Writing and Grammar

Developing Your Characters

Knowing your characters' ins and outs prevents them from becoming dull and forgettable. First, let's discuss character names. Try connecting their names to other meanings. In The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins names many of her characters after flowers. J.K Rowling names characters in Harry Potter after stars. Connecting the characters' names to other things makes them more memorable than having scattered, unrelated names does. Your characters don't have to be related to a group of objects. For example, if one of your female characters is portrayed as cruel and wicked, you might name her Lilith, another name for the devil.

Once you've got that all sorted out, it's time for development. I like to make character packets with the character's description, history, relationships, conflicts (external and internal), fears/weaknesses, defects (i.e., annoying habits), strengths, goals, likes, dislikes, what they will overcome, and speech mannerisms. This seems like a lot, but it'll pay off when you begin writing your story. All this information will make your characters well-rounded and unforgettable. One mistake writers make when creating characters is leaving out weaknesses and defects. In doing so, the character becomes too flawless, causing the reader to lose interest because they're unrelatable. Strive for characters with weaknesses because nobody is perfect, so their flaws will draw the reader in.