How Do You Make A Character Come Alive?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  1. Draw on people you know. Some of the best characters come from the people around you. …
  2. Surprise us. Does your lawyer need to be white, male and middle class? …
  3. give them contradictions. …
  4. give them goals. …
  5. give them flaws. …
  6. give them strengths. …
  7. find their picture. …
  8. hear their voices.

How do I write characters?

  1. Develop characters who reflect your interests. …
  2. Reveal their physical world through detail. …
  3. Give them the right skills. …
  4. Create memorable characters. …
  5. Give the reader access to their inner conflict. …
  6. Subvert your reader’s expectations.

How do you make a character active?

  1. Character traits. Look carefully at your character to find something for him/her to do that is consistent with their interests. …
  2. Setting. Move the character around if necessary, putting him/her in a different place. …
  3. Scene Goal: Put yourself in the character’s POV.

How do you write passive characters?

  1. Dig deeper. …
  2. Introduce your character to interesting people. …
  3. Use active writing. …
  4. Listen to your passive character talk. …
  5. Jolt the character into action with an inciting incident. …
  6. Turn up the heat.

What are 2 different ways to make your characters come alive?

  • Draw on people you know. …
  • Surprise us. …
  • give them contradictions. …
  • give them goals. …
  • give them flaws. …
  • give them strengths.

How can I develop a rich character?

  1. Rich character: Definition.
  2. Play ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’
  3. Think about ‘The clothes make the man’
  4. Use language to embody emotion.
  5. Make setting do character work.
  6. Evoke habits (and changes in them)
  7. Let people’s reputations precede them.

How do you make an interesting character?

  1. Develop characters who reflect your interests. …
  2. Reveal their physical world through detail. …
  3. Give them the right skills. …
  4. Create memorable characters. …
  5. Give the reader access to their inner conflict. …
  6. Subvert your reader’s expectations.

How do you write a perfect character?

  1. Develop characters who reflect your interests. …
  2. Reveal their physical world through detail. …
  3. Give them the right skills. …
  4. Create memorable characters. …
  5. Give the reader access to their inner conflict. …
  6. Subvert your reader’s expectations.

Is Harry Potter a passive character?

While

Harry starts off in the book series as a mainly passive character

(though, this is arguably due to his lack of knowledge, magical abilities and age), he starts showing more and more own initiative throughout the following books. In the first book, Harry mostly reacts.

Is the main character the protagonist?

The main character (sometimes called “principal character”) and the protagonist are

both two central characters

, but the protagonist drives the plot forward while the main character is impacted by the plot.

What makes a good overpowered character?

Overpowered characters are difficult to take seriously even at the best of times. If left to their own devices,

they can kill the tension in a story

. … After all, an MC can only be considered overpowered if he is that much stronger than everyone else in the story.

What makes a good main character?

Great characters come

from relatability and impact a reader by appealing to what we like to think about ourselves

. A likable character engages a reader and can be a vector into a strange world. Likable characters humanize conflict and give readers a reason to care.

How do you develop fictional characters?

  1. Establish a character’s motivations and goals. …
  2. Choose a voice. …
  3. Do a slow reveal. …
  4. Create conflict. …
  5. Give important characters a backstory. …
  6. Describe a character’s personality in familiar terms. …
  7. Paint a physical picture of your characters. …
  8. Develop secondary characters.

What are the 7 types of characters?

7 Character Roles in Stories. If we categorize character types by the role they play in a narrative, we can hone in on seven distinct varieties:

the protagonist, the antagonist, the love interest, the confidant, deuteragonists

What are examples of character flaws?

  • Abusive. Being abusive is a character flaw many literary villains possess. …
  • Addiction. Addiction is another common plot device used to move a story forward or create conflict in the character’s life. …
  • Excessive Pride. …
  • Fear. …
  • Greed. …
  • Jealousy. …
  • Incompetence. …
  • Lust for Power.
Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.