“When writing a novel, a writer should create living people; people, not characters. A character is a caricature.” - Ernest Hemingway
Characters are vital. Without them, the story does not exist. But you knew that. Everyone has a favourite character - a villain, a hero, a random side character with four lines but who stole your heart anyway. The real question is: how do I make them good?
First, we need to define ‘good’. In order for your characters to elevate your story, they need to be the following things:
Figuring out a backstory for your major characters can go a long way in developing their personality and motivations. Whether they’re a good guy or a bad guy, you need clear reasons for what your characters do and who they’ve become - even if these reasons predate the start of the story. Ask yourself: what was their childhood like? What are they most afraid of? Who do they trust the most?
Why is always the most important question you can ask yourself when it comes to a character. Figure out their appearance, of course, but their personalities require a why. Why are they stubborn? Why are they quick to anger? Why are they kind? It might be as simple as their upbringing, good or bad, or something larger and more dramatic. If that part of their personality is key to the plot, particularly if it’s their fatal flaw, explaining why will help your characters feel real - and even relatable.
Speaking of, giving them that fatal flaw is essential. It should be detrimental to plot progress (“She’s too snarky for her own good” doesn’t cut it unless it leads to plot catastrophic miscommunication or gets her in even more trouble). It could also be something to overcome, but should still have an impact on the plot this way. Some good examples of fatal character flaws are:
Ned Stark in ASOIAF/Game of Thrones - he’s honourable and fair, but in the context of the world, this is what gets him killed.
Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, who is stubborn and uncooperative - she’s forced to work with Peeta, and other Victors later in the series, in order to achieve what she wants in the story.
Whether the flaw factors into this or not, your characters should also always have a goal. If they’re a greedy character, make them want money. If they’ve got a God complex, make them want to play God. If they’re selfless, make them set out to save their sibling. A character without a goal is merely a prop to the plot, and thus the plot drives the characters, rather than the characters driving the plot. Let things happen to them, of course, but remember that cause and effect should primarily be caused by the biased decisions of individual characters and their personalities.
Don’t be afraid to draw from people you know in real life. Obviously, if your mother is called Susan, don’t name your villain Susan and steal every negative aspect of her personality (or you know what, do, if she’s a piece of sh*t). But, moulding your characters off of friends, understanding what makes them friendly, or attractive, or annoying, can help you to fully flesh out your character’s personalities. After all, what is more realistic than an actual real person?
Characters can be hard. They’re often the most important piece of the puzzle and sometimes they just don’t fit. Don’t be afraid to cut one out, or join two together. No one is going to know them better than you, and it is important to flesh them out so that they can make your writing as good as you want it to be.
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