Writing Tips & Prompts

Creating A Character

Step 1. Their name. Everyone needs a name, but do not spend hours trying to come up with a name or searching through BabyNames.com! Classic names will do if you can't come up with an 'interesting' name, I always think the simple and traditional names are the best but that's my personal opinion.

Step 2. Their appearance. Hair? Eyes? Freckles? Glasses? Colour of nail polish? Clothing? Shade of skin? Type of hair? Petite? Curvy? Tall? Short? Pretty? Unique looking? Piercings? Tattoos? Scars?By describing what your character looks like in depth it allows them to imagine what they look in their mind. Also mention the way they talk, walk or even their habits such as biting their nails etc.

Step 2. Background. This one is especially important. Now, it doesn't need to be mentioned in the book however it is good for you to know because everyone's actions often reflect on their past. It is also good for future references in the book.

Step 3. Weaknesses. Everyone has a weakness, what is your characters and why? Don't just have something simple like snakes, a real fear like love, death, heartbreak etc. Why is that their fear? A past experience?

Step 4. Where do they go often? This is important because it will probably be where your character is most of the time in the book. This could be as simple as a coffee shop or a shopping centre.

Step 5. What is something they always have on them? This allows you to get to know your character and your readers can get to know them too. If they carry around a journal it's because they have a lot on their mind and they prefer to jot it down or maybe it's because they are very forgetful and are always having to write something down before they forget it.

Step 5. Goal. What do they strive for? This could be something like happiness, to uncover a murder or again love or death.

Step 6. Love or hate? Do you want your readers to fall in love with the character or despise him? This can be done by presenting your character in a certain way. Often loveable characters are selfless, caring or they are in love with another and the readers fall in love with their relationship. Hated characters are cruel, bitter etc, but readers can also hate their past or their appearance too.

Step 7. End goal. What do you want for your character in the end? Happiness? Death? Sadness? Has your character changed throughout the book? One character may be introduced in the beginning as horrible however towards the end, the readers begin to fall in love with them because they may pity them because of their past or because they're changing.

Step 8. Have fun! Do what you want with your character! Kill them off or make something really amazing happen. Their lives are in your hands and you can control whatever happens to them, this is something I love to do, I love to decide what happens next in the chapters. This is your book and these are you characters.