3 Steps to Finding Your Character's Voice (With Examples)
We have all faced the same two problems:
đ Two characters are having a conversation, but sound the same
đ Or all the characters sound like the author talking, not them
I have started writing a new book recently. It's told from the perspective of two characters: twins who lived very different lives, each with their own take on the world. The first sister is detached from the outside world, completely goal-oriented, and describes only the details that matter to her goals. The second sister is impulsive, emotional, and describes her surroundings from a perspective of fear.
It can be overwhelming to give characters their own voices (without relying on the context or the topic of conversation). But luckily, there are a few things we can do about it.
Tricks I Used For My Two Protagonists
1ď¸âŁ Ask Them Character-Revealing Questions
You already know what your characterâs greatest fear and what their goal is, but to really nail their voices, you have to ask ordinary questions that will reveal even more about them, like:
âď¸ Whatâs your favorite dish and why? (Example: The first sister would say she doesn't have one, but she likes sweets, although she would eat anything. The second will prefer something simple and efficient because she wants to always be ready.)
âď¸ Whatâs your favorite gift? (Example: The first sister wouldnât admit this, but her favorite gift was a necklace someone gave her a long time ago that she threw out before she got attached. The second sister doesnât have a physical gift to hold onto, but she values a memory of her birthday with her friends â a rare moment of peace for her.)
âď¸ Whatâs something you will never admit out loud? (Example: The first sister would never admit that she cares â especially not in front of the second sister â and the second sister wouldnât admit that she feels safe with someone she wholeheartedly hates like the first sister.)
While standard questions like their goals or their greatest fear can produce some form of connection with the character, enough to help you understand their voice, I personally didnât find that enough. You can use these questions if you want, and also make up your own based on your characters.
2ď¸âŁ Give Them a Petty Problem
Your charactersâ reactions and emotions, like grief, betrayal, and love, are often generic because of how frequently we see them, but petty problems make a character a lot more human.
Try writing (or just imagining) a monologue from your characterâs perspective about something small, but irritating, like a slow Wi-fi, a fly buzzing around, someone complaining, a light flickering, stupid jokes, etc.
Example: The first sister has a lot of patience when it comes to her goal, but not so much that she would tolerate being in nature, especially not with insects. The second sister has a lot of things she finds annoying, but she especially hates it when people act familiar with her when they donât know her.
3ď¸âŁ Lies They Tell Themselves
This kind of ties with the first point on the list, but I felt like this one is important enough to get its own section.
Even if we don't like to admit it, everyone lies to themselves, and the lies we keep repeating as if they were true make up a part of who we are. That also works for characters.
Example: The first sister keeps telling herself that she only has one goal, and in pursuit of that goal, everything and everyone can be and will be exploited, and once they become useless, they will be discarded without hesitation. In other words, nothing and no one matters except that one goal. The second sister, on the other hand, keeps telling herself that everything has the capacity to be dangerous, and so she has to always be on guard. As the story progresses, both of their lies begin to crack as they spend more time together, and without knowing it, the first sister starts to care about the second, and the second sister starts to feel safe around the first.
Finally, to test if the voice is working, try removing character names in a dialogue and see if you can still tell whoâs speaking. If you can't without referring to the context and topic of conversation, try again. Lean into the chaos, listen, and allow your character's voice to take root there. Don't try to force it, but you can "figure it out as you go" if you are certain you will find out more about your characters that way.
Whichever way you choose, good luck!
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