7 Traits of Enduring Characters
Let me start this off with two caveats.
First off, don’t make all of your characters all seven of these traits. That’s just bad writing. Pick one, maybe two. Or none. Or bits and pieces of several! None of the things listed are set-in-stone the only way to have an enduring character. They’re just guidelines.
Secondly, don’t assume that giving your characters one or two of these traits will instantly make them a great, well-rounded character. It’s not that easy. Strong characters have a lot of complexity and need a lot more depth than what I can explain in just one list.
And with those warnings, I give you 7 Traits of Enduring Characters. I got this information at a writing conference and I’m excited to pass on what I’ve learned!
An air of mystery. There’s something about this character that we don’t fully know. If your character has a dark past, it’s usually best to keep most of it in the dark—at least for the first half of the book. Don’t tell us everything upfront. Make us wonder.
Worthy of redemption. This can apply to anti-heroes, villains, or anyone else applicable in your story. They’re a big jerk, but a tiny spark of humanity can sometimes help bring them to life. Maybe they’ve got a soft spot for someone or something, or maybe they truly believe they’re doing X for the greater good. It can even make your villains scarier, because it makes them harder to pin as nothing but an evil monster—it’s not black and white like that. The real villains aren’t always so obvious.
Highly loyal, or highly treacherous. Either you know you can trust them, or you know you can’t. Obviously you can’t give this trait to all of your characters. And actually, it’s not as predictable as you might think. Just because we can’t trust someone doesn’t mean we know what they’re up to. We’ll be anticipating their move but completely unaware of what they’re planning—which is actually a great place to build tension. As far as highly loyal, sometimes it’s nice to have that one character that is a “safe spot” for your character. You need to take breaks from the tension every now and then!
Consistent, but capable of surprises. People are usually pretty consistent based on their personality traits. They tend to make choices based on their core values, which can vary a little, but for the most part they stay on the same route. At the same time, they’re not flat—they’re capable of making an unexpected choice.
Highly self-sacrificing. These characters accept the challenge. When no one else will volunteer, they step up. When it comes to the life of someone they care about, they’re willing to risk their own welfare. This can make for an interesting read when we know they’ll give 100% when things get rough—even die if they have to.
Part of a love story. This doesn’t have to be a romantic love story—just any powerful relationship. The lengths your character will go through for their friend/lover/family member/etc can make them more enduring as a character, because of the worth in their relationship. Examples could be Romeo and Juliet, Katniss and Prim, or even Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
Succeed at the impossible. They are an expert of their task—they can do things most couldn’t dream of accomplishing. Sometimes there’s a little bit of wish-fulfillment in a character meeting this trait, which is why you can’t have it in every member of your cast. Occasionally, however, it’s nice to have someone who’s really good at what they do.
