Character Development - Writers Forum

ConorMB · 04-23-2007, 09:35 PM

Iv been told a couple of times that my characters lack depth or development or that my three main characters seem like three versions of the exact same person...any ideas of how to flesh out characters?

killned3 · 04-24-2007, 12:07 AM

A lot of it is in dialogue, but you have to give your characters life through description, as well . . . and tapping into their thoughts from time to time helps tremendously. Give every character a distinct voice, complete with separate feelings and reactions. Give them mannerisms, hobbies, fetishes if you need to. If they have what any normal human being has, then you have a fleshed-out character. Of course, don't blatantly describe the aforementioned as though you're following a step-by-step booklet--this will make your characters seem that much more fake--but incorporate those elements when you feel they'll add just the right touch to the scene. I'm sure you'll find many opportunities. Hope I've been of any help. :]

Colt

Evelyn · 04-24-2007, 02:37 AM

It may also help to make them as unlike yourself as possible: not your gender, not your race, not your height, not your profession, not living at your standard of income.

If you were to describe someone doing - oh, any sort of everyday action, but let's say making a pot of coffee - how would you let us know that it was being made by a tall, gangly asian woman of very limited means; or by a shorter-than-average black male college professor with more than enough disposable income?

(These are bit clumsy, but may give you an idea...)

"Erika carefully tapped the last crystals out of the Folger's jar, mentally noting that she should scan the ads to see what might be on sale this week. There was still the green tea her mother had pressed on her, but it just didn't deliver that good strong coffee jolt.
As she waited for the water to heat, her fingers gently assessed the bruise on her forehead - when would she learn just how low that doorjamb really was?"

"Oscar briskly tapped his personal brewing code into the MegaBarista 8000, which allowed him to use different grind, temperature and flow-rate settings than Toni's. The gleaming black espresso maker had cost a small fortune, but it was worth it to save his marriage. Now if only he could get Toni to stop putting the damned coffee cups on the top shelf..."

- Evelyn

Destroyer · 04-24-2007, 04:29 AM

Be descriptive in all aspects about them, their appearance, their manner, their speech... Describe how they actually speak. Are they impatient, or angry or cheerful, etc. Everything about a character will show who they are.

HarryG · 04-25-2007, 03:51 AM

Especially in character development, I think it’s important that you write about what you know – that’s my golden rule anyway.

Blatantly base your main characters on people you know, and then tell lies about them, until they become unrecognizable, but the basic tenets will still be there.

At the start of your writing your three main characters will appear slowly, even their names need not be revealed for several chapters, and could appear in dialogue, slowly.

Suspense is the key, titivated by a bit of shock and awe. The shrinking coward in a group situation could suddenly turn out to be the brave leader when disaster strikes; and the brave and macho hero may be afraid of spiders, or women.

Boring characters should be avoided, they will bore the reader. Flawless characters are just as boring, and stereotypes should be eliminated in the first revision.

Maybe this is too obvious, but a character’s total attributes should appear only slowly as your story develops, otherwise you will have nothing to say about your heroes in the final chapters.

cbrmale · 04-26-2007, 12:20 AM

I've heard that there are two types of story, character-based and plot-based. If so, then I am a character-based writer. To me, asking 'how do I make an interesting character' is like asking 'how do I write a book?'. I can't help you on such a broad-ranging topic except for two things.

First, if you've lived an interesting life filled with lots of interesting people you've known and loved, then drawing on a life's experiences to make good characters is as easy as can be.

Second, to get your characters going, do a biography. There are plenty of pro-formas around, but I outline physical attributes, education, family members, relationships, sexual experiences, likes, dislikes, hopes and goals, philosophy of life, greatest triumph, greatest disappointment and so on as well as some descriptive text on their lives. I do this in detail for all the main characters, and I do a summary version without the life summary for all of the minor characters. In one work I did one for a character who didn't appear in the story his own right, but he was the partner of a girl who did appear.

Destroyer · 04-27-2007, 06:02 AM

I agree with this. To get the best character you need to give them some kind of background and opinions. Before you start writing plan your character's moods and feelings towards others, their history and how it affects them. Then you just have to make that show in your writing.

Azmakna · 04-27-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConorMB

Iv been told a couple of times that my characters lack depth or development or that my three main characters seem like three versions of the exact same person...any ideas of how to flesh out characters?

dialogue is one of the main ingredients here, but be sure to concentrate on little idiosyncrasies. for instance in the story i'm writing at the moment Abigail has a tendency to pull her fringe over her eyes as if peeking from behind a curtain or put her hand to her face and peek through the fingers... where did i get this idea? my girlfriend does it. character are invariably one part you and one part someone you know.

Destroyer · 04-28-2007, 04:28 AM

This is a good suggestion from Azmakna. Speech isn't everything. Even if your characters just make small movements and gestures during dailogue, it gives depth to them. Their poise or reactions to small unimportant events show a lot. For instance, one of my characters, called Kyle, is relaxed a lot of the time, even when things are starting to go wrong. This is a good source of character for him, and it shows the reader what he is like.

Azmakna · 04-29-2007, 11:35 AM

another thing you have to remember when creating a character is to avoid the stereotype, but you must remember that a stereotype is not a character with particular traits but rather a character with those traits only. so, a skinhead could well have steal toe-capped boots, short hair and braces, but he may also like kittens or be into flower arranging

Destroyer · 04-30-2007, 04:35 AM

Wierd mix but very good example. That's a good way to put a twist in, a character who the readers expect to be one thing but ends up being the opposite. You could put in a character and make them out to be the ultimate good guy, then at the end they turn out to be the true bad guy. Just do a better job than Star Wars.