Creating characters that leap off the page and into the hearts of readers is one of the most rewarding challenges in fiction writing. Characters drive the narrative, evoke emotions, and make stories memorable. Here are five essential techniques for crafting complex, relatable characters that readers will care about.
1. Give Your Characters Depth with Backstory
A well-developed backstory can add layers to your characters, making them feel like real people with histories, experiences, and motivations. Here’s how to create a compelling backstory:
- Key Life Events: Outline significant events that have shaped your character's personality, beliefs, and goals. These could include childhood experiences, relationships, traumas, and triumphs.
- Influences and Motivations: Consider who or what has influenced your character. This could be family members, mentors, or pivotal life moments. Understanding these influences helps explain why your character acts the way they do.
- Internal Conflicts: Introduce internal struggles and conflicting desires. A character who grapples with inner turmoil is more relatable and interesting. For instance, a character might desire both success and personal fulfillment but find it challenging to achieve both.
2. Show, Don’t Tell
The old writing adage "show, don’t tell" is crucial for character development. Instead of directly telling readers about a character’s traits, show these traits through actions, dialogue, and thoughts:
- Actions: Demonstrate character traits through their behavior. For example, instead of stating that a character is generous, show them volunteering or helping others.
- Dialogue: Use dialogue to reveal personality and background. How a character speaks, what they talk about, and their speech patterns can provide insights into their character.
- Thoughts and Reactions: Internal monologue and reactions to events can reveal a character’s true feelings and thoughts. This helps readers understand their inner world and connect with them on a deeper level.
3. Create Flaws and Strengths
Perfect characters are often unrelatable and uninteresting. To create believable and engaging characters, balance their strengths with flaws:
- Flaws: Give your characters imperfections and weaknesses. These could be emotional, physical, or moral flaws. A flawed character is more human and relatable, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles.
- Strengths: Highlight your characters’ strengths and virtues. These attributes can help readers root for them and understand their potential for growth. The interplay between strengths and weaknesses adds complexity and depth.
4. Develop Unique Voices
Each character should have a distinct voice that reflects their personality, background, and experiences. Here’s how to achieve that:
- Speech Patterns: Consider how your character speaks. Their vocabulary, tone, and speech rhythms can reflect their upbringing, education, and personality.
- Body Language: Non-verbal communication, such as gestures, facial expressions, and posture, can reveal much about a character’s emotions and state of mind.
- Inner Monologue: A character’s inner thoughts can provide a window into their soul. Use this technique to convey their fears, hopes, and internal conflicts.
5. Show Growth and Change
Dynamic characters who grow and change over the course of the story are more engaging and realistic. Character arcs can demonstrate this growth:
- Initial State: Establish your character’s starting point, including their initial beliefs, goals, and flaws.
- Challenges and Conflicts: Put your characters through trials and challenges that force them to confront their flaws and reevaluate their beliefs.
- Transformation: Show how these experiences change your characters. This could be a gradual shift in their worldview, newfound strengths, or overcoming a significant flaw.
Creating complex, relatable characters involves more than just giving them a name and a role in the plot. By delving into their backstories, showing rather than telling, balancing flaws and strengths, developing unique voices, and illustrating growth and change, you can create characters that resonate with readers and make your stories unforgettable. Remember, readers care about characters who feel real, evoke empathy, and undergo meaningful transformations. Happy writing!
I am the founder of ArmLin House, as well as the Chief Editor and Creative Director. For over thirty-five year, I’ve worked in technology, business development, marketing, writing, and publishing jobs. In the last 5 years I’ve returned to school and have become a graphic designer and social media video editor. In general, I have A LOT of experience in A LOT of industries and I love to help people, which is one of our main missions as a company. Learn more about me on my LinkedIn page.