Giving Life To Your Character!

When you read a book and either LOVE or HATE a character, you know that the author has done their job to make the emotional connection between the character and the reader.  That's what it's all about! We read to escape into a literary adventure that should effortlessly takes us away from reality, temporarily. We feel the character's pain, triumphs, wins and loses.

     So how do we get this done? Well first things first....let's start by understanding the basic dynamics of a character and work our way up.   

What Is a Character?

An individual in the book. The character may be the books main focus or a support the main character's storyline. 

How To Pick a Character

What is your story about? This will discern how you will pick your character. If you're writing non-fiction it is easier to follow the course of real-life history, but in fiction there is more free range to be imaginative with your character. You can pick a female or male character; the character can even be non-human. Just make it make sense. Remember, you're building a relationship with the reader

Imposing Limits on Characters

There is no steadfast rule on the number of characters that can be in a book. However, do you think a reader will be able to follow 20+ characters? It will be extra confusing for the reader and a lot of unnecessary work for the writer. In my book, Trust Me Not, I had 6 main characters and 2-3 minor characters to support their stories. As a suggestion I wouldn't do more than 6 main characters but if you feel you have the skill to make it work, then by all means get it done!

How To Develop a Character

When developing a character you need to think about what you want the reader to know, feel or think when they meet this character in your book. What kind of personality does the character have? What does the character look like? What do they sound like? How do they dress? Is their hair long or short? What do they like to do? What is their role in the story? These are just some preliminary questions you should ask when creating your character. These questions should be answered in your literary write up. These details should be worked into the storyline so that a visual is received by the reader that reads the story


     These tips are just a few things to think about when thinking about your character for your story. Be descriptive but don't over do it. You want to be thorough but if the detail does not somehow play a role in the character's story or building up a characteristic of the character, you should probably leave it out. 

     If you need help with character development, sign up for a consultation on th Author Mentorship tab and let's chat! 

  Jewel: My best compliment from readers is when they can refer to the character by name. That's just one way of knowing that a connection has been made. Creating characters is a big part of telling your story so have fun bringing life to your character and creating!

Robin Danielle