Compelling characters are the heart of any great story. They drive the plot, connect with readers, and make your work unforgettable. Creating characters that resonate requires depth, relatability, and a touch of originality.
This guide provides practical steps to help you develop characters readers will love and remember.
1. Understand Your Characters Fully
The more you know about your characters, the more authentic they’ll feel to readers.
How to Understand Your Characters:
- Write detailed character profiles, including their backstory, personality traits, and quirks.
- Ask questions like:
- What motivates them?
- What are their greatest fears and desires?
- How do they react under pressure?
- Explore their relationships with other characters to add depth.
Tip: Even details that don’t make it into the story enrich your character’s behavior and decisions.
2. Make Them Relatable
Readers connect with characters who feel human and flawed.
How to Create Relatable Characters:
- Give them strengths and weaknesses that feel genuine.
- Show their struggles, mistakes, and growth over time.
- Use universal emotions like love, fear, or ambition to create a bond with readers.
Example: A hero who doubts their abilities but pushes through anyway becomes inspiring and relatable.
3. Give Them Distinct Voices
Characters should feel unique, with their own way of speaking and thinking.
How to Differentiate Voices:
- Consider their background, education, and personality when crafting dialogue.
- Use specific word choices, slang, or speech patterns that reflect their identity.
- Ensure their inner thoughts align with their external actions.
Tip: Reading dialogue aloud helps you identify if it sounds natural and distinct.
4. Show, Don’t Tell
Actions reveal more about a character than descriptions alone.
How to Show Character Traits:
- Instead of saying, “She’s brave,” show her standing up to a challenge.
- Use body language and subtle actions to express emotions.
- Let their decisions and reactions to events reflect their personality.
Example: A character wringing their hands while avoiding eye contact conveys nervousness without saying it outright.
5. Give Them Goals and Conflicts
Characters become compelling when they’re actively pursuing something.
How to Create Goals and Conflicts:
- Define what your character wants most and why it matters to them.
- Introduce obstacles that test their resolve or force them to grow.
- Balance internal conflicts (self-doubt, moral dilemmas) with external ones (rivalries, dangers).
Tip: The more personal the stakes, the more invested readers will be.
6. Use Flaws to Drive Growth
Perfect characters can feel boring or unrelatable. Flaws make them human.
How to Use Flaws Effectively:
- Identify a key flaw (e.g., impatience, stubbornness) and explore how it affects their relationships and decisions.
- Show them confronting their flaw and evolving throughout the story.
- Use their flaws to create tension or drive the plot forward.
Example: A selfish character learns the value of teamwork through a shared crisis.
7. Build Their World Through Perspective
A character’s environment shapes their identity and behavior.
How to Reflect Their World:
- Consider how their upbringing, culture, or society influences their values and actions.
- Show how they interact with their surroundings, from close-knit families to hostile cities.
- Let their perspective color how they see the world—what one character finds exciting, another might find terrifying.
Tip: World-building and character development often go hand in hand.
8. Add Memorable Quirks and Traits
Small details make characters stand out and feel unique.
How to Add Quirks:
- Give them a signature habit, like tapping a pen or always wearing a certain color.
- Let them have unusual hobbies, fears, or preferences that make them memorable.
- Use subtle traits to hint at deeper layers of their personality.
Example: A character who always carries a notebook might be deeply observant or secretive.
9. Test Them in Different Scenarios
Putting characters in unfamiliar or challenging situations reveals their true nature.
How to Test Your Characters:
- Write scenes where they face moral dilemmas or unexpected challenges.
- Explore how they interact with characters who clash with their values.
- Use “what if” scenarios to push them out of their comfort zones.
Tip: The more dynamic their reactions, the more engaging they’ll be to readers.
10. Let Them Evolve
Characters who grow and change feel authentic and satisfying to follow.
How to Show Growth:
- Highlight how their experiences shape their beliefs and decisions.
- Use their struggles to create meaningful arcs of transformation.
- Ensure their growth feels natural and consistent with their journey.
Example: A shy, reserved character finding their voice by the end of the story creates a powerful arc.
Developing characters readers will love requires attention to detail, empathy, and a willingness to dig deep into their lives. By creating multidimensional, relatable, and evolving characters, you can craft stories that leave a lasting impression.
Remember, your characters are the heart of your story—make them unforgettable.
I’m Mariana Tavares, creator of a blog dedicated to helping beginner writers with practical and valuable tips to develop their skills and achieve success in their careers.