5 ways to create even more compelling characters
There's a saying in the writing world, a quote that often follows the traces of wisdom and echoes through the chambers of inspiration: 'Characters drive plot, but personality drives characters'. In the alluring labyrinth of fiction, characters are the lifeblood. They are the ones who make readers turn the pages, who make them laugh, cry, and sometimes throw the book against the wall in a fit of frustration.
But how do you turn your characters into a captivating ensemble, a gallery of fascinating personas that the reader can't help but get invested in? Here are five tips to make your characters as irresistible as a perfectly baked Victoria sponge on a rainy day.
Tip 1 – Give your characters deep, complex motivations
Let's start with the foundation. Characters, like real people, need reasons to act. They're not mere puppets dancing on the strings of your whims but individuals driven by their desires, fears, and dreams. These motivations should be as intricate and layered as the most devilishly difficult onion to peel.
Think about Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings. His motivation isn't just to destroy a shiny piece of jewellery – it's to save the Shire, the place he loves, even though he knows he might not return.
Tip 2 – Unearth their backstory
A tree is as strong as its roots, and a character is only as compelling as their backstory. Unearthing their past is like embarking on an archaeological dig into their soul.
Imagine if we didn't know about about Scout Finch's upbringing in a racially tense Alabama, or her complex relationship with her father Atticus in "To Kill a Mockingbird." These details don't merely resonate with our feelings, they tether them to a swift river current and let them surge.
Tip 3 – Make them flawed but oh so relatable
Forget about the knight in shining armour or a flawless damsel. Those days have joined the likes of disco and fax machines. Readers love characters who are flawed, who stumble and falter, who spill tea on their shirt just before a big meeting – in other words, characters who are human.
But remember, flaws should stem from their personalities, not just added for the sake of it. Elizabeth Bennet's prejudice in Pride and Prejudice springs from her hasty judgements, not because Jane Austen thought, "I need to make her flawed".
Tip 4 – Let them evolve
Character evolution is the secret spice of compelling storytelling. A story is a journey, and characters need to grow and change along the way, just like Frodo, who returns to the Shire but is irrevocably changed.
This doesn't mean they need to morph into superheroes by the end, but they should differ from when they started. A character standing still in a narrative is like a joke without a punchline – full of promise but ultimately disappointing.
A final word – your characters are not alone
Characters don't exist in a vacuum. They interact with others and their surroundings, they clash, they fall in love, they make enemies. This dynamism, this clash of personalities, goals, and desires keeps the narrative wheel spinning.
So there you have it, five tips to make your characters truly compelling. Remember, writing is an art but also a craft. So chisel those characters, imbue them with life, and watch your story come alive. Happy writing!
