Blog entry 5 onto my Writers Tips page and I really am thrilled at how well this is all going. Thank you for reading my blog. Also HUGE thanks for the authors who contribute. It’s such an exciting project for me and I appreciate the support.
This week then we are looking at Developing Credible Characters and as always I will inject my top tips first and then hand over to the contributing authors for their help. On board with this weeks blog is Jack Lacey and Jonathan Lee.
Many people who choose to write a story significantly do it for two reasons; to tell a story or to introduce a new character. Developing each of these is such an exciting task that writing - for me - will never be a ‘job’ because I love doing it. An important thing to keep in mind when developing characters are to make sure they’re believable. Even if your lead character is an alien, be sure to insert familiar characteristics and traits. Depending on who your writing for can also come into play here so be sure to pick your target audience first and then develop a character based around them. For example; if your book is aimed at teenage boys they are not going to enjoy the lead character being a ten year old boy. They yearn for heroes who they can look up to and aspire to be like. If you are writing for young readers they require simple, one dimensional characters. The older the audience the more multi-dimensional the character should become.
Try to guard against creating stereotypical characters; steer away from the busty, blonde bar lady and the flirtatious sales guy. Mix and match characteristics for your characters to keep them interesting. I might refer you back to my character checklist that I mentioned in Blog 3 - Planning. This is something that helps me develop characteristics and mannerisms for my leading roles.
A lot of the time, when writing and creating, a horrible thing called ‘writers block’ can take over. My cure for this is to have my trusty notebook near by (something else mentioned in planning). Carry a notebook with you wherever you may go and if you see a person with a striking attitude, quirky habbits or an interesting dress sense, make a note of them in your book. This can also be used if you hear intriguing dialogue. These notes can help you build up a portfolio of characters which you can develop in your stories.
Psychology can help you when creating and developing credible characters. For example; explore body language. When a person is happy and secure they will generally be very open. Those insecure or feeling under threat will be closed. Some might choose to put physical barriers up between themselves and whoever they are talking to (ie; a handbag). Secure people would lean in when talking but insecure characters would lean back. Showing a character is lying? Just add in a little gesture; covers mouth, touches their nose, rubs an eye or an ear. Remember, there is always a reason for an action.
The Seven Deadly Sins are fantastic to use when selecting personality traits for your characters. Sloth, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Pride, Anger and Greed are all great characteristics.
So top tips then:
- Make your characters BELIEAVABLE
- Avoid stereotyping
- Use your target audience to help you create
- Have a trusty notebook with you at all times
- Draw upon psychology
Now I am going to hand over to two fabulous authors; Jack Lacey and Jonathan Lee for their input on developing credible characters.
Jack Lacey says:
Hi Amie, great to be back on your wonderful blog...There are many different approaches to characterisation as there are writers...As for myself, I prefer a ‘method acting’ type approach. How can we really get under someone’s skin? Because we have to do that to truly make a character real, don’t we? A principal character has to be an extension of our own psyche, as he or she is then far easier to create and is enlivened by our own personality, needs and emotions.
The genre and plot of a book will help manifest the outline of a main character for sure, and our own voice will help shape that lead character some, but what about the small details, the ‘brushstrokes’ as my editor used to say. Well for that, I have to go undercover! Being a writer is a great excuse to do things you would never normally do and not feel like your plain crazy, all though that is undoubtedly true if you’re a writer anyway ;-)
Go to that Elvis impersonator bingo one night, or spend a night in the forest, take up Kareoke pole dancing or jump out of a plane, if thats what your character would be seen to do! You need to ‘feel’ the environment that he operates in, in order to wear that scenario so then you can react to it as your character would react to it in order to write about it with authenticity and vibrancy.
In my latest novel ‘American Crow’. My main guy ‘Blake’ is tied to a tree in a Kentucky forest and tortured ‘Delivrance’ style by some Hillybilly thugs. In real life, I visited that same forest for research and was lost in it one day as dusk was falling. (Okay, I didnt plan that bit!) I was petrified. I had no phone, knife nor matches. I was alone in that forest just like Blake subsequently was in the book, so I managed to write that chapter (I hope) with real emotion, infused with the horror and fear of potentially getting eaten by bears or bitten by snakes.
More importantly, I got to know Blake a little bit better...
"Follow in your characters footsteps"
You can catch Jack on Twitter via @JackLaceyBooks or on his website: jacklacey.co.uk
Jonathan Lee adds:
This is a fantastic area to chat about and perhaps, in my mind the most important part of writing. The way I work, once again may be different to my peers but hopefully this will be of help to some writers out there.
My method is simple. When I formulate my story (which if you remember is done by writing down two or maybe three simple sentences), I then choose my main two characters, give them approximate ages and list their three main traits. That is it.
The characters are based on small proportions of people I have met. Obviously human beings have many facets to their personality. Some good, some bad. I pick out a trait from somebody I know and then exaggerate it so it becomes the all-consuming and only trait of that person. I do the same, using two other people for two other traits and then simply mould those into the three traits into one of my main characters.
The main characters therefore have real, believable traits because they are based on fact. Albeit exaggerated and embellished fact. It is then easy to give the characters other smaller and less visible traits as the story develops and interaction takes place with other characters.
Others (who have roles that are not main character roles) are dealt with in the same way, they just perhaps have one main trait.
Take The Radio, George (the main character) is hen-pecked, caring and consumed. Auntie Lesley (a lesser, but important character) is simply a middle-aged drunk.
Character writing to me, is the most fun and I find that by starting with just a few important traits (which are engrained into the raison d'etre of that character), your characters can develop and remain believable.
Overplanning every single trait will make your characters appear one dimensional and so much less believable. In the case of Character Development, do just that and let them develop...
You can catch Jonathan Lee on Twitter via @J0n4th4n_Lee or on his website: jonathanleeauthor.com
So there you have it; all the tips you could possibly need on developing your characters and making them credible. I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks blog.
Look out next week for tips on writing the first chapter.
Please do contact me with any topic you would like us to cover :)
Thanks again.
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