Writing Advice: For Those Looking to Improve, Not Argue

Basic Character Creation

So you sat down and outlined your story (or didn't) and are ready to move onto the next step of writing. The meat and potatoes. Your story's beating heart.

Characters.

"Wait, Carrow, isn't plot more important?"

No. Stories ultimately build around characters, what they do, and how they change over the course of the story.

But you can't just make a character. You need to make a compelling character. Something that gets the attention of your reader and pulls them into the world that you have created. This has been the core of writing since man gathered about the fire on a winter's day. But you don't have to take my word for it. Look at past tales about heroes such as Beowulf, Achilles, or Odysseus. If you aren't a fan of the classics, consider modern stories with Harry Potter, Alanna Tribond, or Superman.

What do all those characters I listed have in common? Layers. They aren't blanked faced puppets doing the bidding of the writer (well, they are doing our bidding, but that's beside the point). The entities that you are creating have stories behind them. Consider the following questions when you are brainstorming up these little critters running about in your story.

•Where are they from and how do did they grow up?

This question is a huge factor as to why your character acts as they do. Did they group up as an only child? A big family? Or maybe they group up as an orphan in the foster system. Consider how this alters the mentality of your character.

•What kind of relationships did/do they have?

For this question, we are looking at the kinds of bonds your character(s) have with others. Do they keep people close? At a distance? Did someone betray them, so now they trust no one? Do they like lots of friends, or only a few? Why?

•How do they think of others?

If you can answer the first two questions, this one will be easy. But why should you? Mostly because your character(s) response to others needs to be logical. If they group up in a big family that loved them, it doesn't make sense if they end up hating everyone else. There has to be a reason behind it and the sooner you know the answer, the easier will be to portray this in your writing.

•What is their motivation?

No one does something for no reason. Fairytales like to spin the story about a knight saving a princess because it is the right thing to do, but the truth is that he wants the kingdom that comes with the princess. What are they doing and why? Do they take a job to make rent at the end of the month? Tell a lie to keep from hurting their friend's feelings? Or keep a secret before of what would happen if everyone found out. Consider the reason why your creations are doing what they are doing and how that will change your story if they either get what they want or don't.

•Do they have a fear/weakness?

The answer to this should be yes. Always yes. As readers, we want to see a character with flaws. Otherwise, you tread into Mary/Marty Sue territory. Mary/Marty Sues are the character that has nothing wrong with them and everyone in the story is in obsessed with what they are doing and how they can be made theirs. Don't do this. Mary/Marty Sues are ultimately boring to read about for a number of reasons, but the primary one is that your reader has nothing to relate to when they read these kinds of characters. These flaws don't have to be huge. They could have a short temper, no verbal filter, disregard of authority figures, or even a klutz.

Try to not make a weakness that is counterproductive to what you are doing. Could you imagine what would have happened to Harry Potter if he has a phobia of magic? Probably nothing. So, put some thought into this, but don't spend more than ten minutes mulling over it. These are things that should instantly pop out at you.

•Why should your reader care/hate this character?

In a lot of manuscripts that I proof/beta read, I occasionally run into the main character that I don't care about and I ask the author why I should care. If you reader is indifferent to your main character, then you have a very big problem. Part of the issue I see is that the character has no relatability to the reader. Having your character be relatability will build a connection between the reader and the story. You must build up the reader's apathy. If there is no emotional investment for the reader, then you will lose your reader.

So that is Basic Character Creation as condensed as I can get it. In the next section, we can talk about character types.

I hoped this helped you. Let me know if you have questions!