How to Build Characters – An Overview
What makes a good character? It all boils down to four major aspects: strengths, weaknesses, personality and a good storyline. So let’s talk about this for a second.
Strengths
It is important that your main character have some quality that sets him apart from the other characters. Or else, why bother making him the hero, right? Are they the strongest among their peers? The wisest, perhaps? Or maybe simply the kindest? Whatever it is, make it shine!
Weaknesses
A character’s weaknesses are as crucial as their strength. No, I’m not talking about a green rock that magically makes the hero weak. I’m talking about his flaws. Maybe he is careless? Perhaps even a coward. This is important as it gives the readers sense of relatability. But don’t overdo it either or else your character would just end up plain unappealing. Try and be realistic about it.
Personality
Your character would be the strongest man ever but still be a boring character. He needs to have personality. Is he charming? Cunning? Ruthless? Gentle? Whatever it is, explore and express it through the character’s actions and conversations.
A Good storyline
All of the above three points would be in vain if you don’t give the character a good storyline. I prefer to use the hero’s journey story arc as an appealing way to portray all three aspects of the character.
I know all of these points are rather obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many amateur mistakes are seen in many self-published books. I’ve read books where the hero is just too overpowered and badass all the time. Then there are books where the characters are just bland and tasteless. That’s why I think these are important keys to remember in developing characters.
I hope this helps you in your character building! Any suggestions on what the next post could be about are gladly considered. Thank you for reading and all the best in your writing!
p/s, check out my fantasy book, The Ocean Hearth, which is available for FREE on Google Books and $1.25 on Kindle. Also, follow my blog for writing tips and news about my books!
