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In my last post, I went over the first steps of creating an outline. After I have a hook, and I my mostly-empty World Bible document is ready to go, I want to start crafting my characters. I start with the essentials. What characters are the most pertinent to the story?
There’s my main character (obviously), a cast of supporting characters, the villain, and when applicable- the romantic interest. Make your list with the characters that will get the most page time toward the top. The more we know about these characters before we start writing the better job we’ll do of making these characters believable. That doesn’t mean that every supporting character needs a ten-page bio.
Start with what your reader needs to know for the story to make sense and then build on that. Just like with world-building, use what helps the story and squirrel away the rest to release as bonus content in the future. You don’t want to get so wrapped up in it that you never start writing. Remember that the profiles tend to flesh themselves out as you outline, so don’t get bogged down.
Physical Descriptions
I like to start by determining what my characters look like. I’ll scour the internet for a picture that comes as close as possible to how I envision them, then I start describing their features. Hair color, length, texture, style. Eye color, skin color. Look at the shape of their face, cheekbones, chin, forehead, eyebrows. Make a decision about their height and body type, and don't be afraid to branch out. Be diverse and inclusive with how you choose to cast your characters.
I hate to sound like a broken record, but just a friendly reminder… You don’t want to dump this entire description all at once when you’re writing your book. You can tell all you want in the outline because that’s what it’s for. In the book, you’ll want to show these details.
In the outline, it might look like this…
Brown eyes.
Black curly hair.
Tall.
Thin.
Arched eyebrows.
Almond-shaped face.
Sharp cheekbones.
Full lips.
Earthy skin tone.
But in the book, you’ll want to sprinkle in those specifications as things happen.
Like this…
The changing shadows played beneath her defined cheekbones as the headlights of a car flashed past the window. Her dark brown eyes fluttered open, and her full lips parted as she drew a ragged breath.
One of my fears is that I’ll describe someone with green eyes in one scene and brown eyes in another. Readers will call you out on this stuff, so if you don’t have a clear idea in your head of what your characters look like, your readers won’t either.
There is something to be said for allowing your reader to use their imagination and project whatever they choose onto certain characters. But if that’s the direction you choose to go, make sure it’s with intention and you’re not just being lazy. You also don’t want to wait until halfway through the book to describe your characters because that will shatter whatever mental image your reader had going. So if you’re going to skip physical descriptions, stick to it. Consistency is key.
Back Stories, Motivations, Beliefs, and Flaws
It’s important to know what makes your characters tick so that everything they do and say comes from a place of authenticity. You want to make sure your character is a whole person with hopes, dreams, and damage that your readers will be able to connect with or at least assess. Always create characters that will keep the story compelling.
Ask yourself, what are their strengths and weaknesses, their hopes, their fears, and then work backwards to explain why they are the way they are.
Example…
Avery grew up as a shy middle child but found her voice in a high school drama class. Since then, she’s always dreamed of being an actress, because on stage she feels empowered. She currently works at a costume store in the lower East side of L.A. and has a second job working in a gym. Her acting and costume skills will play a role in keeping her friend safe as they don disguises, go on the run, and try to stay one step ahead of the vampires that are hot on their trail.
Certain things may not come up in the story and that’s fine. But more often than not, characters’ backstories will come up from time to time. Maybe Avery and her friend are driving along and they have a conversation. This would be a good time to talk about Avery’s baggage.
For example, in the Character Profile, we might say…
Avery’s parents moved around a lot.
Knowing that she was just going to have to say goodbye in a few months, made it feel pointless to make friends. Getting attached to people wasn’t worth the heartache.
That’s why Avery is so determined to protect the friend that she does have… Because on the rare occasion that she does choose to let herself love someone, the bond runs deep.
Down the line when we’re outlining, and we hit this spot where we know they’re driving through the desert, we want to keep things interesting, but also show that time is passing. The beats in the outline would look something like this.
Helena wakes up and sees the desert stretching out in all directions as the truck speeds along an empty freeway.
Helena asks why Avery is putting everything on the line to help her.
Avery talks about her childhood.
And just like that, we add a layer of depth that Avery might not have otherwise had. It’s always beneficial to have a few meaningful heartfelt conversations in between action sequences. It gives the reader a chance to breath and allows them to get more attached to the characters.
Sometimes it’s a helpful exercise to imagine that you’re interviewing your characters. Ask them what they believe about the afterlife. What are their hopes and dreams? What are their greatest fears or their darkest secrets? Whatever details you choose to include, make sure not to neglect their flaws.
We may not always realize it, but it’s not just the positive qualities that make us love or connect with someone. Think about your best friend. Are they painfully naïve and trusting to a fault? Is your partner a great listener, but they never know what to say to make you feel better? Think about your parents, your cousins, your coworkers…
Flaws don’t make us unlovable. In fact, it’s our imperfections that capture the essence of our humanity. And isn’t that what truly binds us all together? Take that into consideration for a second… let it really sink in. That means that you might have a flaw that endears you to someone in your life.
Not that I think we shouldn’t try to better ourselves. It just makes me think that by writing good characters, maybe we can learn to love ourselves a little bit more. Sometimes those things we wish we could change about ourselves are exactly why someone was drawn to us. So give yourself a hug.
And on that note, in next week’s post, we will finally get into phase three of my outlining process. If you’re interested in more fun writing tips, please check out my YouTube Channel “Writing Happy Hour” at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb84ejaH4jW_ceEdAcWnBlw or you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter at ravensmusepublishing.com where I also host a monthly giveaway.
If you want to get in on that action… and why wouldn’t you, it’s free stuff! Some of the prizes include free signed paperbacks from Rick Gualtieri, a free e-book from another indie author, a free cover design, or a spot on my personal reading list.
In the meantime, keep your pages turning and those keys clacking. I’ll see you next time.
<3
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