Using same characters in different stories

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Ages ago I made up a fictional family to write a story about, but I love these characters so much that I am using them in almost every story that I write (I have about 6 on the go). In each different story the characters all have the same names, ages and appearances (but personalities alter depending on what the story is about), but the stories are not like a series. They're as different to each other as what Family Guy is to the Simpsons, for example.

I suppose this makes it illogical, but the closest to logic I have with this is that these are the same people but in different universes (each story is in a different universe).

Anyway does anyone else who writes use the same set of characters in different stories?

I've done it a few times. For instance, I had used a character in a minor role in one story then made him the central character in another. Other times I've made connections between various stand alone stories.
Robert E. Howard of course would write largely unconnected stories using the same lead characters, most famously Conan the Barbarian.

The novel I just recently finished writing followed one group of people, and now I've got them in a different setting because I couldn't say "Oh, I am done with these characters."

The stories will be usable as a series, but they could also stand alone.

Joe90, what kind of stories are you writing? I know I've seen your work on Amazon, Kraichgauer, but I didn't know Jo wrote until now.

I just write stories as a hobby, although I'm thinking about getting a couple of them published in the future. But anyway, my stories that involve these specific characters are about general family life and are my own version of shows like the Simpsons and other family comedies. I'm even writing my own Supernanny story involving these characters as the family she comes to support.

All right Jo, now I want to know how they go--shows like the Simpsons & Family Guy are my guilty pleasure. I don't enjoy the clownishness of the Simpsons or the shallow crassness of Family Guy but I do think of them as shows with a lot of potential that could be so much better done.

For example--what if Homer Simpson's real motives for life changed gradually? What if Meg Griffin really did depict a realistic response to the abuse she's constantly dealing with from her parents--who I am sure might be mentally handicapped in Peter's case and narcissistic in Lois'. What if Stewie (the original Stewie planning to take over the world, not the present one) is living out fantasies in his head?

So yes, I think about how those might work because I enjoy character development.

I don't watch Family Guy but I'm a big Simpsons fan. In my version I'm making the family British, with the oldest girl being depressed and unpopular but clever, the middle boy being hyperactive and popular but dumb, and the youngest girl being a typical toddler (not non-verbal like Maggie).

I was contemplating on whether to have the oldest child being a dumb, eccentric, lazy, selfish lout like Homer but a teenager, the middle girl being the depressed brainy child and the youngest boy (not a toddler) being the hyperactive and popular child. But I couldn't work out what sort of personality to give the father, he'd just end up being like a background character I don't know what to do with.

Sometimes I make my mind up on how old all the characters are going to be, then as soon as I start writing the story I suddenly wish that I'd created the character's ages differently. I write in notebooks, not on a computer.

Sounds like a neat setup, Jo. I like how you "write what you know" with your surroundings in England. And writing in a notebook is a lot nicer than a computer. Pens, or pencils? I write on looseleaf with a "sit-up-and-beg" typewriter so I don't have to waste paper, but handwriting is so much quieter and can be very relaxing.

I can't write in pencil. I use pen, and tippex if I go wrong (it rubs pen out). The reason I write in notebooks is because I sometimes like to write when in the bath. I can focus quite well in the bath because I can sit still better (I can take a long time to finish a whole story because I have a short attention span). Another reason I use notebooks is so I can take it out with me, as carrying a laptop around can be heavy.

That is really cool!

I'm kind of envious--you actually have a real, honest-to-goodness bathtub! That's fantastic. I am glad I don't have one because I would be in there all the time, especially the big cast-iron kind that holds heat.

Sounds like you've hit upon the plan that works best for you, and it actually seems like a lot of fun. Good luck with the creative process!

I used to write only in notebooks, but in later life I started pounding the keyboard to avoid having to transcribe everything later on, and the habit stuck.

To me the transcription is an unpleasant but necessary part of the creative process. It lets me get it all edited for the first time. I'd never give my original typescripts to anybody but the transcriptions are somewhat tolerable.

Wish I used a notebook, though. Pens are fun.

I rather prefer working on my laptop as I can remove or add text, and make corrections without ever having to reproduce whatever I'm working on.

I have reused characters before, or had a concept from a scrapped story and reworked it.

Sometimes I make some of my old characters on a game of sims, so I see them walking around the neighbourhood, or they might even knock on the door of my sim's house. Alternatively, I might play as one of my characters.

I do all my writing on my laptop (which I don't have at the moment). Occasionally I'll type up a few notes on my phone. Every so often I will doodle ideas and jot down notes, that only make sense to me, in a notebook. I have more experience with writing short stories, usually around ten pages.

However, I might attempt something longer if I am ever inspired to do so again. I'll admit that I tend to start more ideas than I finish.

My characters definitely stick with me after the ending. I might even take a personality quiz pretending to be them, trying to get into their mindset and picking what answers they would.

My favourite character I made up is a 3-year-old girl called Mossie. She's rather tall for her age and has a rather grown-up, strong personality for her age. I love using her as the youngest child, but it seems to go well with her having an older brother and an even older sister. I just like having my fictional families as girl, boy, girl.

And like the above poster mentioned, I also create my fictional family on the Sims. But I have several families of the same names on the same neighbourhood, so when Sim visitors come round to my current lot there are several Sims of the same name and appearance, and it gets a little confusing.

All of my protagonists are based on variations of these tropes.

The well-meaning, yet socially clueless character.
The socially frustrated character whom nobody ever notices.
The successful character who cannot maintain a long-term relationship.
The undiscovered genius character whom nobody takes seriously.
The kind, caring character for whom nobody has romantic feelings.
The happy, serene character who doesn't see what all of the fuss is about.

Y'know ... characters who could be actual members of this website ...