Tips & Tricks to Writing on Wattpad

5 Ways to Develop a Character

5 WAYS TO DEVELOP A CHARACTER
Okay, in my opinion, a character should definitely develop during a story. It can be a little, or a lot, but I think they should be different at the end of the book than they were at the beginning. If not, it's like everything that happened had no effect on them. And if the things that happen to your characters don't have an effect on them, then I think you might want to take a look at your plot.
The only exception to this is a short story, and sometimes not even then. Depends on the length.

Developing a character, changing them, has a lot of different levels/categories, some more obvious and important than others.

1) Personality & Reactions

Personality is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you want to develop a character. Developing a character's personality is also something that should happen over the course of the book, but definitely not in two chapters. If you develop your character's personality, try and make sure you show the process, so we don't think they have multiple personalities or something. The only exception to this, I think is 'years later/years before', 'prologue/epilogue' kind of situation.
Anyway, our personalities sometimes change a lot over time, sometimes only a little over the same amount of time. It depends on what we go through. I'll assume your characters to through a fair bit of stuff since it's a story and your characters should be having problems they have to struggle through.
It doesn't have to be huge things that change their personality, it can just be them growing up. I'm a lot different than I was last year, but nothing really drastic happened to me.
There are some things that are harder to change. Like if your character's really smart, she/he will probably still be smart by the end of the book, because nothing, short of memory loss or magic, can really un-smart someone (I don't think un-smart is a word, but whatever). It's also kind of hard to make a naturally serious person funny, unless they're covering up their humor.
Other things, though, like their kindness, or optimism can easily be changed by things that happen to them. For example, if a lot of bad things happen to your main character, they might be more pessimistic. Or if a lot of people have hurt or betrayed them, they might not be as kind and trusting as they were at the beginning of the book.
It doesn't have to be huge, generic things in their personality, it can be smaller things too. Like, they could be someone impulsive by the beginning of the book, but after bad things happen because of their impulsiveness, they might learn to think before they act. Or it could be the other way around and your main character could learn how to take risks throughout your book.

As for reactions, they kind of stem from your character's personality. The way they react to certain things will depend on their personality and their experiences. The development in their reactions will mostly be from experiences we see in the story, of course, because stuff that happened before doesn't count. They were already there when we started reading.
Anyway, your character's reaction to things can develop in how tolerant they are of things, how much they believe things people tell them, etc.
Let's say your character's put in a supernatural world she never knew about. After learning everything, she might actually believe the new kid who says he's a fairy king instead of thinking he's crazy like she would've done at the beginning of things.
Or if your character goes through a lot of pain, he might be able to brush of something that would've killed (emotionally) before.
If your character has to fight spies and gangs, she might be more suspicious of hit and runs, and other accidents, or not be so grossed out by blood.
Small stuff like that can show how much a character has changed. If you do it correctly, then when you read your first chapter and your last chapter, you should be like 'wow they've changed/matured/whatever a lot' or 'haha, she would never do something like that now' or whatever.


2) Appearance

Appearance isn't as important, and isn't always developing a character, but it's definitely an obvious way of changing a character. Appearance can also be something that's done more rapidly, in a couple chapters, instead of dozens.
For example, there are all those nerd-gets-a-makeover books. Or those we're-on-the-run-so-we-gotta-change-our-look books.
It depends, but usually the character's appearance won't factor in too much to their development or be changed too much by the end of the book.
If your character's more fashion aware or something by the end of the book than they were at the beginning, they could take better care of their hair or get highlights or something like that.
Or if they're doing more action-y stuff by the end of the book, they might find dresses and long hair annoying to deal with.
Like I said, appearance isn't that important, but it can be used to show how much a character has changed. Don't just rely on it, though.


3) Habits, Values & Fears

This is just my opinion, but I think in books, at least one character should get over at least one of their fears. It makes it fun to read (at least for me), and I don't know, I think it kinda gives you hope that you can do the same.
Anyway, habits and values are a little more minor stuff, more subtle. Usually people don't notice until you really draw attention to it or have one of your characters mention it. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't put changes in their habits, and values, and fears in there. It can make the story seem more real. They can also be used in the plot.

For example:

Habits:
 I have the habit of looking around every couple of minutes, if I'm in a room with people. Not because I'm bored, I just feel the urge to check my surroundings. I'm not sure if it's part of my personality, or if it stems from some weird fear, or something deeper, I don't exactly like to go psychologically digging around my brain.
For a character to develop from this there would be a reason she/he had this habit. Let's say your MC is paranoid. So some things happen, and he/she starts to feel safer, and stops obsessively checking his/her surroundings. This could affect the plot if she/he doesn't notice something he/she would've noticed before if he/she hadn't stopped.

Values:
This is one that I think people actually use a lot. Especially in the Cinderella kind of stories. The MC's love interest/ Prince Charming at the beginning of the book starts off only caring about himself, and looks, and money and whatever. But after spending time with the MC, who is usually an poor, ordinary girl who values family above anything else, he changes. By the end of the book, he values love, and friend, and family a lot more.
Pretty cliché, but when a character's values change like that, you kind of know he/she has changed/grown.
And of course the typical way to use values in plot is when the bad guy kidnaps the main character and uses her to get to the love interest, who, at the beginning of the book, probably wouldn't have done anything, but now would give up his own life.

And I've already kind of talked about fears.


4) Interaction with other characters

How your characters interact with other characters is huge. It can show not just the developing of a character, but also the developing of a relationship.
Classic example? Love/Hate relationship into 'I love you's.
The relationship between the main character and her love interest grows/develops. Usually because the love interest ends up developing from an arrogant jerk to a thoughtful good boy. That's character development. Obvious, and cliché, but still character development.

It doesn't have to be as big and obvious as that.
If one of your characters is in love, they might be nicer and more patient with their family. Of if your character's going through some hard stuff and is really stressed, it might be the opposite.
It doesn't have to be short term stuff either. If she goes through a lot, or someone close to him dies, they might appreciate life and what they have more, so they might be nicer, or more thoughtful.


5) Narration/Voice

This can only really be shown in first person. Your character's narration should change/grow a little throughout your story. Maybe a little, maybe a lot, depending on your plot.

For example, in Something about Summer (first book in Summer Rain), my main character, Raine, is naive, bubbly, a little crazy. She gets off topic and rambles a lot in her thoughts/narration. In After Rain, which is set three years later, she's a lot more calm, and realistic in her thoughts/narration. When she's thinking about something, she doesn't ramble so much and get off topic anymore. And she's less optimistic and trusting.

The development of your character's voice/narration depends on what happens to your character. With my character, there's a three year difference between the two books so obviously she's more mature in the second. But even if your book doesn't happen over that much time, there should probably still be changes. If she goes through losing a loved one, she might be more philosophical in her thoughts, or pessimistic. If her best friend betrays her, she might be wary of every new person she meets, or her friends, even if she doesn't show it or say it.
An advantage to writing in first person is that you can show the thoughts of your main character. We rarely ever say everything that's on our mind. Yeah, you can always show development in dialogue and stuff, but it's not like your tell your friend you don't trust her as much because your best friend betrayed you.
And with thoughts, you can be subtle, or outright say it. You could just say your character don't trust their friends as much anymore. Or you can show it by having them be more suspicious if they're keeping a secret from her/him, or wondering if that friend secretly hates them, etc.



I'm a teacher in a sort of writing academy. It's accepting students right now, so if you want classes from me by any chance, click the external link. I can't guarantee you'll be put with me, but I think it's a great way to learn new things. :D
Next Tip: I don't know yet. Leave requests in the requests part, pretty please.

~JJ :)