The characters are one of the most important elements in a novel. Some writers would say that they are the most vital part. If readers do not find the central character interesting they will quickly give up on a book. So how can you ensure yours are memorable?
You can never know too much about a character. Plan out who they are and what has happened to them in the past using one of the templates below. You are unlikely to use all the information you create, but the character will have more depth if you understand them well. Think as well about the differences in their behaviour revealed in their relationship with others. For instance, Harry Potter speaks entirely differently to his uncle or cousin than to his friends or Dumbledore.
Your protagonist will usually, but not always, be likeable and relatable. This does not mean they should be perfect, as that can get boring. Give them some quirks and flaws that cause them problems. Similarly, the antagonist will usually, but not always, be a villain, with a lot of negative traits. Again, this character will be more realistic and interesting if they are not all bad.
Plan a character arc for your protagonist at the least, if not for all the major characters. The protagonist, for example, might gain more confidence and skills over the course of the novel. Frodo at the end of “Lord of the Rings” is different person to who he was at the beginning, having been affected by the events that took place, injured in battle and had the power of the ring affect him. Frodo also has a clear goal as well as a private motivation at the beginning: he needs to get rid of the ring and he wants to have an adventure. Both your protagonist and antagonist need to have motivations and desires, and the main ones will often bring them in conflict with each other.
Think about how to create a mystery with your characters. One of the ways to make a book exciting is to give clues about a character that are not immediately answered. Vital information that explains a character’s motives or insecurities can be given a bit at a time throughout the novel. This will constantly make the reader eager to find out more. The “Star Wars” films do this effectively with Luke Skywalker and later with Rey, with big revelations about the characters being key points throughout the films.
A lot of information can be shown to the readers, rather than being explained. Dialogue and body language can quickly convey a character’s anger or grief without it needing to be spelt out. Whether you decide to write in first person point of view or third person will also affect the reader’s perception of the protagonist.
The genre or sub-genre you are writing in is something else that will affect characterisation. Fantasy romances tend to have detailed descriptions of characters’ appearances. Literary novels with long immersive descriptions might do the same. In other genres you might want to just write about a couple of aspects of a character’s appearance that will make them stand out in the reader’s mind or that reveal something important about their personality. The type of characters you include will also be affected by genre, as will the kinds of motivations they have.
With minor characters it is important to give them each a function to perform in the book. No character should be included without a good reason and suggestions for these functions are given in the free minor character template below. If you are writing epic fantasy and have a lot of characters you might need to think of ways to make each character memorable. One method is to have character duos who are the opposite of each other. This works in “Star Trek” with Spock being logical and McCoy frequently being emotional.
Finally, consider how to use the characters to create conflict. In the example of Spock and McCoy, these characters often argue or suggest entirely different courses of action to Jim Kirk. The protagonist might also have internal desires and motivations that work against each other causing a different kind of conflict.
Take your time getting to know your characters thoroughly and it will help both your writing and the success of the novel.
If you need more help with this subject, I have my book “Create Unforgettable Characters” (US link) available at Amazon or you could get a free copy of it by joining my e-mail list. You can find out more about what is included in it in the My Books section of this website.
