Creating Compelling Characters

Creating compelling characters involves crafting a multi-dimensional presence that feels as vivid as someone you might meet in real life.

Let’s explore each aspect in greater depth:

Develop a Rich Backstory

A character’s backstory is their personal history—everything that happened before the narrative begins. It shapes their identity and informs their decisions.

Childhood Experiences: What was their family dynamic? Were they loved, neglected, or misunderstood? How did this shape their core beliefs?

Traumas and Triumphs: Key events (a devastating loss, a life-changing victory) create emotional scars and strengths. These can act as motivations or roadblocks.

Cultural Influences: Where did they grow up? What societal norms, traditions, or prejudices shaped them? This is especially crucial in speculative fiction, where cultures can be entirely invented.

Career and Skills: What have they learned through work or hobbies? Are they a skilled negotiator, a master chef, or an amateur violinist? How do these skills intersect with the story?

Understand Their Motivations

A compelling character has clear motivations rooted in their desires and fears.

Internal vs. External Goals: External goals are tangible (winning a race, saving a loved one), while internal goals are emotional or psychological (seeking self-worth, overcoming guilt). Both should intersect and create tension.

Conflicting Motivations: The best characters often want two things that are mutually exclusive, forcing them into difficult choices. For example, a detective might want to solve a case but is torn by loyalty to a suspect who’s a close friend.

Create Flaws and Strengths

Perfect characters alienate readers; flaws make them relatable. To balance this:

Types of Flaws:

• Personality Flaws: Arrogance, insecurity, impatience.

• Moral Flaws: Greed, dishonesty, selfishness.

• Physical Limitations: Disabilities, chronic illnesses, or even minor inconveniences like poor eyesight.

Complementary Strengths:

• Moral Strengths: Loyalty, empathy, integrity.

• Practical Strengths: Intelligence, physical prowess, resourcefulness.

Ensure flaws and strengths interact dynamically with the story. A character’s pride might push them to succeed but also alienate allies.

Give Them Unique Traits

Unique traits set your character apart and make them memorable to readers.

Appearance: Go beyond clichés. Instead of “striking blue eyes,” consider something more vivid: “one eye slightly lighter, as though faded by sunlight.”

Quirks and Habits: These are small touches that reveal a character’s nature. Perhaps they constantly fidget with their watch, chew gum during high-stress situations, or meticulously arrange objects in symmetrical patterns.

Style: How do they dress? What does this reveal about their self-perception or status? A character in a pristine suit has a different vibe than one in scuffed boots and a threadbare jacket.

Write Authentic Dialogue

Dialogue should reveal as much about the character as the plot.

Speech Patterns: Does your character speak formally or with slang? Do they use short, clipped sentences or ramble when nervous? A noble knight might say, “I shall honor this duty,” while a rebel would quip, “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

Subtext: What’s left unsaid is often more powerful than spoken words. A character might say, “I’m fine,” but their body language could scream otherwise.

Accents and Dialects: Handle these with care to avoid stereotypes but use subtle hints (word choice, syntax) to convey regional or cultural backgrounds.

Show Growth and Change

Dynamic characters evolve. This evolution, called the character arc, is central to compelling storytelling.

Positive Arcs: The character overcomes flaws or fears. Example: A coward becomes a hero by confronting danger for the greater good.

Negative Arcs: The character descends into darkness. Example: A virtuous leader becomes corrupt through power.

Flat Arcs: The character remains steadfast in their beliefs, inspiring others to change. Example: A revolutionary holds onto hope despite a dystopian society.

Arcs are driven by pivotal moments—victories, failures, betrayals—that challenge and reshape the character.

Flesh Out Relationships

The way characters interact with others can highlight facets of their personality.

Allies and Friends: Who supports them? What does this relationship reveal about their softer side or vulnerabilities?

Romantic Interests: Is there chemistry, tension, or unrequited love? Avoid clichés—focus on what makes their connection unique.

Antagonists: Does the villain have a personal history with the hero? Complex relationships with antagonists make conflicts richer.

Anchor Them in the Setting

Characters are products of their environment.

Cultural Nuances: How does their culture or social class impact their actions? A queen’s behavior in a medieval setting will differ greatly from a street urchin’s.

Adaptability: How does the character interact with new settings? A scientist transported to a jungle might react differently from a seasoned explorer.

Sensory Details: Show their perception of the setting. A homesick traveler might notice smells and tastes that remind them of home.

Give Them Secrets

Secrets add mystery and tension.

Hidden Pasts: A former life they’re ashamed of, a crime they committed, or a lost love.

Current Deceptions: Lies they tell others (or themselves). What happens when the truth is revealed?

Unknown Secrets: Things even the character doesn’t know, such as their true parentage or a buried trauma, can add depth.

Test Them

Characters reveal their essence under pressure. Create situations that:

Challenge Their Beliefs: Force them to question their morals or worldview.

Risk Their Goals: Put what they want most in jeopardy.

Force Sacrifice: What are they willing to give up, and what do they refuse to let go of?

Bonus: Tools for development

Here are practical tools to deepen your characters:

Character Interviews: Write a Q&A session with your character to explore their psyche.

Myers-Briggs or Enneagram Types: Use these as a foundation for personality traits.

Journals or Letters: Have your character write a diary entry or letter to understand their voice and thoughts.

Scene Challenges: Throw them into a random scenario (e.g., “How do they react to being stranded on an island?”) and see what happens.

Bonus: A character template

A character template is a structured framework or set of prompts used by writers to develop and organize detailed information about a character in a story. It helps ensure consistency and depth by covering aspects such as physical traits, personality, background, motivations, and relationships. Using a template allows writers to create well-rounded, believable characters that drive the narrative and resonate with readers.

GET YOUR CHARACTER TEMPLATE