5 Tips for Creating Complex Characters
Do you want to know why I love Batman so much?
Bummer. I'm not going to talk about that today.
I'm just going to talk about one of the many contributing reasons for my love of Batman. That one contributing reason is his complexity.
Complex characters are some of my favorite types. They are rich, layered, and contradictory in all the best ways.
Oddly enough, complex characters can give writers a difficult time, possibly because they require a lot of thought, possibly because their personalities come with a lot of moving parts, or possibly because writers are scared that complexity will translate to hypocritical and unlikable.
That's what this post is for: To clear up any issues you may be having with your complex characters and give you tools to move forward and create something that is a Batman-level of awesome.
1. Give them contradictions. No, contradictions in character doesn't necessarily mean annoying or hypocritical or bad. Everybody has contradictory ideas and acts in contradictory ways. It's human nature. By infusing this element of human nature into your character, you are making him/her more realistic and interesting.
Joyce Byers from Stranger Things is an excellent example of an amazing contradictory character. She loves her sons and wants what's best for them. However, there are times when she is very hard on Jonathan for not picking up the slack that she has created in their home life. And she buys tickets for Will and her to see Poltergeist even thought it will probably scare him because she wants to bond with him. These actions contradict her love for her sons, but multiple scenes throughout Stranger Things shows that there is nothing she will not do to protect her boys. While her actions are unlikable at moments because of her contradictions, overall it gives her a human, realistic side that makes her triumphs all the more precious. In giving your characters contradictions, you make them more human, more complex, more relatable, and, ultimately, you give your readers more to think about and cheer for.
2. Don't be afraid to give them unlikable qualities. Many writers shy away from contradictions and inner flaws because they don't want to make their character unlikable. Don't worry about this. Unlikableness (Spell Check says that's not a word, which only makes me want to leave it in) gives your character something to overcome, which is not only a good basis for a character arc, but also encouraging for readers. Win win.
Prince Arthur from Merlin is a good example of this. Clearly, the guy has issues. Sure, he has a lot of good qualities, but he can also be entitled, insensitive, and rude. However, these flaws are all ones we see him wrestle with throughout the series. And they are also evened out by his good heart and innate desire to do right. He has unlikable qualities, but they add to his character rather than detracting from it. If a TV series can do it, so can you. Don't be afraid to give your characters some flaws.
3. Don't forget about subtext. What do I mean by subtext? I mean don't forget to give your character underlying themes, motives, and beliefs. What emotions guide your character that may not be explicitly stated? What are some beliefs that he holds that shift subtly throughout the story? None of these need to be actually explained in detail, just alluded to. Ron Weasley from Harry Potter is a character steeped in subtext. He's always been overshadowed by his brothers, thus creating rarely-explicitly-stated conflict between himself and Harry. Being poor has given him issues of self-esteem, which shows itself in his tendencies towards deprecating others and needing to prove himself. But he also comes from a large family with loving parents, which is one of the reasons he ultimately sticks by the orphaned Harry no matter what. Subtext isn't just important for dialogue, so make it a point to give subtext to the personalities and actions of your complex characters.
4. Be intentional with their background. Their background should feed into who they are today: Why they are flawed, contradictory, and full of underlying motives. However, remembering the importance of subtext, recognize that you don't have to be detailed about the background. Some characters may benefit from having little to no background revealed about them, while others need their information rolled out at very specific points in the story. Think carefully about your character's history and decide how and when you want to dole out their background information.
Nell from The Haunting shows the perfect balance of background information flow. She has a history of supernatural events in her life which is important because it means that the haunted house she is staying in has a connection to her. This we are told right off the bat. However, we don't find out until later that these supernatural events have scarred her and left her less mentally stable than most. We also don't know until later that she's carrying around a lot of guilt related to her mother's death, which also makes her more susceptible to the haunted house. All of this information gives her layer after layer after layer, none of which are revealed immediately in the story. Ask yourself: What parts of my character's backstory are important to who they are? Do my readers need to know this? If so, when can I give this information in a way that creates layers rather than information dumps?
5. Remember that contrasting and paralleling is important. Parallel your complex character with somebody who is similar to them, though different in very stark ways. Or contrast with characters who are completely, entirely different. Or parallel/contrast with surroundings. Or all three. This makes their complexities into even more of a statement, giving them an extra interest point. Batman from the Dark Knight trilogy is a favorite example of mine (surprise. He's pretty much my favorite example for everything). His thirst for justice is parallel with Raz Al Ghul's, but contrasts because he isn't as heartless or depraved as the leader of the League of Assassins. This showcases his complexities in that he seeks vigilante justice, but also draws a line with how he goes about securing this justice...even if it is sometimes a thin one. This same parallel is drawn between his personality and that of Gotham city itself (they are both dark and disturbed entities, but Batman has morals and works to do good). A contrast is brought to light by his interactions with Alfred, who is far more grounded than Bruce and selfless on a more personal level, making us wonder about Bruce's choices and motives. Contrasts can highlight the epic complexities that you have built into your character, so if you're proud of what you've created and want to show it off, this is the way to go.
And that's all I have for you. Why are you still here? Oh. Do you have something to say? Leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite complex characters....or tips you have for writing this character type!
Have writing or reading questions? Use the hashtag #ChatWithHannah in the comment section below or on social media to have them answered on my Youtube channel!
Related articles: 6 Tips for Writing an Imposing and Complex VillainUnreliable Narrators: What They Are and How to Write Them
Writing a Compelling Hero: 7 Tips With Examples
Enjoy this post? Take a look around. If you like what you see, don't forget to subscribe by email for a new post every Friday!
