How to Write Real Characters

If you think to the books that most stand out in your own mind, you will probably remember the ones that have the best, most memorable characters.



Although a plot brings the reader along, creating that demand to know "what happens next," a good sense of character makes us care. Some writers would even suggest that characters drive the plot of a story, since it is who they are and what kind of choices they make that can cause events to happen.



Creating good, believable, and investible characters can be tricky, but there are a few solid approaches to doing so:

  • Make your character an individual. Early on, identify certain qualities of this person that set him/her apart from others. These qualities can include

    o ways of speaking

        - Accent? Tends to begins sentences with "Well," or end with "you see?" or "right?"

    o appearance:

        - Eyeglasses? Hat? Green eyes?

    o certain behaviors, such as a habit or hobby

         - Polishes eyeglasses when nervous or collects Mongolian stamps?

    o ways of thinking

         - Intuitive? Rash? Logical? Patient?



Not only can this make this person stand out, but it can also suggest a depth to the character that can intrigue the reader. So, the successful CEO with a flaming skull tattoo is suddenly a little more interesting, or the Mafia hitman with a passion for collecting butterflies becomes someone with a history to tell.



However, as important as this unique quality is, it is the depth of the character which will get people to invest.



Watch Out!

  • Writers usually take some time and care with their main characters, but the secondary figures are often simple, even one-dimensional. Try to avoid the temptation to skimp on those figures if they are important to the story. If you’re writing a crime story, and the figure is just "third goon from the left," a brief description might be enough. But if this secondary character affects your hero in any way, make sure to give him/her some identifying/unique characteristics that provide some depth.



  • On a related note, be careful of making your main character, who—let’s admit it—is often a thinly veiled representation of us, too talented, clever, or good to prevent the kind of character examination or development that readers look for.



  • Also, be wary of the "paper tiger" problem: these are secondary figures introduced just so the protagonist looks better: the barroom bully introduced just to be thrashed or the snarky girl introduced just to be shown up by the heroine’s natural grace are examples of one-dimensional figures in need of some development.