Creating Characters

Anyone can add gray color grading or sad piano music to a video, and anyone can think up a plot that intrigues at least someone. But when it comes to dramas, I find that the highest importance should be placed on the characters and their complexities.

For this project, I looked back at my old writing projects that I've scrapped through the years. I always had this great idea that I wanted to turn into a novel, but after 20 pages in I would find myself bored. And I'm sure that anyone I forced to read my work could hardly get through these 20 pages either. After scavenging through my folders, I've realized the root of this issue: my characters were just... stale. 

The Gentlewoman's Guide To Writing: Characters That Aren't Bad

Have you ever read the synopsis of a book and thought "damn, this sounds interesting," only to barely get through the first chapter?

If so, you might be dealing with some boring characters, and chances are, your characters might be boring, too.

Here's how we fix that.

Rule No. 1: Do Not Turn Them Into A Personal Punching Bag

As writers, we often like to take out our emotions in our work, and at times this can seep into some specific characters. Whether or not you wrote a character based on your ex who broke your heart, you shouldn't be using them as your vent tool, because that just gets frustrating.

The "personal punching bag" character is one that the author seems to despise. They may have nothing but negative traits or not be allowed to make any good, rational decisions, ever. Or, if you're a writer who likes to play the Trauma Olympics, they may be unable to have any positive experience throughout the entire piece. 

This is a flat character. They are incapable of feeling anything but misery, which can be overwhelming to viewers. Why would anyone want to watch a character that has no light in them? No sense of hope?

Give them something to look forward to, some positive traits, perhaps some hopefulness. Maybe give them a friend, a hobby...?

Rule No. 2: Answer the Question: "What's Their Problem?"

On the complete opposite end of rule 1, some writers create characters that are incapable of doing anything wrong. They are the golden child, flawless in every way and the whole world is out to get them because they are just so, so pure.

This is unrealistic, and once again, boring. When conflict occurs, it shouldn't be so easy to choose one character's side every time. No one is 100% selfless in every situation, and this should reflect on your characters. Give them some negative traits to balance out the positive, so viewers can learn to love them, but be disappointed in them sometimes. Kind of like a mother.

Rule No. 3: Aspirations, Aspirations, Aspirations

Nothing is more boring than a character with no goals other than "saving the world." Quite selfless of them, but boring nonetheless. Sure, it is important to stick to the main storyline and not to fall into sub-plot sinkholes, but characters, just like real people, need goals and aspirations in life that do not revolve around a single subject. Perhaps they want to save the world, but their deepest desire is to win a hot dog eating contest. That's a way more interesting Superman.

As I begin writing out my characters, I will use the guide above to make sure they aren't some dull rocks. I'm wishing to test my writing skills and create some drama with real depth to it.