Virtues and flaws a reader can relate to. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes, make wrong assumptions in decision making; you're characters should also reflect this.
Characters just turn up, like a casting call. The best ones are initially totally inappropriate for the story, but along the way demonstrate hidden depths that develop creative solutions to the conflicts.
I am the character telling you about my true inspirational adventures with The Lord. Each story describes a different topic to be read in 5-10 minute stories. That is why I also have a blog to feature them.
http://lighthousetells.blogspot.com
Motive.
Uniqueness, individuality, and to be reasonable to be real. I tend to write of how the character thinks and feels,
They have to be real to begin with. In short writing that I do, they have to be limited, almost representative. In novels, they have to be much more fully developed, much more round, with admirable qualities, and human qualities. Sometimes a flawed character is much more sympathetic than a heroic character. The flawed figure with one outstanding quality is also an interesting sort of character.
Flaws. No one is perfect. They might have a better attitude than most of us at any given moment but their lives have conflict. We all have conflict.
By coaxing the reader that the character is apart of his or her life,that the
character is in the same space as he or she, or even have them identify
as being one and the same with the character.
A fictive person has to be, to act, to think like you and me
For someone to be believable as a character they have to be a facet of the writer or someone the writer has closely observed and used as at least a basic type, if not literally that individual.
I always draw from real life.
I think the most important thing is that the character has flaws like we all do, but also have the strength to overcome whatever situation they are in.
An inner life. Flaws, weaknesses, endearing characteristics, a voice, opinions, a visual, three dimensional sense of the character. I create mine by mapping a life for him/her before starting my story. What's in his pocket/fridge/wardrobe, his pets, his home, his idiosyncrasies, ex-girlfriends, memories, embarrassing family members etc...
I write non-fiction. So, obviously my characters are taken from real life.
For a character to be believable they have to be real, say real things, do real things, make mistakes, and say the wrong thing sometimes. Even in fictional story the character needs to be real. Now the character could have three eyes, five legs and eight arms but still be real, the realism comes from the heart of a character.
All my characters are based on real people, some of the people I know really well, some I could just see in a supermarket and follow them around for a bit taking notes, either way they are still real people.
Dialogue that fits the character. Consistent behavior. Supporting 'actors' that through dialouge or acton attest affirmatively to the character's traits. Setting and circumstances that uphold the actions of the character.
I started of with something so simple and then I gave her abilities and then I filled in a few blanks, but all up the character must reach out to people from the very beginning. |
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