Creating characters

Hey guys,

I thought this would be an interesting post both as an author and dungeon master to discuss characters.

This post is to get the juices flowing and show all the wonderful ways you can populate your story.

So I normally start with a vague concept or how the character functions in the story. Both of them play off each other, but we’ll start with the former.

Character concepts

Normally for me this derives from some zany off the wall idea, or inspiration from another story, or with Dungeons and Dragons, usually both. (I’m looking at you, Lafonda the cursed-rapping Ostrich.)

The following are some interesting ideas to introduce and craft standout characters

• Playing against types.
• Interesting idiosyncrasies
• Memorable backstories

1. Playing with types

So in certain genres some expectations are usually true. The nerd  who can’t take a punch. All princesses are beautiful or dainty.
All tough guys are meatheads, etc. Some are cliché. Some aren’t.

But when characters break these molds, they become more memorable.

What if…

•  there was a kickass guerilla princess, packing heat, taking names, so even the dragons run in fear?
• the shortest hero stood the toughest cookie?
• the scary monster cowered at own his shadow?
•  the covert ops agent literally lacks secrecy and basic training?
•  a horror movie protagonist was an actually competent detective? And without a third grader’s stamina?

These are just examples. Play with expectations. Let your mind run wild.

A few caveats.

Like all tools, when used poorly or in excess, it can produce the opposite effect.

Take, for example, the guerilla princess. Used poorly, it can come off preachy and pushing a message on someone. Depending on your target audience/age, make sure they don’t feel lectured with “and the moral of the story is…”

Personally, I get a bit turned off from time to time when the author’s story feels like’s shoving a message than telling a story.

Characters are here to entertain and engage the audience first, themes second.

2. Interesting idiosyncrasies

So that’s a big word. Bear with me. Idiosyncrasies are quirks or mannerisms that define your character’s behavior. It’s what defines your character.

So what if your character only speaks a certain way.

Maybe they

• stutter
• slur their r’s and v’s
• have thick southern draw or eloquent manners
• mutter curses under their breath
• are prone to profanity

It doesn’t have to stop at how they speak, but their personality and actions.

Maybe they…

•  can’t control themselves around gold and “the shinies” like a greedy magpie or eccentric goblin.
•  lack confidence, shakes with weak knees around their “one true love.”
• always wash and wipe their hands as if hiding some sinister deeds or guilt.

Usually this through taking a strong concrete idea like loyalty, greed, or infatuation and making the character revolve around it, which might be fine for younger or simpler fiction, but in real-life characters are complex with maybe more than one drive.

Also, sometimes idiosyncrasies are shaped by appearance.

Maybe they’re some fantasy race or animal and that defines how they behave. Or maybe it doesn’t. Do they want to be?

Do they care how they dress? Or what others think?

Perhaps they’re handicapped or twitchy. Do they let it define them? Or are they not bothered by it?

How do they walk? Animators character models this way.

Little mannerism and tells about the characters like this leave breadcrumbs for the readers to follow to the ends of the earth.

3. Memorable backstories

So upon introducing a character, especially the protagonist, there’s always the challenge of making the reader care. One such way is through backstory.

Take the reader through their past. Drag them through the mud with them so they care about their pain and passions. The easiest way to do this is through sympathy, but empathy is great too (probably underutilized if you asked me.) Make them root for your character, admire them in their failures, and celebrate their success.

Appeal to their senses and emotions and you’ve got them hooked.

Another caveat. This might be a hard pill to swallow, but the backstory must be told meaningfully. It can’t feel contrived or forced. If it’s info dumped, or uninteresting, you’re missing the mark.

The two method’s I’ve seen are sprinkling it throughout the story as a mystery, granted this only works if the reader already cares, or instead of flashback, letting the reader experience the backstory as the story. Again, tell the reader what they need to know and make us care. As blunt as that sounds, I hope it’s not discouraging.

I’m not gonna lie, this can be difficult.

Character placement

So you’ve got your precious characters, but the question is how do they fit my story?

Well, answer is they may not.

Most of the time if I come up with a character through a concept, they end up as a background character or better yet, the hero of their own story.

Sometimes more important than the character is their role to the story.

Ask what does this character bring to the narrative you’re telling.

If you’re aiming for wacky hijinks, consider whether it fits the suspension of disbelief and tone.

If you’re aiming for the “coolness” factor, I’m not saying it isn’t. Just make sure it makes sense for there to an astronaut in a fantasy setting.

Beyond this, I’d look in to the narrative. What do they offer to the protagonist?

Are they an ally, enemy, or obstacle?

Love interest by chance?

Does someone else fill these roles or does it better?

Can or should the story function without them?

If they don’t fit, it’s best to write their own story than add them generally speaking.

A fresh approach

So what if we need a specific character for one of these roles?

My easy suggestion is to work backwards. First, realize how they fit in the story. So what they’re purpose, arc, foil, etc.?  Then flavor them. Flush them out like we did in the first half.

Again, probably easier said than done. Analyzing the purpose of a character varies story to story and could take its own story.

The best way I can simplify it offhand would diving into the “five man band” trope which warrants its own post.

Basically, know who’s the protagonist as a focus then how the relationships of the characters either build up or bring down your character towards their goal.

Then you have themes, which if I’m completely honest don’t plan too much for. They just kind of happen. Themes are the common repeating ideas for a story.

For example, it could be prejudice, innocence, and perspective like in To Kill a Mockingbird.

So you could even go the extra mile for your characters and show differing views on the themes either like a strawman argument, indifference, or dyed in the wool opinions. You could also show the effects of your themes over the course of your characters’ arcs.

I’m not saying any of this that I plan for these things. I’m a pantzer and make it up as I go in general.  This is all just suggestion to get the juices flowing.

Conclusion

I hope this helps with brainstorming for your characters. I wanted to do so much more with brainstorming character quirks. Be sure to let know if you have any interesting concepts in the comments, or any thoughts for future posts.

Take care, and as always,

Keep writing!

Antonio