Okay, so you know that characters in any novel need to be unique and one-of-a-kind. They need to have specific qualities that either help them or deepen the conflict.
You also know that a good novel should have a theme, or something that can be taken away from the story and effect lives. For themes, dig deep inside yourself- keeping in mind what sets your blood to a boiling temperature. Do you hate it when people mistreat people of different skin colors? Is abortion particularly abhorrent to you? Do you threaten to call the cops when you see teenagers road-racing (a novel on taking the things God gave us seriously, maybe?)? Or perhaps you want something more spiritual. Salvation happens to be a favorite among the Christians. In this case, you should have your lead go through a rough, bumpy time that draws him or her to God. No reader will relate to a lead who follows God without a second thought!
But how can you tie your theme and your character(s) together as do some of the most successful plots? By the journey the character takes- by the plot events themselves.
Perhaps the best and most widely used example of this is Charles Dickens's The Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge is a lean, mean, money-making machine (and not to mention selfish and crabby) until The Ghosts visit him. These three individuals lead him through his past, present, and future. But there is a catch- the future can still be changed! As you probably know, the future changes and so does Scrooge. As I stated before, this is a very good example of something every writer should understand. Something known in our business as the "character arc".
Note in our example how the story is constructed. It revolves around the theme (the virtues of being a good person). Indeed, the conflict is the theme itself! All plot points strive toward one goal- making Scrooge a better person.
In the beginning, we are presented with a character, Ebenezer Scrooge. From the get-go, we're told that he's unpleasant and selfish, and soon Dickens backs this claim up with sufficient glimpses of Scrooge interacting with the people around him. By the end, Scrooge is a different man. Where did the change happen, and how did Dickens accomplish this?
The answer is simple- through the plot. That's the character arc. It's using your character's weaknesses to create further conflict, then using the plot to somehow create a change in your character. But be careful you don't go right out and tell your reader what the change is! This is exposition in the extreme, and it can be a big damper on the sales of your book. Since your character is the one doing the changing, show it in the actions and choices your character makes while catching on to the lesson in play. If done right, this should produce a beautiful, clear combination of character, conflict, and theme.
Okay, so how do you create the character arc? First, get a theme in mind. The rest is a duet between the plot and the character in question. For the best kind of character arc, think about your character's weaknesses. Is she proud? Does he think honor is to be sought above all else? Does she think she can live her life without God? Is he calloused and uncaring? Abusive? Impatient? The possibilities are endless.
Now, pick a weakness you want to have changed by the end of the book. What's the opposite of the weakness? For the girl who believes she can live her life without God, the opposite is living her life following in God's footsteps. What plot events drive her towards (and through) that change?
If you've already planned your plot, examine how you challenge your characters. The best authors corner their characters- they attack them from the outside-in and the inside-out, only providing an outlet for escape once the story has run its course. Consider the conflicts that attack your character's inner soul, question their morals and everything they've every believed in. How does your character reply to these attacks? Through attack and reply, your character should battle her way through the arc until you reveal to her an outlet, the light at the end of the tunnel. And when she comes out of that tunnel, she should be changed.
The character arc will make or break you. It has to be (simultaneously) subtle, stamped in bold letters over everything, and realistic. Moreover, it has to come from two sources- the plot and the character. Creating inner conflict (the stuff in the plot's chemistry that churns the wheels of the character arc) will be discussed later. Good night!
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