Character Development

Developing Characters

What do readers want in book? Most will say “Characters that they will either love or hate… Characters they can relate to.”

Characters are the common denominators of fiction. Without believable, interesting characters, you do not have fiction at all, but names walking through a plot.

Characters influence all other story components.

1. Plot depends on characters. Different people react differently to the same situation — different characters, different plots.

2. Setting depends on characters. A setting shapes characters. Characters often gravitate to settings compatible with their natural personality.

3. Style is influenced by character. Different personalities require different writing styles.

Authors obtain their characters from four sources: themself, real people they know, real people they hear about, and pure imagination. Is one sense, every character an author creates is an extension of themselves. A character’s emotions draws upon the author’s emotions. A main question to consider, whether a character is real or imagined, is if the character is strong enough to sustain a story.

Not all character will matter equally to the story. The protagonist is the star of the story. In longer novels, there may be more than one protagonist. Other characters, known as featured characters, are necessary to a story and are interesting in their own right. Choosing a given character as a protagonist can result in one novel and choosing another character as a protagonist can result in a very different story.

Characters need to be selected with care. After a character is selected, the author needs to determine their core personality and that character’s impact on the story. Will the character remain consistent and firm within the entire story or will he make substantial changes? The changes within a character are called the story’s emotional arc. These changes are either brought about by external changes bringing about internal changes, or internal changes can bring about external changes in the circumstances of the character.

After an author has selected and wisely developed their characters throughout a story, those characters will be able to stir the emotions of your readers. They will be able to develop a vicarious attachment to the characters. That attachment leads to satisfied, contented readers who are eager for the next book by the author.

What Makes a Great Story

What Makes a Great Story?           

Five elements must work together in balance to create a great story. They include:

Ø  Characters
Ø  Conflict
Ø  Dialogue
Ø  Setting
Ø  Impact

Characters in a great story are multi-layered with both strengths and weaknesses. Memorable characters will have uniqueness, individuality, and complexity with both the negative and positive traits of real people.  Characters reveal who they are by what they say and do, which leads to the need for intense conflict and real, believable dialog. Every great story revolves around both external and internal conflict. A good conflict must appeal to the emotions and address a felt need, or a universal problem. To capture the reader’s attention, a great story begins with a conflict; something is changing. From the initial conflict, the story develops around how the characters respond to each conflict to obtain a final resolution.

 The setting of a great story must provide a strong sense of place and be integral to the plot. The setting can influence the outcome of the story and serve as the antagonist of the story — man versus nature model. The setting can real character, add texture, and set the mood of the story.

The dialog within a great story will reveal the character speaking. It must contribute to the telling of the story and move the story forward. The dialog should not be used for exposition, except in small doses. It should build the reader’s interest and apprehension.

The impact of the story makes a story memorable. The goal of the author is to satisfy the reader. If the reader is not satisfied, she will feel cheated. The ending is the last impression of the author and her work. It will be the deciding factor of they will read another book by the same author or recommend the author’s books to others.