Dear Journal,
There are many areas in which I need to further improve in my own personal writing, but one thing that I've had many compliments on is my character building. Believe it or not, the characters are where readers grow attachments to your stories. For the entire book to be truly gripping the main character or characters have to capture the readers attention and empathy.
Empathy (ability to understand and share feelings with another) is a key word in my log today. That has to be the hardest concept to get readers to grasp, because it's already hard enough in reality to obtain that attribute. A story can still be good, but the characters connect readers.
Why? It helps the readers feel like they're there. If it's because they share weaknesses, similar physical features or disabilities, emotionally damaging events, strengths, fears, etc. In whichever way, it will help build a relationship with the character in your story and readers (aka opportunities for empathy!)
A main character doesn't have to be the perfect flawless angel that could do no wrong. If that's what you're book is about then bravo... Your character has no purpose in your story seeing as he or she will not progress. Stories have an end because situations and people change. Better yet, situations change people.
Besides, flaws help readers feel even more empathy depending on who the reader is and which flaw the character has. Know why? Because people are not perfect. It's exciting to see someone you love dig themselves out of a deep hole or watch achieve a life long goal. That will be what keeps the reader reading. No matter how you end your story (for any of those dark morbid writers - love you) if it's a depressing or happily ever after ending, the character develops and evolves over time and reaches that point.
Let's go over some other important ingredients to creating your empathy-deserving characters!
1. Don't make the protagonist perfect! (snore alert)
2. Seconding that; don't make your villain 100% evil either! Add a back story as to why he or she could be doing awful things. This will make them more enticing.
2. Physical features! (Surprisingly can really connect lots of readers so be choosey)
3. Personality! Use examples from your everyday life interactions you like or dislike. I find that if you have multiple supporting characters, you can have lots of fun messing with their mannerisms.
4. Names... this is tricky, because going too original can almost be incredibly annoying, like if the main character has a name you can't even pronounce... BUT it is your choice in the end. If you want your character's name to be Professor Tsuemo Hipszer then so be it. I'd suggest even Googling baby names and search meanings (obviously I do this) and see what hits you!
5. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER! Do I have your attention...
Creating a character is like creating a real human being... Ok not EXACTLY (perverts) But you have to let them surprise even you, the writer. People make their own choices and express free agency. This means you are no puppet master. Your job as a writer is to create the scene and the character, but not control.
I fight with my characters constantly. It is quite humorous actually. I was stuck for a while with one of my books because an important conflict arose and for the life of me I could not decide how my characters were going to get passed the obstacle. One of my characters wasn't dumb enough to fall for the trap, and the other was too stubborn to accept what was going on! If you're staying true to your characters this issue will occur more than once.
That's my say for the day journal (see I rhyme too, awesome) Peace out future writers I'm rooting for y'all!
Sincerely,
Me
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