What Is Character in
Fiction Writing?
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.
Though so much writing hinges on character, very few writers stop to ask, well, what is character? Maybe more should! Great storytelling involves more than just interesting plot lines and creative worldbuilding. It also requires that the writer is able to create characters that readers can connect with and relate to. But what is character, anyway? In a most basic sense, the main character or protagonist is the reader’s entry to and guide within a story. Crafting an engaging main character is essential to telling a captivating story, as this fictional person will be the driving force of your narrative. So what is character? Read on to find out.
What is Character: Establishing Motivation and Goals
First and foremost, if you’re wondering what is character, remember to establish the motivation and objective of that fictional person. All people, both “good guys” and “bad guys” have drives and ambitions that shape their decisions and actions, so it is important for your protagonist to have these same kinds of motivations.
You should consider what goals each of your characters are working towards, what obstacles stand in their way, and why they hope to achieve those goals in the first place. Establishing these elements will help you develop multi-layered and intriguing characters who readers can empathize with and be inspired by.
And yes, when I’m answering the question of “What is character?” I also want this advice applied to secondary and tertiary characters. Not everyone has that protagonist personality, sure, but each character in your story deserves nuance.
What is Character: Creating Memorable Personalities
In addition to having clear motivations and goals, it is also important that your character has multiple layers to their personality. Not everything you imagine for your character has the power to be characterization. Their interview view of the world and moral compass, for example, ideally set them apart from other characters in the story.
What is character except a collection of specific and interesting traits, habits, and quirks? They’re also a combination of actions, decisions, and reaction beats. All of these traits should be consistent throughout the narrative, even when a character must adapt to changing circumstances or challenges to their own beliefs. Every main character should be on a trajectory or character arc as they grow, change, and mature over the course of your story. What is character? A moving target, as long as that target moves in a logical way.
Think about how you want your protagonist's personality to shine through in scenes where they interact with other characters, demonstrate their stated value systems via action, and face difficult choices—this allows readers to get to know them better on an intimate level while still remaining true to who they are at their core. What is character? A sum of many parts that add up to an interesting whole.
What is Character: Flaws and Misconceptions
What is character without flaws? One thing that makes great protagonists so captivating is the fact that they are flawed individuals who must overcome their own shortcomings, misconceptions, and blind spots … in addition to external conflict and story obstacles thrown at them by the plot. These flaws could range from stubbornness or recklessness to dishonesty (but not too much, unless this is an unreliable narrator or self-doubt … whatever traits you decide upon for your protagonist, make sure that these flaws manifest themselves naturally within the story’s narrative arc. We’re all flawed human beings, and seeing a protagonist struggling with something or overcome with doubt makes them more real and relatable.
When studying the idea of what is character for any type of story, remember three things: establish motivation and goals, create a memorable personality, and include some flawed traits. Doing so will help give readers a strong connection with your lead—which will allow you to tell an even more captivating story because now your readers will care. And making readers care is the foundation upon which all storytelling is built.
For those eagle-eyed readers who are wondering just what kind of editor would write an article with the clunky phrasing of “what is character” over and over on her website, I applaud you for noticing that this reads awkwardly. Please note that I picked this keyword phrase on purpose, as part of my SEO (search engine optimization) strategy. If you’re curious about writer marketing techniques, check out Good Story Marketing.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.