How to Create a Character
That Compels Readers
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
If you’re not yet asking yourself how to create a character for your novel, stop scrolling and read this article. A strong story needs strong characters to keep readers interested and invested. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to create a character that your readers will adore (or despise!).
How to Create a Character Who Feels Real
Incorporate flaws into your character. Everyone has flaws, blind spots, misconceptions, and shortcomings. They make a protagonist personality more engaging for readers, who can recognize their own foibles on the page. People don't want to read about a perfect person who has not made any mistakes. Not only does this convey a lack of self-awareness, but most readers can relate to characters who make mistakes and have to work hard to overcome them. When you’re wondering how to create a character, remember to establish their weaknesses as well as their strengths.
For extra credit, consider giving them something they feel is a weakness or vulnerability, only to reveal that it ends up redeeming them or saving the day at the end. That’s a handy little trick of how to create a character.
As you work on fleshing your protagonist out, make sure you give your character unique quirks. These shouldn’t be little oddities for the sake of being quirky or special, but an interesting and relatable character should have hobbies, strong viewpoints, and other markers of a well-rounded life. This part of how to create a character might seem a bit petty compared to the big stuff you’ll want to know about your protagonist, but this added shading will help readers form an image of the character in their minds.
When you’re thinking about how to create a character who feels real and three-dimension, remember to keep your character authentic. Even if they have virtues that most of us could only dream of, or go on an adventure that none of us will ever experience, it's also important for them to feel like a real person. Avoid clichés or stereotype—they only serve to sour readers and make them detach from the story.
Finally, let your character feel deeply. Dive into their interiority and connect them to the events of the plot using reaction beats. No matter what they’re doing or how they’re acting—and they should be pushing the story forward and being proactive more often than not—they should always be reacting, too.
How to Create a Character: Goals
I can’t talk about how to create a character without ending on a discussion of goals, objectives, and driving motivations. Provide your character with a specific goal and a reason for wanting to achieve this goal. What is it that they are striving for? A character without ambition isn't very intriguing to read about. Make sure the goal has an emotional component as well, and it’s not just a new car or a promotion at work. This gets at the character need that’s operating under the surface..
The task of how to create a character who is complex and interesting takes time, thought, and practice, but this endeavor is worth the trouble. An interesting and engaging character will keep readers hooked and eager for more of your story. Show your characters the love and attention they deserve and readers will appreciate it.
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Click here to purchase Writing Interiority: Crafting Irresistible Characters, my book on interiority and character creation. Explore your protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, reactions and interpretations, expectations, and inner struggles to create a rich, immersive experience. This guide will empower you to create characters who live and breathe on the page, fostering an unbreakable bond with your audience.