How to Create Character
All parts to developing a memorable lead.
Determine your character’s past and how it fits in with their personality. Different experiences lead to different views of the world.
Thinking of the perfect story is hard. There are so many different things you need to consider, but this article might just help you take the first step.
1. Setting the Stage
Ask yourself, what do they want more than anything in the world? It could be staging a rebellion, going back in time, or something as simple as wealth. Whatever that desire or longing is, it’ll play a key role in not just the plot, but also their personality.
2. The Price
After you’ve established their goal, it’s time to think, just how far are they willing to go in order to achieve it? How much are they willing to sacrifice? How has succeeding, or not, changed them? Perhaps, by the end, they’ve lost themselves, hollow and empty. Maybe, they realized they’ve made the wrong choice, their heart now filled with regret. Or, what if they found something even greater, casting their previous hope aside?
3. Adding Depth
Determine your character’s past and how it fits in with their personality. Different experiences lead to different views of the world. Their hometown, their status, and the people around them all influence the way they think and perceive. For example, a person with traumatic experiences may hold a grudge against society or certain individuals. Another way to add realistic elements is to describe how they move, nose scrunching, eyes glaring, mouth quirking, etc… They could have a habit of playing with their hair or always looking up when thinking.
4. Fears and Faults
These allow your readers to relate and connect with your characters. They could be the most deadly assassin in the kingdom and, ahem, still scream at the sight of spiders. Everyone has imperfections. Everyone has weaknesses. I’ve written a lead who tends to run from problems, one who is blinded by ambition, one who gives up too easily, and one who just can’t let go of revenge.
5. Last, Probably Least
This is where your character’s name and physical traits go, such as hair length and eye color. While these are important, they don’t allow readers to understand struggles and feelings, only adding detail. Names and appearances should be based on the person itself, not the other way around. That being said, here’s my name list, not just for people, but also places. Shorter ones feel more bold, while ones with “y” and multiple “e”’s give a more whimsical look. Ways you can describe a person include their hair, eyes, posture, mouth, and maybe freckles or piercings.