Bummer. I'm not going to talk about that today.
I'm just going to talk about one of the many contributing reasons for my love of Batman. That one contributing reason is his complexity.
Complex characters are some of my favorite types. They are rich, layered, and contradictory in all the best ways.
Oddly enough, complex characters can give writers a difficult time, possibly because they require a lot of thought, possibly because their personalities come with a lot of moving parts, or possibly because writers are scared that complexity will translate to hypocritical and unlikable.
That's what this post is for: To clear up any issues you may be having with your complex characters and give you tools to move forward and create something that is a Batman-level of awesome.
1. Give them contradictions. No, contradictions in character doesn't necessarily mean annoying or hypocritical or bad. Everybody has contradictory ideas and acts in contradictory ways. It's human nature. By infusing this element of human nature into your character, you are making him/her more realistic and interesting.Joyce Byers from Stranger Things is an excellent example of an amazing contradictory character. She loves her sons and wants what's best for them. However, there are times when she is very hard on Jonathan for not picking up the slack that she has created in their home life. And she buys tickets for Will and her to see Poltergeist even thought it will probably scare him because she wants to bond with him. These actions contradict her love for her sons, but multiple scenes throughout Stranger Things shows that there is nothing she will not do to protect her boys. While her actions are unlikable at moments because of her contradictions, overall it gives her a human, realistic side that makes her triumphs all the more precious. In giving your characters contradictions, you make them more human, more complex, more relatable, and, ultimately, you give your readers more to think about and cheer for.
2. Don't be afraid to give them unlikable qualities. Many writers shy away from contradictions and inner flaws because they don't want to make their character unlikable. Don't worry about this. Unlikableness (Spell Check says that's not a word, which only makes me want to leave it in) gives your character something to overcome, which is not only a good basis for a character arc, but also encouraging for readers. Win win.
Prince Arthur from Merlin is a good example of this. Clearly, the guy has issues. Sure, he has a lot of good qualities, but he can also be entitled, insensitive, and rude. However, these flaws are all ones we see him wrestle with throughout the series. And they are also evened out by his good heart and innate desire to do right. He has unlikable qualities, but they add to his character rather than detracting from it. If a TV series can do it, so can you. Don't be afraid to give your characters some flaws.
3. Don't forget about subtext. What do I mean by subtext? I mean don't forget to give your character underlying themes, motives, and beliefs. What emotions guide your character that may not be explicitly stated? What are some beliefs that he holds that shift subtly throughout the story? None of these need to be actually explained in detail, just alluded to. Ron Weasley from Harry Potter is a character steeped in subtext. He's always been overshadowed by his brothers, thus creating rarely-explicitly-stated conflict between himself and Harry. Being poor has given him issues of self-esteem, which shows itself in his tendencies towards deprecating others and needing to prove himself. But he also comes from a large family with loving parents, which is one of the reasons he ultimately sticks by the orphaned Harry no matter what. Subtext isn't just important for dialogue, so make it a point to give subtext to the personalities and actions of your complex characters.
4. Be intentional with their background. Their background should feed into who they are today: Why they are flawed, contradictory, and full of underlying motives. However, remembering the importance of subtext, recognize that you don't have to be detailed about the background. Some characters may benefit from having little to no background revealed about them, while others need their information rolled out at very specific points in the story. Think carefully about your character's history and decide how and when you want to dole out their background information.
Nell from The Haunting shows the perfect balance of background information flow. She has a history of supernatural events in her life which is important because it means that the haunted house she is staying in has a connection to her. This we are told right off the bat. However, we don't find out until later that these supernatural events have scarred her and left her less mentally stable than most. We also don't know until later that she's carrying around a lot of guilt related to her mother's death, which also makes her more susceptible to the haunted house. All of this information gives her layer after layer after layer, none of which are revealed immediately in the story. Ask yourself: What parts of my character's backstory are important to who they are? Do my readers need to know this? If so, when can I give this information in a way that creates layers rather than information dumps? 5. Remember that contrasting and paralleling is important. Parallel your complex character with somebody who is similar to them, though different in very stark ways. Or contrast with characters who are completely, entirely different. Or parallel/contrast with surroundings. Or all three. This makes their complexities into even more of a statement, giving them an extra interest point. Batman from the Dark Knight trilogy is a favorite example of mine (surprise. He's pretty much my favorite example for everything). His thirst for justice is parallel with Raz Al Ghul's, but contrasts because he isn't as heartless or depraved as the leader of the League of Assassins. This showcases his complexities in that he seeks vigilante justice, but also draws a line with how he goes about securing this justice...even if it is sometimes a thin one. This same parallel is drawn between his personality and that of Gotham city itself (they are both dark and disturbed entities, but Batman has morals and works to do good). A contrast is brought to light by his interactions with Alfred, who is far more grounded than Bruce and selfless on a more personal level, making us wonder about Bruce's choices and motives. Contrasts can highlight the epic complexities that you have built into your character, so if you're proud of what you've created and want to show it off, this is the way to go.
And that's all I have for you. Why are you still here? Oh. Do you have something to say? Leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite complex characters....or tips you have for writing this character type!
Have writing or reading questions? Use the hashtag #ChatWithHannah in the comment section below or on social media to have them answered on my Youtube channel!
Related articles: 6 Tips for Writing an Imposing and Complex VillainUnreliable Narrators: What They Are and How to Write Them
Writing a Compelling Hero: 7 Tips With Examples
Enjoy this post? Take a look around. If you like what you see, don't forget to subscribe by email for a new post every Friday!
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