Writing Talk, No. 4 - Characters

It's nearly impossible to write fiction without at least one character. A few things to bear in mind when creating characters:

• How does the character fit with other characters? Does he fit?

Who is the character to everyone else? Who is everyone else to the character? What is their relationship to the character? Is the character an extrovert or introvert? A psychopath? A sociopath? Does the character care about their image? Does the character think of themselves the same way everyone else does? Is the character afraid of anyone and is anyone afraid of the character? Is the character the way she to be, or would she rather be someone else? Who?

• What is the character's motivation? [more on motivation]

What does the character want? What does the character think he wants? What does the character want to think she wants? How much does the character want what he wants? Would the character kill to achieve his ends? What would he sacrifice? More importantly, who would he sacrifice? 

• Is gender important? Sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn't. 

Does the character need to be a particular gender? Could the character be another gender? Would the character's gender affect his personality? Would it affect the way that other characters see the character? Could the character's gender be ironic? Could it make a point? Do you want the character's gender to say something about them?

• Do I care what the character looks like? Does it affect my perception of the character?

Is it worth creating an exhaustive physical description of the character? Do you need the description to visualize the character? Would a description make it easier or harder to get a sense of the character? Is the character's appearance a direct reflection of her personality, or is it ironic? Is the color of their shirt important? Is it symbolic? Do you want it to be? How do you want the reader to see your character?

• Is the character someone I want to like?

Simply put, is the character evil enough? Is the character good enough? Is the character generous? Would you take his side? Can you even see his side? Is the character someone you relate to? Do you agree with her? Why? Should you be able to? Is the character bad enough to be the antagonist? Is the character good enough to be the protagonist? Do good and bad matter? 

• Is the character simple enough?

If the character was reduced to one quality, what would it be? Can the character be reduced to one quality? Should they be simplified? Who is she? What does she want above anything else?

• Is the character complex enough?

What's the character's backstory? Where did the character grow up? What's his favorite color? His favorite food? Favorite kind of music? Do you need to know? Does it matter that the character is allergic to peanuts? Is it important that the character has a napoleon complex? Why does the character want something above anything else? What made her that way? 

If you think it matters, it matters (though not necessarily to your characters). You're the writer; the book, the characters, the setting, the dialogue, the story, and the plot are all yours. Write what you want, about what you want, the way you want. Be selfish.