Does any doll you buy have to fit a story?

Not necessarily, but it helps.
1. Or else I would want too many dolls
2. I get a clearer view of how I want them to look.

Though if I must have a doll, but it isn't fit for a pre-existing character, then I just make a new story. If it's the right doll for me, then that isn't all that hard.

 

Sometimes yes, but usually, the doll is purchased and then written into the story... Sometimes the dolls change because the character in the story did something... Or the character died, so the doll needs to become someone else. So mainly I just do whatever i feel like, lol.

 

Yeah. that's what i think about it too.^^
it's funnier to buy things for a physically existing thing than a character only in your mind or on the paper.
that's the reason i get into bjd's

 

I dont usually do that most of the time I make a character off the doll after I get to know it better rather then trying to find someone to match one of my characters.

 

I don't buy my dolls for characters or stories. I buy them because they're beautiful. They might appear in photostories, but that's never my main intention.

The only other reason I might buy a doll is to get a younger looking doll to be sort of a little sister to my more mature ladies.

 

With me, I think I have an idea of a personality when I love the sculpt but they don't "speak" to me of their true nature til after I physically have them. My PKF Bonnie "Sofie" came home because I loved her sculpt and wanted the opportunity to photograph a pretty sculpt with a backstory once I figured one out. For weeks, she had on this wig that, I thought, was cute but something didn't click with me. She didn't feel right and no story I made up for her fit her. Then, on a whim, I tried on another wig that I had bought and in an instant her tomboy personality came through and I love her even more now. My PKF Zoe "Harlow Presley" was meant to be part of Sofie's existence, her sister, and as cute as she is, she has no real personality. She just exists. So, I'm currently working on her look to have a personality come through. I'm also rethinking her role in my collection. Will she exist in her Sofie's world? Will she have her own life but interact with Sofie occasionally? Or will she become an art doll where I use props with for photography sake, without a backstory?

Now, my PukiPukis are an issue to me. With me PKFs I had the long wait time so I had their rooms and such prepared, but not with the PukiPukis (both were adopted and received within 2 months of eachother and I received each within a week of adopting them). I love their size because I have a 1:12 dollhouse and invested $$ in alot of furniture...so they have a space and purpose but I have no backstory and none of their personalities are showing itself. They haven't really "spoken" to me and I don't know if they'd even fit in the same story as my PKFs because of the size difference, especially when my PKFs are supposed to be children.

So to make this short and answer the question, no I don't have set stories for each of my dolls before I get them. They tell me who they are afterwards, but yes, they do need a name, personality, and a story to make them worth the investment to me.

 

The first BJD I've actually bought was bought to fulfil a preexisting character. My best friend got into BJDs, and she created the family of characters which she planned to create, and I then created characters to interact with them. For me, it has a lot to do with character, that's what I have in mind when I go looking for sculpts (some I just look at and drool over, but if I consider getting one, then it's always for a specific character). I don't know why but I think it migt have something to do with the fact that I'm an author - I deal with and create a lot of characters all the time, and so it's just natural for me to do it that way round.

 

My first BJD is a Fantasy doll with horns, wings, and hooves. I love the fact he is so versatile, so photostories are going to be very easy to make. To me dolls with extra parts , or fantasy looks give them a third aspect that I love, making them fit into a story better. That meaning, yes, when I buy a doll I look for if they would fit into a interesting story.

 

[[Edited.]]

 

My first doll ended up becoming a pre existing character by accident. I was looking to buy a bjd and was looking around for one I liked that was affordable and I really liked the look of the AOD Chi (I'm a sucker for large eyes and pointy ears). I was going to originally get him with normal skin and order a dark brown wig, but then I saw this silver wig and thought "Oh my god it's Tovarious!" so I got the silver wig and ordered him with white skin and when he didn't come with blue eyes I ordered a pair and he's been my Tovi ever since.

On the other hand, I'm in the process of getting a Doll Leaves Xavor and I just really liked him when I saw him. I don't have many OCs that aren't furries so I don't have a character in mind. I don't even know what color I want his hair to be yet! I'm waiting til he comes and his personality manifests itself. Then he'll be his own character and not from a story. Incidentally, the Jax he's coming with does have a character lined up, but that didn't play into my decision for getting the Xavor. Just a neat bonus. XD

 

I just let my doll become whatever I/she wants. I make stories around her, without forcing her to fit into any particular role.

 

Hmmm...I don't even have the impulse to buy a doll if they don't fit into my plans most of the time...right now I can't remember even one doll that I didn't buy just because they wouldn't fit into the story. There are several dolls that I find pretty, and attractive, and would love to see in person...but I don't really want to own them...just the ones that I'm looking to embody my planned characters into

 

I haven't gotten my first bjd yet (still saving), but he doesn't have a story, and might not. It all depends on once I get him, whether he will be a doll I love and carry around or have a background story and everything. I think I'll give him a personality for sure though.

I know a lot of people who pick a doll for a character, but as I'm not a writer, I'd be in a real doll-slump if I based it off a character in something I wrote.

 

I have to have a pre-existing character planned out for my doll. Buying a doll merely on it's looks does not go well for me, espcially if I don't have a name for it. I've tried both ways and the dolls that came without character were out the door in no time.

 

I guess not, the doll I have doesn't have a story at all, even though I wish she did. I feel like my creativity is horrid right now I can't think of anything to do with her! but she's very beautiful! i think once i get the right wig and outfit i can make her have a story.

 

My dolls' characters don't exist really before they arrive and I do their face-up, but if I find myself considering a new addition I have to be reasonably sure they'll fit in to the existing line-up so there'll be a reason for them to interact with the others. There have been a few dolls I've liked the look of but passed over because I just couldn't see a way to make them plausibly fit in with the rest of my cast. That's the main reason I don't have any Pukis - they're cute little things, but they're on a different scale to the rest of my dolls. Likewise I'd love one of the AoD 90cm boys, but he'd be pretty lonely by himself as he would be a good 20cm taller than my tallest doll, which is my Hound.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't want to limit the dolls I bought to only getting story characters. Maybe that's why I have so many???

The last part is true for me... I just make up a new story for them if it's the doll I want!!!

 

I get dolls for the way they looks, especially since I'm not into making character dolls. It's great for me, because I can set up guidelines on buying dolls like: only SDs, boys, etc.

Currently trying to stick to only Dollzone. I have no clue if it'll work, but maybe.

 

Absolutely. I have to have a running theme going in my mind otherwise I feel like I have nothing - no where to start, nothing to go on, ect. I can't buy a doll on impulse unless I feel that doll is going to "fit". The first two dolls I got were for a specific project of mine that I'm still working on. The rest exist in a "story" I made just for them. However its flexible enough to allow for some diversity and allow my creativity within the bounds of their world. I think sometimes making up my own "rules" for things I enjoy is part of the fun for me, maybe? Who knows, but I am a former D&D gamer if that's any indication!

 

No. So far I've only wanted bjds for my stories, but there are a few that I just want to have because I like their face up, and sculpt.