The goal of every writer is to craft original characters that readers will remember. In a book, a movie, or a short story – having interesting characters is the key to keeping readers interested. You know we all love a good writer, but let’s be honest – people have always cared the most about characters. Let’s talk about seven tips for making characters that stand out. From giving them detailed backgrounds to showing their growth and relationships. These ideas will help you make your characters feel real. We’ll also discuss the importance of giving characters both strengths and weaknesses and accepting their imperfections. By using these methods, you can make characters that feel like real people and keep readers hooked!
1. Show, don’t tell
Show, don’t tell is one of the main principles in character writing. Instead of just saying they’re brave or kind, demonstrate it through their actions. Let their courage shine through daring deeds, like running into a burning building. Show their kindness through helping others or comforting friends. This not only makes your characters more relatable but also brings them to life.
2. Develop Deep Backstories
Adding layers of depth and realism to your writing is something you can easily achieve by fixing your character’s backstory! By delving into their past, you reveal the driving forces and life experiences that influence their choices and behaviors. It’s more than just listing significant events; it’s about grasping their hopes, fears, and motivations. Using tools like character profiles or character planners can assist you in this process. They are built to enable you to fully explore your ocs and their backgrounds. Keep in mind that not every aspect of the background will be included in your story. But it will ensure your characters act in a coherent and believable manner.
Example: Severus Snape‘s background in Harry Potter is a great example of how a character can grow. Snape didn’t have a happy childhood, he found comfort in his friendship with Lily Evans. Even though he joined the bad guys as a Dbut eath Eater, Snape cared so much about Lily that he switched sides when Voldemort went after her. Working as a spy for Dumbledore, Snape acted tough but he was actually trying to do the right thing and make sacrifices – character complexity at its best. His journey from a troubled kid to a hero with a sad ending makes for one of the pivotal moments in the overall story.
3. Give Each Character a Unique Voice:
To make each character stand out, focus on how they talk and think differently. Consider their vocabulary and tone to show their personality and experiences. For instance, a character with an academic background may speak formally with complex sentences, whereas a street-smart character may use slang and brief phrases. Don’t forget to explore their inner thoughts and reactions to the world. By keeping these distinct voices consistent, readers can easily recognize each character and see them come alive with unique personalities.
4. Create Flawed Characters
Giving your characters bad habits and flaws might sound tough. Like you would want to add a bad trait to your kid on purpose. But here’s what – they’ll still have flaws. Instead of creating perfect characters, give them flaws, fears, and vulnerabilities to make them more relatable and engaging. These imperfections provide opportunities for growth, conflict, and dynamic storytelling, ultimately leading to their development. And this leads us to the next tip. Creating a character profile can help you. Put your thoughts on paper or phones and see how it gets easier to strike the balance of a relatable character.
5. Ensure Characters Evolve and Grow
Throughout the story, characters should change in meaningful ways that show how their experiences and challenges have affected them. This transformation keeps the story interesting and exciting. For example, a shy character could start by avoiding conflict, but as they face different obstacles, they might become more confident and stand up for themselves for a change. A character who is initially selfish could learn about compassion and sacrifice through their own mistakes. On the other hand, a character who starts off as idealistic might become more cynical after seeing unfairness, which could change their perspective. These changes make the characters more believable and keep readers interested in their journey, wondering how they will grow and develop.
Example: Tony Stark (Iron Man)
Initial Character: Arrogant, wealthy industrialist focused on profit.
Catalyst: Captured by terrorists, sees the harm caused by his weapons.
Becoming Iron Man: Builds the Iron Man suit, and vows to fight for justice.
Personal Growth: Faces PTSD, moral dilemmas, and learns
Redemption: Sacrifices himself in “Avengers: Endgame” to save the whole universe.
This is a great example of character evolution – from a self-centered billionaire to a selfless hero, which is what makes him an iconic character.
6. Balance Strengths and Weaknesses
Great characters always have a mix of good and bad traits. This mix makes them more interesting and easier to believe in. For instance, a character might be super smart and great at solving tough problems but struggle with talking to people and feel lonely a lot. Another character could be really strong and brave, always ready to take action, but they might also act without thinking and make bad choices. A caring and understanding character might be really good at helping others and understanding their feelings, but they might also take things too personally and get upset easily. Your flaws and mistakes are what make you relatable – why would it be different for your character? Of course, they have room to grow and change as the story goes on. This mix makes sure that no character is perfect, which leads to interesting conflicts and stories that are all about the characters.
Example: Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
Sherlock Holmes is a super popular character known for his amazing detective skills. However, he also has a big list of flaws to “compensate” for being a genius. Despite having sharp observational skills, he can be socially awkward, dismissive of others, struggles with forming emotional connections, comes off as arrogant, and insensitive, often taking risks, turns to substance abuse, and the list goes on. Holmes is a super smart guy, but he’s not perfect. That’s what makes him so interesting! He’s really good at solving mysteries, but he also has some flaws that make him more human and therefore relatable.
7. Keep Your Characters Consistent
It’s super important to keep your characters’ behavior consistent. Think about how people always act in ways that make sense based on who they are. If a character is all about paying attention to details, it wouldn’t make sense for them to suddenly start being careless without a good reason. You can use tools like character profiles to help you stay on track and make sure your characters stay true to who they are. Popular websites like CharacterHub or Toyhouse are great for storing all of your character information. This helps your readers trust you and keeps your story strong and interesting.
Conclusion
If you follow these seven important tips when you write, your characters will start feeling like real people that your readers will love. Characters are the most important part of a good story – their adventures, challenges, friendships, and changes. Make sure to give them detailed backgrounds, and unique voices, and show their growth and development. Also, when creating and managing your characters, use character storage websites so you can remember all the important details and make your story more consistent.. By doing all this, you’ll create a story that feels real – your readers will really appreciate it!
