How Do You Create Great Fictional Characters?
Who are you and why are you ruining my story? Who are these people you’ve created and why don’t you like them? Characterization is the most important part of your story. If you don’t like your characters, why should anyone else? Some might argue that plot is number one, but think about it — if you have a great plot, but disagreeable, unlikable, unsympathetic characters, what does it matter? You must have a point at which you connect with the characters in a story, but if you don’t have interesting characters, the rest is just window dressing. The following are some writer’s exercises guaranteed to get your pen flowing and your characters interesting. Talk to your characters: Have a conversation with your character, on paper, and ask who they are, what they like, what the problem is — ME: Molly, why are you having trouble deciding whether to marry George or Lance? MOLLY: I like them both. ME: Like or love? MOLLY: Well, I love Lance, but George turns me on! ME: But George is a drunk! M
