Why Are Characters So Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What makes a reader glued to a book? What makes that person come back to it again and again?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a rough guide, people turn the pages<\/em> because of plot, but they remember a book<\/em> because of character<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t believe us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then answer this. Can you recall, in detail, the plots of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re going to bet not. But do you remember Scout and Atticus? Holmes and Watson? And the badass Lisbeth Salander?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course you do. And that\u2019s the aim of this post: helping you achieve the same level of vibrating life that these characters<\/a> achieved. In effect, we\u2019re going to tell you how to develop a character that can be used for both the protagonist (hero<\/a>) and the antagonist (bad guy<\/a>). How to write the kind of characters<\/a> that will elevate your novel to a whole different plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it\u2019s not magic. It\u2019s just the logical application of tried-and-trusted writing techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But let\u2019s start by figuring out what character development is, and how it works for you<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Character development is two things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those twin definitions are immediately helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes: you have to develop a character <\/a>profile before starting to write, but you also have to knit your character so closely to the story you\u2019re going to tell that the two things seemed joined at the hip. Ideally, the reader won\u2019t be able to imagine any other character occupying your story \u2013 just like you couldn\u2019t imagine Girl with a Dragon Tattoo<\/em> without the inflammatory, exciting presence of Lisbeth Salander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So: the first question is, how do we choose the right character<\/a> for the story we\u2019re about to tell? That\u2019s up next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The two basic character types in fiction \u2013 and how to choose the one who\u2019s right for your novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two basic types of main character (or protagonist) in fiction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to be careful about identifying which character is which.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might think that Harry Potter can\u2019t be ordinary, because he\u2019s a wizard. But think about it. He seemed like quite an ordinary boy. And when he gets to wizard school he seems quite ordinary there too (daunted by the school, a bit scared of Hermione, and so on.) He\u2019s an ordinary wizard who finds his inner extraordinary self over the course of seven books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lisbeth Salander, however, never strikes the reader as ordinary. She\u2019s a rule-breaking, computer genius with anti-social traits and a scary capacity for violence. You just know she\u2019s going to cause waves, no matter where she goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a quick way to figure out what kind of character yours is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can already see how these three things need to intertwine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So for one hyper-simple example, you might have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s another example of the same thing, this time from Jane Austen\u2019s Pride and Prejudice<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These things are beautifully simple when you see them \u2013 but needless to say, designing something beautifully simple ain\u2019t so easy. (Just ask Steve Jobs!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your first task? Simple. Just do the same thing as we\u2019ve just done for Harry Potter and Lizzy Bennet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a sheet of paper and write out \u2013 in a few words only \u2013 the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do that exercise. Make sure you\u2019re happy with it. And when you are \u2013 congratulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve just taken your first big step in developing your character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also called a \u201cCharacter Bio Template\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Figuring out who<\/strong> you want to lead your story is the first essential of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the next part \u2013 the fun one \u2013 is every bit as important. And the rule here is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have to know your main character better than you know your best friend.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The simple fact is that strong characterisation is based on knowledge. The only way to write a really convincing, lifelike, vibrant protagonist is to know them inside out. If you have this knowledge, you will find yourself using it. If you don\u2019t have it, you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the problem of writing character comes down to this: you have to know your protagonist. And we\u2019ve got a brilliant technique to help with just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you haven\u2019t<\/em> yet started your book<\/a>, then work on the character creator exercise below before you start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have<\/em> started, but think that maybe you started prematurely, then back up. Do the exercise and then read back through your work, looking for places where your characters seem a little blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So. Let\u2019s start.<\/p>\n\n\n This free worksheet will help you write multi-dimensional, believable characters that leap off the page.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t This free worksheet will help you write multi-dimensional, believable characters that leap off the page.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t Begin with a blank sheet (or screen). And begin to write down everything you know about your central character. Don\u2019t be too concerned to edit yourself at this stage. Just let rip: this will be your character profile. It helps to group your comments a bit under certain themes, but if that inhibits your flow then just write. Group your notes up later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should cover all kinds of topics, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Write how your protagonist\u2019s backstory<\/a> has shaped their drives, their character arc, and will shape your plot<\/a>. It helps if examples are concrete, showing your protagonist via actions and choices in specific situations. (And yes: showing matters. If you need a show vs tell refresher, we\u2019ve got it for you<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get to know how your character looks, how they inhabit their body and how they interact with the world:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of an actor or actress who could play your character. If you need a visual image to work from, then look through magazines until you\u2019ve got something you can use. Pin it up close to where you work, and work from that. Or create an inspiration board, either a real one or using a site like Pinterest, to pin images of your characters, of story aesthetic, etc<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure, most essentially, you know your characters\u2019 deeper goals<\/a> and motivations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The very best way to get to know your characters is to do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do that, and before too long, you\u2019ll know your character with utter intimacy. You\u2019ll move beyond some mechanical character development exercise into deep, fluent, easy knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do note that you have to write the questions before<\/em> you start answering them, otherwise you end up just asking questions that you already know answers to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, and it\u2019s incredibly hard to come up with a really long list of questions that really probe everything about your character \u2013 so we\u2019ve done it for you. We\u2019ve created the Ultimate Jericho Writers Character Building Worksheet<\/a>, and it\u2019s yours for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Give yourself an hour or two on that exercise and, quite honestly, your character development journey is mostly complete. Nice to know, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why your character\u2019s motivation matters so much<\/p>\n\n\n\n You know that thing that literary agents do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile we liked your book a lot, we didn\u2019t quite love it. We didn\u2019t quite feel empathy with your main character, but wish you the best of luck in finding representation elsewhere.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Makes you want to scream, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the issue is NOT that your character isn\u2019t nice enough. It\u2019s not that she needs to do more home-baking, or go to more church meetings, or smile more sweetly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The equation is simply this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
What Is Character Development?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Plan Your Character Arcs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Ordinary Characters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Extraordinary Characters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What A Character Arc Looks Like<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Build Your Character Development Arc<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"How](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/UNWCblog-letterbox-man-woman-river.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTry Our Ultimate Character Profile Template<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Free Character Builder<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
Free Character Builder<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
Use A Character Profile \/ Bio To Develop Stunning Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Backstory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Looks And Physical Attributes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Your Character\u2019s Personality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Relationships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Goals, Fears, Ambitions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Ultimate Character Profile Template<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Build Empathy With Your Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Character](\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/optional-header-187-character.jpg\")
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