The topic of writing is broad, and within these chapters we aim to cover as many parts of writing as possible; those important details that improve a story, as well as a writer's ability to tell it. We want to help you develop your characters, set t...
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The vagabond wore a grizzled beard. It twisted between the worn layers of his scarf and the collar of his coat like a cat tucked into a laundry basket. The big toe of his left foot protruded from his shoe, black from soot and grime. Nobody talked to him. They were too afraid. Besides, he always shouted the same curse "I used to be a damned king, I did!" If his mind hadn't abandoned him and been replaced by dread and mistrust, he would know that the centuries old ruby ring he clutched in his pocket proved his claim was true.
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When you think of your favorite stories, you typically think of the characters in those stories before anything else. Some of those characters may have even shaped how you view the world, especially if you grew up reading the same stories over and over again. We're here to talk about writing characters. And—more importantly—how to make them memorable.
A character can be defined as a person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work. The purpose of characters in a story is to push the plot forward in a relatable and engaging way. And, like any other element, characters need to be developed. There are a number of methods that have been perfected over the years to help writers do that. So many, in fact, that we have split up the topic of characters into three parts.
This part—Part 1—will cover character roles, types, and how to develop well-rounded characters.
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What is character development?
In fiction writing, character development is the process of building a unique, three-dimensional character with depth, personality, and clear motivations. Character development can also refer to the changes a character undergoes over the course of a story as a result of their actions and experiences—we also call this the character arc. See our chapter titled Characters (Part 2) The Character Arc for more details about that.
