Character Creation
What's in a name? Or hair color? Or Eye color?
Why shouldn't you name your hero: John Everyman? It could be funny. But also it could make your character blend into the background of people's minds or annoy your reader for the entire story. No one wants that. What about your character’s looks? Does the love interest have to be a tiny blonde girl with sky-blue eyes? Could she be curvy with reddish hair and depthless brown eyes? Could she not be a she?
What is their best trait? What is their worst? No, being clumsy is not a bad trait - it's a lifestyle. Fight me.
How important is it to know their favorite foods? Favorite colors? Favorite movies? Favorite books?
Does the reader need to know their entire childhood? Only the trauma bits? Only the good memories?
Truthfully, there are so many ways to design a character and make them unforgettable.
My character creation starts with one question and one situation
*What is the lie the character tells themselves that they believe
*What is the character's reaction to finding a car accident/on fire?
*Who is the first person they call after?
Yeah, I am aware the situation thing is a little odd, but I always feel like I know my character after that.
If you've read Love Is... here are two character reactions to finding a car crash.
Character One: Call 911, then retrieve a fire extinguisher, put the fire out, check on the crash victims, and then leave before help arrives if everyone is fine.
Character Two: Yells for someone else to call 911, goes immediately towards the burning cars helps get victims out, probably gets slightly burned in the process, and doesn't want anyone to bother treating them. They are fine. **
Consistency in a character’s features, attitudes, and personalities are keys to making a believable character. If you have a character who has a blue-collar job and wears casual clothes: show their discomfort if they have to dress and attend a formal event. Does your character come from a supportive and loving family; call attention to their confusion at another character’s closed-off or defensive nature. Simple things like repetitious phrases or unique slang can give your character’s dialogue added personality. (A small note on this - make sure you research your phrasing, older colloquialisms can have less stellar backstories)
In my own writing, I keep notes on characters in a spreadsheet. Each tab is a different character with information and images. It’s the only thing that’ll keep things straight in my brain.
**Bonus points for you as a reader and me as a writer if you can guess whom I'm talking about.
