{"id":489293,"date":"2022-03-21T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=489293"},"modified":"2022-09-23T13:07:09","modified_gmt":"2022-09-23T12:07:09","slug":"how-to-introduce-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/how-to-introduce-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing Characters To Your Story: Our Top Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The heart of storytelling is in the characters<\/a>. You\u2019ve done the work thinking them up and giving them interesting and compelling inner lives. The next thing to do is to get these characters from your head, into the heads of your readers. In fiction, as in real life, first impressions are important, so the way you introduce characters<\/a> can make a difference in making sure your reader carries on past chapter one. In this article, I’ll go through how to introduce characters in a story, provide examples of strong character introductions, and give you my best tips for introducing characters effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Character Introduction<\/strong> Examples And Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of a character introduction is to get the reader interested in the character<\/a> and invested enough that they will want to carry on reading. If you can introduce a character in a vivid and memorable way, they will appear in the reader\u2019s mind fully formed and ready to go. So, how exactly do you achieve that? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give Your Characters One Or Two Memorable Features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What is the first thing you want people to notice about the character<\/a>? Is it the way they\u2019re wearing a kaftan and wellington boots? Is it the shrewdness of their expression? Whatever it is, describe it and let your readers build up their own picture of the character from there. It can be tempting to describe your character\u2019s physical appearance in detail. Resist the urge!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All you have to do is provide the reader with some touch points and they will fill in the gaps (often with details that you wouldn\u2019t even have thought about). If there is something unusual about the character\u2019s physical appearance – or something that will become important later, do mention that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is one of my favourite character descriptions. We can picture the whole of Grandma, just from that description. It\u2019s also worth noting that the choice of words is completely in keeping with the sort of thing a boy George\u2019s age would say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“George couldn\u2019t help disliking Grandma. She was a selfish grumpy old woman. She had pale brown teeth and a small puckered up mouth like a dog\u2019s bottom.”<\/p>George\u2019s Marvellous Medicine<\/em> by Roald Dahl <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Describe Your Characters By The Clothes They Wear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Clothes can tell you a lot about a person. At the very least, they can give you an impression of the type of person they are. Look at the description below. By the end of the paragraph, we have a clear mental image of the type of person Shoba is, even if we have no description of her actual features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“‘It\u2019s good of them to warn us,’ Shoba conceded after reading the notice aloud, more for her own benefit than Shukumar\u2019s. She let the strap of her satchel, plump with files, slip from her shoulders and left it in the hallway as she walked into the kitchen. She wore a navy blue poplin raincoat over gray sweatpants and white sneakers, looking, at thirty three, like the type of woman she\u2019d once claimed she would never resemble.”<\/p>The Interpreter of Maladies <\/em>by Jumpa Lahiri <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Introduce Your Characters By Their Voice And Demeanour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re writing in first person or in \u2018deep third\u2019 (where you\u2019re deep into the thoughts of your third person narrator) it can be hard to describe the character. People don\u2019t often go around thinking about the colour of their eyes or the bounce of their curls. However, you can tell the reader what kind of person they are by the way they describe their surroundings. Show rather than tell.<\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A happy person and a sad person would look at the same scene and focus on different things. An acerbic character would describe things differently to a mild and gentle one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re trying to give the reader an idea of the character rather than a picture perfect description<\/a>. So introducing characters in a story by highlighting their characteristics<\/a> can be really effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the extract below, although we have no idea what\u2019s going on (and neither does Tom, really), we get a good idea of Tom\u2019s state of mind. Also, that he\u2019s done something that might lead to his arrest. It takes a while for the reader to understand what’s going on with Tom Ripley, but even on the first page, we get the idea that there\u2019s something dangerous and a little reckless about him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Tom glanced behind him and saw the man coming out of the Green Cage, heading his way. Tom walked faster. There was no doubt the man was after him. Tom had noticed him five minutes ago, eyeing him carefully from a table, as if he weren\u2019t quite<\/em> sure, but almost. He had looked sure enough for Tom to down his drink in a hurry, pay and get out. <\/p>

At the corner, Tom leaned forward and trotted across fifth avenue. There was Roaul\u2019s. Should he take a chance and go in for another drink? Tempt fate and all that? Or should he beat it over to Park Avenue and try losing him in a few dark doorways? He went into Raoul’s.”<\/p>The Talented Mr Ripley<\/em> by Patricia Highsmith <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Introduce Characters Through Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is my favourite way to describe people – by the things they do. This is very common in film scripts. Probably the best example of this is Darth Vader in Star Wars: A New Hope<\/em>. He walks in, and surveys the dead with an attitude of annoyance. He then goes on to choke someone. By the time he speaks, we already know that he\u2019s the villain<\/a> and that he\u2019s very powerful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduce Characters Through Dialogue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your character has a distinctive voice, you can give the reader an idea of who they are just by having them speak. In the example below, the narrator<\/a> (and the reader) gets an image of Holly Golightly before he even sees her. Notice also, how Capote introduces movement into the scene by the sound of her voice changing as she comes up the stairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The voice that came back, welling up from the bottom of the stairs, was silly-young and self-amused. ‘Oh, darling, I am<\/em> sorry. I lost the goddamn key.'”<\/p>Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s<\/em> by Truman Capote <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And then a few sentences later:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“\u2018Oh, don\u2019t <\/em>be angry,  you dear<\/em> little man: I won\u2019t <\/em>do it again. And if you promise not to be angry\u2026\u2019 – her voice was coming nearer, she was climbing the stairs – \u2018I might let you take those pictures we mentioned.\u2019”<\/p> Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s<\/em> by Truman Capote  <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Introduce Them Through Another Character<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can use other character\u2019s impressions to introduce your character. Make their reputation precede them. For example, before we meet Sherlock Holmes for the first time, we hear Stamford describe him and his habits to Dr Watson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wine glass. ‘You don\u2019t know Sherlock Holmes yet,’ he said. ‘Perhaps you would not care for him as a constant companion.’<\/p>

\u2018Why, what is there against him?\u2019 <\/p>

\u2018Oh, I didn\u2019t say there was anything against him. He is a little queer in his ideas – an enthusiast in some branches of science. As far as I know, he is a decent fellow enough.'”<\/p>A Study in Scarle<\/em>t by Arthur Conan Doyle <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Stamford goes on to describe various aspects of Sherlock Holmes, so that when we finally meet the man, we feel we already know him.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"introduce-characters\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Introducing First Person Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introducing characters written in first person deserves a separate section because it\u2019s hard to describe them without falling into the \u2018I looked in the mirror\u2019 cliche. Here are a few methods you could use, apart from the ones described above.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n