Character development

[zorcarepublic]

As you all know from my sig, I am an amateur writer. However, no matter what I do I can't seem to make my characters seem lifelike, and I always have to fill out the story with action, battles etc.

Is there any way I could improve this?

Thanks in advance...

[Tsujigiri]

Zorca, watch the people around you and take the attributes of your characters from them. You can even use people as complete templates for characters if you really want, it means that you have habits, thought processes and attitudes all there for you to use.

[zorcarepublic]

Hmmm...that could work, I'd guess. But most of the people would be crazy, annoying people. Like my mum...

Don't tell her I said that...

@Angel Eyes, if you're reading this, I didn't mean anything by it...

[I, Brian]

There was once a Star Trek NextGen episode, where Picard refers to an archaoelogical object, that is a whole containing many figures - a metaphor for how we are like one person composed of many voices.

With characters, I think it's important to try and develop those voices - it's like experimenting with different forms of yourself, determined by such things as mood.

Perhaps it might be worth writing about the same mundane thing from different moods you have - then if you can find any differences, ask why that mood has those differences, and see if you can develop that deeper.

Does that help at all??

[Isolde]

http://www.jameshudnall.com/toc.htm

Try the site above. Click on Characterization and on Archetypes to get an idea of how to form characters.

[Jstotlar]

I often have the same problems and as i go through the 2/3rds of my complete book I'm trying to correct this problem and flesh out the characters alot more. I think first off it's important to know where the character will be at the beggining and end of the book and what they will go through. This is important because as you and I change constantly in our lives, so should your characters. I try to make it so you can tell the differences in characters throughout the story so you grow to understand the character and why and how they are evolving the way they do.


To do this, (and I am still trying to fully figure this out although I many never fully comprehend it) use the interactions between characters and in the case of omnicent naration, the feelings of your character in the face of adverse situation. Also, body language is 80% of communication. Don't neglect this in your writing simply because it is writing. Don't forget your characters should move and act in certain ways that reveal emotions as well and help to realize your characters personalities.

The idea of modeling characters after real life people can be a good one, but can often lead to problems when put in these very different situations. I could not tell you exactly how the people I know, or even myself would act facing life and death situations. I know how I would like to think I would act, however human nature allows us to think a little better of ourselves than is actually true.

So basically, find out who your characters are, why they are who they are, what drives them to act the way they do, and why and how they change through the story, then, implement that through actions, reactions, dialouge and naration. That would be my advice, and I will try to take it in my writing as well!

thanks for the thoughtful topic and I hope something in this mess of a reply helps

[anniekelleher]

i build characters in several ways, simultaneously.

First, i try to identify a core characteristic for each of the main characters. this is a simple attribute, like loyalty or courage or tolerance or determination, that shapes in broadest outlines the way a character will behave. it also allows me to have the character make mistakes in a consistent way - too much courage and you are foolhardy, too much loyalty and you can get swept away into the thrall of a bad leader. so these traits are neither good nor bad, but they do give me a lense through which to begin to bring the character into focus.

Second, i define what the character WANTS, why he or she wants, and most importantly, what it will mean if the character doesn't succeed.

Third, i then give the character conflicts on three levels - internally; externally; and supernaturally - or to put it another way ... character against himself (as typified by hamlet)... character against character (war and peace) ... and character against Fate, Nature, God (ahab in moby dick)...

i hope that helps... feel free to email me if it's not clear

[Isolde]

Originally Posted by anniekelleher

Third, i then give the character conflicts on three levels - internally; externally; and supernaturally - or to put it another way ... character against himself (as typified by hamlet)... character against character (war and peace) ... and character against Fate, Nature, God (ahab in moby dick)...

Very good suggestion. Thanks for that, anniekelleher.

[anniekelleher]

you are very welcome... i'm glad it helped .

[Teresa Edgerton]

Another thing to do is to put them into situations where everything they believe/have been taught is put to the test and then watch them struggle. How they respond (or fail to respond) is a revelation of character in itself, not to mention that it gives the character somewhere to go -- whether it be disillusionment, a new understanding, or a reaffirmation -- rather than remaining static.