Here’s something I recently read in a ‘How to Write’ book.
‘. . . the main player should have . . . preferably a problem of some sort – physical, intellectual, emotional – to overcome.’
Why? I’ll say it in caps, WHY?
It’s this sort of advice that has led to the cliché cop who is . . .
divorced or at least in a difficult relationship
bordering on alcoholic
denied promotion
afflicted with OCD
needs a walking stick
has an incredible sexual appetite
etc, etc, etc.
Breathe deeply, Maurice!
However, do take care. If your protagonists are too perfect they will not be believable. Everyone has flaws and doubts, for sure, but try not to fall into the cliché or stereotype trap.
Later in the book came another character formula as follows:
Even villains occasionally have one redeeming feature.
I call this the Blofeld syndrome. Remember him? Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Head of SPECTRE, and James Bond’s everlasting enemy. He wanted to take control of the world and didn’t care which countries were destroyed along the way. BUT, he had a redeeming feature so he couldn’t have been all that bad. He had a fluffy white cat, so he must be a nice guy really. REALLY?
OK, back to the main point. As always, you choose what works for you. Some writers like to draft a detailed outline of their characters. That can be helpful. Many writers’ advice websites have a downloadable Character Profile form which is helpful for prompting ideas for you. You may not use all this information in your story but it might help. At least one writer I’ve read about creates an exhaustive back story for the major players. Depending on your plot, that might be essential.
At the very least, sketch an outline of your central character to begin with; you can add to it as you progress. For example, these were my early notes for Titus, the protagonist of my ‘Favours’ series . . .
Surname never known. 30+. Born Lewisham. Poor family, rough area. Clever at school so had to grow up tough. Uni. Studied law and computers. 6’2. Gym every day. Karate. A fighter. Can defend himself. Doesn’t like guns or knives. Morals – high but flexible. Crossword fan. Drives Porsche Boxster. Black but not a ‘soul-brother’.
This is the kind of stuff you’d find out on first meeting so I think it’s sufficient for starters. You can refine it as the story proceeds. My character outline on Titus eventually ran to a full page.
In the first book of the series, ‘Steal a Diamond’, Titus crosses paths with Jet Black who I describe as ‘a tall, long-legged Afro-Brazilian beauty’, which some have said is a stereotypical femme-fatale. I accept that. But, I defend it by saying you have to see the whole character to find out Jet isn’t a stereotype. Read the book; see what you think.
New writers can fall into the trap of offering too much detail. I always try to leave some space for the reader to decide. On the first page the reader finds out Titus is six-two, black and fit. They can easily picture someone of that description. It’s good enough to move ahead.
Sometimes you may not have formed a sufficiently detailed picture for yourself. For instance, when I was planning ‘Blood on Charing X Road’ which is about the discovery of manuscripts worth tens of millions, I knew I needed the following key players, all of whom wanted a slice of the cake: A Benefactor – An Enthusiast – A Dealer – A Collector – A Boyfriend. They weren’t going to be exposed to the reader until well into the book so I could colour them in later when they were due to appear.
What does the reader see?
Keep to what’s important for the reader to know at the point they’re at in the story. Give a sense of clothing style rather than the detail. I’ll always recall reading ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ where the hero’s appearance is described inch-by-inch from the top of his brown hair to the buckles of his shoes including the colour and material of his waistcoat buttons on the way. It took over a page for all the unnecessary detail. Despite that, it’s a remarkable story, and in 1886, when it was written, that writing style was in vogue.
What do you see and hear?
What body language is used? Mannerisms, facial expressions? How do they move? Hear their voice in your head; get it across to the reader – dialogue is good for that.
Keep characters ‘in character’.
Your idea of a character may change from the way it was when you started. That’s fine but you may have to go back over what you’ve written so that the character is ‘in character’ throughout.
Keep your personalities consistent in what they do and say.
Have a go
Try this to lubricate your ‘character creation’ cells . . .
Draft a quick outline of your favourite movie or TV character without looking at them. See my Titus outline above for ideas.
Next, invent someone they would definitely clash with (a new character; not an existing one). Draft an outline of that person.
Creating characters is great fun! Enjoy it!
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