Hello, I am Ron Snider. Today, I will be writing about Creating Fictional Characters.
Creating fictional characters is a big subject. And folks, you can’t afford to get it wrong.
Today, I will discuss seven suggestions to help you build a great story using your imagination. However, if you are not careful, you will trip over a massive stumbling block at the beginning of writing your story, creating the wrong kinds of characters.
Imagine going to a party where all the guests were either dislikeable or dull. How long would it take you to start making up excuses to leave? Five minutes? Ten at the most?
Well, folks, it’s the same with reading a book: your readers won't hang around and read your book if the characters are dry as dust. They will be just like those you left at the party.
You must make your readers fall in love with the people you are creating.
I suggest you grab a pencil and paper and jot down these seven suggestions.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-1. Make the Characters Charismatic
Oh, they don't have to be drop-dead gorgeous. However, your readers will warm up to a handsome or beautiful character more quickly than an ugly one. ( I know that is a terrible way of putting it, but such is life.)
Your characters don't need to be constantly stirring or exciting; they always appear to know the right thing to say. However, it certainly won't hurt to have that character be that way, but only sometimes. After all, in reality, no one likes a person who thinks they are a know-it-all.
There has to be something interesting about the character. They have to be the kind of people who will liven up a party or a room with people in it… the type of person you can’t take your eyes off. If a character can move into a room where no one notices, I can assure you your readers won’t see them either.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-2. Make the Characters Likeable
Or better still, loveable! We all know there are people we instantly take to and go out of our way to avoid. What makes that person so pleasant and friendly, from the one you are running to a dark corner to hide from?
Ask yourself: Are you drawn to the characters because they are kind? Maybe it is generosity? How about selflessness? Yes, it could be these three things and undoubtedly a thousand others.
You see, just like in life, readers love characters who
• Are dependable. Who has the quality of being trustworthy, reliable, and consistent in performance or behavior?
• Are modest.
• Keeping promises.
• Play fair.
• Don’t see themselves as being Mr. Mrs, or Miss perfect
• Helping others and not expecting anything in return.
• Having a sense of humor.
• Are brave
• Are willing to help out when needed.
• Have specific dreams in life we can associate with.
• Tell the truth.
• Are level-headed.
• Are smart – even more… common-sense.
• Are cool under pressure.
It goes without saying that you don’t want all the characters in your book to be likable or loveable, especially not the villains. These characters, you want to really make dislikeable.
Readers tend to not like the characters that are the bad guys because they…
• Cannot be relied upon.
• Are braggers.
• They let people down – and don’t care that they did so.
• They play dirty.
• Many of the villains you read about are ugly or deformed. They often have scars or a bad complexion. (Once again, folks, I know that is a terrible way of putting it… but such is life.)
• Villains think of themselves as superior to others.
• Are self-serving.
• Are cowards.
• Are selfish, only looking out for themselves.
• Have dreams and ambitions… which your reader feels are not worthy of having.
• Tell lies.
• Are insane – a little or a lot.
• Suffer from mood swings.
• Are bullies.
• Whine and complain about their own problems.
• Never volunteer.
• Panic under pressure.
Now the points I just mentioned should give you a good idea of creating a good character or a villain character.
Just beware of making the good characters in a book too good… and the bad ones too bad…
• If a hero is pure and noble with no flaws or imperfections whatsoever… readers, might get turned off and hate them for being too much of a goody-good shoes or being saint-like. I know that is putting it strongly, but your readers might get to the point where they want goody-good shoes to be taken down a few notches. (Once again, folks, I know that is a terrible way of putting it… but such is life.)
You want the readers to basically love your hero and basically can't stand whichever character is trying to ruin the hero’s plans.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-3. Make the Characters Interesting
Let’s say that your main character is a man that works in a bank, speaks softly, and has a terrible combover that hides his baldness and has been married for over 40 years… and is nearing retirement.
WOW, HOW DULL… BETTER POKE YOUR READERS TO KEEP THEM AWAKE.
Now, let's change that main character... this time, he works at a casino, speaks like a man with confidence. Got rid of the combover... shaved his head… and wears a dark goatee… and even has a diamond stud earring in one ear. He is still nearing retirement, but he wants to supplement his income by robbing the casino with the help of a 24-year-old out of work exotic dancer called Cherry.
Now... folks, that will keep your readers awake!
Okay... all of these character traits that I have been talking about that make one interesting... charismatic, likable, lovable, whatever... are characters you will have to decide upon yourselves.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-4. Make the Characters Ordinary… and then make them Extraordinary
You know, we are drawn to people who are “just like us” on the other hand… we are wary of people who are not.
It will help your book if your readers see your character as an ordinary type of person… sort of like a Clark Kent in a superman movie.
However, that is just part of it. Your readers will become bored of such a character, just like Lois Lane did with Clark. Your character needs something mysterious about them that is unusual and interesting. Then, of course, we later learn that Clark is no ordinary guy… hey, he is an extraordinary type of guy.
The ideal character needs to be both…
• Familiar… and unfamiliar.
• Just like us… and not like us at all.
• Ordinary… and extraordinary.
It is a balancing act for sure.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-5. Make the Characters Well-Motivated
Which of the following characters in a novel do you think a reader will care most about…
• Debbie, who takes a second job as a waitress to help put her teenage kid through college?
• Or Meredith, who takes a second job as a waitress to pay for cosmetic surgery?
It’s got to be Debbie, right? However, what if I tell you that…
• Sweet ole Debbie only needs the money because she blew her son’s college fund on Gambling and feeding her drug habit.
• Meredith needs cosmetic surgery because her ex-mafia husband shot her in the face.
You see, that is what is exciting about creating characters. As writers, we have an almost god-like power to change how characters are viewed.
As writers, we need to make these people in our books motivated.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-6. Make the Characters Dynamic
You know… life is full of troubles, and the folks in our books go through a lot more trouble than us in the real world. I once read that the writer John Irving said that he doesn’t create characters for a book… he creates victims.
In the real world, we can get away with sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves. However, the characters in our books can’t do that for long… not if they want the readers to care about them.
Too much self-pity just isn’t an option for them. Readers expect them to do something to make the situation right.
SUGGESTION NUMBER-7. Make the Characters Good At What They Do
If you are writing a western, make that cowboy a lightning draw with a gun, like a Clint Eastwood type of character.
If he is a secret agent, make him cool and daring, like a James Bond type of character.
On the other hand, you can make that person in your book awfully bad at what they do.
You can make them a teacher who can’t stand children. Because the little kids are mean, you daydream in class about punishing the parents of these little darlings for making your teaching job so difficult.
And now, we have come to the end of this blog. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to read my blog.
God bless you, stay safe, and have a good day.
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