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

That looks like a tiny office space with too much shelves.

Also, how big can the room be?

It's not for you. It's for me.

If having a big office is a high priority for you, then you are certainly welcome to make different life choices than the ones I make . . .

I would like more space, but with housing prices the way they are, I'm grateful for what I have. I could trade my time for dollars so I could have more office space, but many of those dollars would go towards paying someone to watch my kid, and the thing is I've advanced my parenting skill tree to the point where I am confident in my ability to provide my kid with OP stats by the time he reaches level 18. Aside from that, I enjoy the challenge of parenting, though I certainly need breaks to recharge my emotional energy meter.

 

[NotaNuffian]

It's not for you. It's for me.

If having a big office is a high priority for you, then you are certainly welcome to make different life choices than the ones I make . . .

I would like more space, but with housing prices the way they are, I'm grateful for what I have. I could trade my time for dollars so I could have more office space, but many of those dollars would go towards paying someone to watch my kid, and the thing is I've advanced my parenting skill tree to the point where I am confident in my ability to provide my kid with OP stats by the time he reaches level 18. Aside from that, I enjoy the challenge of parenting, though I certainly need breaks to recharge my emotional energy meter.

Sorry, I thought you were showing us a sample floorplan that is small and called it out.

 

[apexaltra]

I use Homestyler to make models of interiors, which I use for my series' illustrations. It's a little clunky but it gets the job done.

I've got a whole house modeled in it, including different character rooms.

 

[immortal1daoist]

I have used Coohom which is a similar program to floor planner...

 

[NitroxDarks]

I find it difficult to empathize with writers who use third-party external apps to help with their craft. I mean, aside from a simple notebooks or a second word file for drafting purposes I can pretty much commit most elements in my head.

I was genuinely terrified for the first few months in this forum thinking I'm doing something wrong cause' everyone's using some variation of a flowchart or a bookkeeper but when I read their stories they usually have just as much if not less elements than mine.

In this case, yeah, it's fun to toy with a floorplanner to see how your character's rooms look like but if you have to genuinely use an app like this to keep track on how a room looks like I'm gonna label you an NPC. You just imagine a room. You don't need a 3D modelling app for that.

So we're assuming, and also making an uncalled for divide between those who only write notes and those who like to use these kinds of apps? Bro, dunno if you're a jerk or just too naïve? I also don't use anything but my notes, yet I don't go ahead criticizing people who don't only use that, dafuq?

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Sorry, I thought you were showing us a sample floorplan that is small and called it out.

Ah, no worries. The sample plans are always unrealistically pretty.

 

[BenJepheneT]

So we're assuming, and also making an uncalled for divide between those who only write notes and those who like to use these kinds of apps? Bro, dunno if you're a jerk or just too naïve? I also don't use anything but my notes, yet I don't go ahead criticizing people who don't only use that, dafuq?

>"I find it difficult to empathize with people who use apps"
>"If you use a floorplanner to keep track of your character's room you're an NPC"
>somehow this is an uncalled-for divide between writers

you know, reading comprehension comes for cheap these days. you can go pick up some yourself.