On Monday we talked about Christmas traditions, those we participated in as children and those we participate in today. Just like in real life, our characters are formed from their experiences as children and young adults. Or basically all that went in on their life before the story.
One thing we all know as writers is that we need to make our characters relatable. We need to make them believable. We need to take our readers on a journey that makes them fall in love with a character and feel like this person is real - or at least a very important part of their life for the length of the story (and hopefully for some time afterward).
We do this by giving our characters depth. By giving them a history. By giving them something to overcome.
For each story I write, I try to brainstorm just a little more or find a new technique that will help me get to know my character better. But the top three questions I ask myself about my characters are:
1. Where did they come from?
A happy home, a broken home, a religious, home, etc. This also includes their young adult or early adult years. Basically, what job and lifestyle define who they are.
2. What are a few big events that happened during these years?
I try to name at least one or two events that have made a lasting impression on my characters, as this will help shape who they are.
3. What beliefs, lies, or defining principals has my character developed because of where they came from and those big events?
This is where I establish what "lie" my character is believing as the truth. For example, my character might believe all men will leave her because her father left her mother. This is where I start my character so he/she will have room to grow.
What questions do you ask yourself about your character? Do you have any fun or unique ways to develop your character or make them more relatable to readers?
And for you readers, what makes characters most relatable to you?
I think what makes a character relatable can also be just empathy. There are some characters I don't have much in common with but I root for them because I empathize with their longings (even if their longings are totally different than mine) Great breakdown here, Cindy!
ReplyDeleteThe questions I ask are endless and I think they become more relatable the more subtle flaws I add or hardships they endure.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
I like flawed characters who have to overcome past hurts. My heart goes out to them, and I rejoice when they experience growth and move beyond their woundedness to live healthier, happier lives.
ReplyDeleteThose are GREAT questions - I'll have to keep those in mind for my next project.
ReplyDeleteAll of my characters have a past. I know them well. I brainstorm as I get to know them in my writing.
ReplyDeleteGreat questions to keep in mind.
Great questions, Cindy! I try to dive deep into my characters' personalities, and that gives me a lot of tidbits about their past too. :)
ReplyDeleteAs a SOTP writer, I get to know my characters as the story unfolds. :)
ReplyDeleteI had a writing professor once told us to write down our character's name and carry it around in our wallet for a while before we started writing their story. I love this idea - of carrying your character around a bit and getting to know them.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to come up with a rich history of who they are and why they are that way, even if none of the specifics make it into the story. It gives them motivation.
(Not to ramble on, but I was just reading another blog about Bella from Twilight and how people are so against her dependency on a boyfriend, and I wonder, after reading your post, if some background about her broken home might have grounded the reader better in that and made them more sympathetic. An interesting idea...)