CREATING CHARACTERS FOR YOUR NOVEL

Creating Characters for Your Novel

Have you ever had a friend with whom you could talk only about surface topics? Once you’ve discussed work, weather, shopping trends, sports, movies, or perhaps the latest gossip, the conversation dies, and an awkward silence ensues. Time to call it a night.

Some folks will not grant you access to their inner psyche. You know little about what they wrestle with, what makes them tick, how they interpret their world, or how they truly feel about life.

These types of relationships are one-dimensional and can make for weak and shallow experiences.

Likewise, if you create one-dimensional characters, your readers will find it difficult to engage in your story. Strive to create your main characters in such a way that your readers will develop empathy for them—cause your readers to either love them or hate them, to root for them or to hope for their demise, to admire them or to pity them.

Furthermore, your main character should grow from his/her journey. They should enter the story with some type of flaw or weakness and experience a transformation by the end of the plot. Do they learn a significant lesson? Mature on some level? Gain new insight into themselves? Change their outlook on a particular aspect of life? This transformation process is known as character arc.

If you have written your first draft without considering who your characters are in depth, it’s not too late. Note that it is unnecessary to present every character of your novel in depth because most will remain on the peripheral of your story, playing minor roles in the plot. But you will need to reveal your protagonist, antagonist, and any other major characters in three dimensions.

The first dimension includes the basics: name, age, looks, etc. The second dimension delves into the development of their personality and motivations. Finally, the third dimension touches on the core of their character to include their moral makeup and depth of conscience.

One effective method for producing three-dimensional characters is to create a character bio sheet. Allot one or two pages for each character that you want to develop and answer the questions below. Then integrate these traits, in small doses, throughout your story.

For additional inspiration search the web for “character bio for novels” and you will discover hundreds of prompts to help you mold real life characters.

FIRST DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

·         Character’s full name? Nickname?    

·         Age, height, weight, ethnicity, race?

·         Place of birth? Marital status? Family?

·         Type of environment they thrive in (city, mountains, oceanside)?

·         Education? Career?

·         Diet (junk food, vegetarian, home-cook, restaurants)?

·         Mode of dress?

·         Defining scars, tattoos, piercings?

·         Habits, quirks, pet peeves?

SECOND DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

·         What is their goal or purpose in the story?

·         What in life motivates them (money, love, approval, purpose, good deeds, pleasure)?

·         What fills their spare time (hobbies, volunteer pursuits, laziness)?

·         What are some past successes? Failures?

·         What is their temperament (optimist, pessimist, extrovert, introvert)?

·         What are some of their character strengths and weaknesses? Successes and failures?

·         What are some defining events from their past and how were they shaped by these events? (accidents, illnesses, wins, losses, relationships, etc.).

THIRD DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

·         What are their religious and political views?

·         How do they define right from wrong? What type of conscience do they possess?

·         What was their upbringing like and how were they impacted by it (scars, unhealed wounds, traditions)?

·         Do they have any secrets (jail time, legal problems, deep regrets)?

·         How do they view the world and their place in it?

·         What is their psychological makeup/background (depression, PTSD, dysfunctional family, well-balanced, etc.)?

Another technique for developing your characters is to place them in various imaginary scenarios and decide how they will respond. What if they found a wallet on the sidewalk filled with one thousand dollars? What if they backed into an unmanned car and busted a taillight? What if they learned that they had six months to live?

Be creative. Use your imagination. Draw from your own experiences and the experiences of people you’ve known throughout life.

Keep in mind that you will likely not use all the information you create, but your bios will serve two important purposes:  First, they will give you fodder for inspiration as you rewrite and attempt to fill in any gaps within your story. Second, your bios will provide a reference point to keep you on track so that your main character, who is a six-foot tall basketball player in chapter one does not inadvertently become a five-foot-six-inch hockey player in chapter ten!

Finally, it is unnecessary to communicate all three dimensions right away. You may want to introduce the first dimensional characteristics within the first few chapters. As the plot progresses, weave in the remaining dimensions through memory, flashbacks, dialogue, action, other characters’ reactions, and so forth. The process should be a perpetual unveiling.