Or if you’re writing about a group of close friends, avoid giving them similar names, like three girls named Kate, Cathy, and Katy. Even if you don’t end up using someone’s name in your story, like for minor characters, it’s helpful for you as the writer to know the name so you can keep the details of the story straight as you rewrite and edit your work. Try using baby name websites for ideas. For your character to be more realistic, look up lists of names common during your character’s birth year and location. Many name sites have information on the history and etymology of a name. Consider that some sites like, Behind the Name are more aimed towards name research than to expecting parents (such as Nameberry). It’s okay if you don’t have a name for your character yet or give them an interim name.
Are they an introvert or an extrovert? What kind of music do they like, if any? What do they do in their spare time? What is their bedtime routine? Another fun way to get inside the head of a character is to take personality quizzes based on how you think the character would answer—you might make some surprising discoveries.
It can also be really helpful to revisit a story you love and look at how that author wrote their characters’ dialogues. Consider if your character has any common phrases or even a catchphrase. You could also try recording yourself while you talk to a friend to study different speech patterns: how often do you pause, when does your inflection change, at what speed do you talk? Use these variables to craft a character’s dialogue.
You could also try writing a scene where your character shares something—maybe something they’re afraid of or worried about—with another character to highlight their humanity. Even if you’re writing a villain, find a way to give them a smidgen of humanity—if you can get your reader to feel for the villain or to understand their motives, that creates more tension in your story, which makes it more compelling to read.
Think about how you can show the flaw rather than telling it. For example, writing “Andrea made sure she got to eat dinner first instead of letting the younger kids go first,” you could write a scene where you show that action happening.
Is your character on a quest? What will they lose if they fail? Are other people impacted by their failure or success? These are great questions to consider as you write. Your character needs to actively participate in the story, rather than just having things happen to them, so take some time to think about what’s at stake for them. Think about your favorite characters from books, television, or movies: what kinds of situations do they encounter and how do they react to good and bad scenarios?
Keep a file folder with notes for each character. Have a notebook where you keep the character details. Use a word document on your computer. Utilize the “notes” function on your smart phone. Write details on sticky notes and have a wall dedicated to character development where you can display them.
Their name, age, occupation, special skills, education, family details, approximate height and weight, eye and hair colors, mannerisms, habits, and important dates. There are so many details you can include, and a lot of them may never make it into your story. But the fact that you know them helps you write a more well-rounded and believable character. Visit https://www. writerswrite. com/journal/jun98/how-to-create-a-character-profile-6986 for a more comprehensive list of things you can include in the character profile.
For example, if you have an awesome idea for a love story and you know some of the twists and turns it’ll take, write them out and see if your character fits into those moments. If you need a protagonist who is romantic and plans extravagant gestures, it probably wouldn’t make sense if your character is forgetful or sloppy.
Other concepts to define if your world is different than ours or set in a different time period: government, social classes, job structures, economy, cultural norms, transportation options, living conditions, historically significant events, laws, recreation, and nutrition. This is the world in which your character is going to be living—it can really impact how you need to shape them, so plotting out some of that information beforehand is really helpful.
There are also some software programs that will read your documents to you. Check out your writing program to see if it comes with that function.
For example, J. K. Rowling had several of the “minor” characters, like Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas, originally playing much bigger parts in the Harry Potter universe, but she ended up cutting down their roles as the stories developed.
Similar situations can arise when your character has to travel to a different place or needs a skill that you don’t actually have experience with, like fly-fishing or picking locks. If you can, try to have someone with experience in the topic review your story for realism. For example, if your character is an avid chess player, and so is your sister, ask her for insights. She may have valuable insider information on chess play and culture. If your character has a marginalized identity you don’t have—such as a character of a marginalized race, an LGBTQ+ character, a disabled character, or a female character, do research to make sure you aren’t relying on stereotypes and creating a fully-fleshed character.
A helpful way to not feel like you’re losing all the work you’ve done when you make drastic changes is to create a copy of your original document titled “cuts” rather than just deleting it. That way you have the material if you want to go back to it and can reference it when you need to.
