Poorly developed characters can ruin a story—even if the plot and writing are solid.
Are your characters as strong as they need to be?
Here are 5 critical questions to ask yourself about each one (esp your protag) to craft interesting, well-developed, and authentic characters:
Are your characters as strong as they need to be?
Here are 5 critical questions to ask yourself about each one (esp your protag) to craft interesting, well-developed, and authentic characters:
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If you can't name what your character wants, their actions won't add up to anything.
This want is what will give them an objective they'll pursue over the story—whether they're the protagonist or the antagonist, we should know what they're working for.
Don't make it overly vague or general.
Can we definitively say by the end of the story whether their objective has been achieved or not? If not, drill down until it becomes that concrete.
Nobody is perfect, and your characters shouldn't be perfect either.
In fact, a character who can do no wrong will feel inauthentic and potentially alienate your reader.
Give them unflattering personality traits, misbeliefs, and bad habits.
What flaw would get in the way of your character achieving what they want?
For example, perhaps your character is ambitious (good), but also reckless (bad).
Every complex character should harbor a secret that would be shattering if revealed—something they personally grapple with throughout the story.
Plus, if it's revealed to us, we're automatically going to have a deeper connection to them.
It'll create a source of internal conflict for them, influence their decisions, and create depth.