Want to know the secret that might propel your book into the bestseller category? Characters. And I don't mean just any characters, but characters that seem to live and breathe. They're imperfect. They've got strengths. They've got weaknesses.
"But why won't people just accept perfect characters?" you may ask.
Perhaps the best example I can use is Nancy Drew. Yes, she has survived over 3/4 of a century, but if you look at some of the yellow hardback versions, you'll find yourself almost frustrated with her. Why? Because she's perfect. Most of her hunches are right, and the guy she suspects in the beginning really is the culprit. She doesn't have dietary weaknesses, and as a result is neither fat nor thin, but just right. Although people love her adventures, you'd be pretty hard put to find someone who can actually relate to our young detective.
Fortunately, there is a way to create characters so memorable that your reader won't be able to put the book down. There are four things that you'll want to consider when writing up your character analysises.
First, you should brainstorm. What do you imagine your character acting like in your book? What personality do you immediately associate with him or her? After you've done this, try to imagine your character's past. Since our past experiences affect how we behave in the present, this tremendously adds depth and reality to your character. Also, you'll want to fill in some information about the character's likes and dislikes, physical appearance, etc. Even if these pieces of information are never stated outright in the book, it will aid your character performance greatly if you know them.
Second, look inside yourself. You'll find your fears, your hurts, your pet peeves, your experiences, and much more. Try putting some of these into your character. Don't be afraid to put in some of your bad qualities,too. After all, no one really has to know that it's you!
Third, observe others. What kinds of people make your blood boil, and why? Who is your best friend, and why do you like him or her? What are the qualities you deem as good in people? What are the qualities you deem as bad? Dig as deeply as you can. What kind of house does the person live in? How do her children behave? What methods of parenting does she use? What is her favorite food? Beverage? What are her morals? You get the picture.
Fourth, try to form characters from the plot. Does your lead need to be good at tracking because she's traveling over mountains trying to catch up with her parents? Is he naturally persistent because it's a lofty goal that you need him to attain? Also, don't make the character good at everything you have for him or her, or the character will be stale. Instead, give the character a weakness(es) that will get everyone in trouble from time to time. You might want to make one character weak in one area, and another character strong in the same area. For example, does the talented tracker lack confidence? Make a character that abounds in confidence, and may be even a little daring, and you'll see that they complement each other nicely.
I have yet to see someone beat the chemistry of Frodo and Sam from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Frodo's intentions are good, but Tolkien well knew the power of the ring, and it did not fail to take control of the poor hobbit. Had it not been for Sam, Frodo would have turned back. Through all of Frodo's struggles against the power of the ring, Sam remained faithful, confident, and humble. Had Sam not looked on the bright side of situations and encouraged his friend, Frodo most likely would never have made it. Tolkien had taken the time to get to know how his characters would help each other, and the affects are astounding.
As for the naming process, experiment around a bit. Try naming your character something unusual or choose a name with a meaning that fits that individual. Names that point to cultural backgrounds are great, too. In one of my fantasy books, I chose to distinguish my elven characters by naming each of them after trees., most likely because I often place my elven villages in forests. Aspen, Cypress, Willow, Birch, Maple, and Oak are some of the names I thought of. Don't worry if your character's name is a common one, either. Check out some baby name books and websites. When you find the right name, you will know it.
Creating characters is hard work, but the deeper you dig, the better your book will become. Add all of the details you can think of- idiosyncrasies, favorite animal, favorite flavor of lip gloss, etc. Next, we'll discuss dialogue! See ya!
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