Creating Convincing Fiction Characters

When writing fiction, as authors, we want to make our characters as convincing as possible. We need to be able to portray the appearance, voice, and personality in such a way that our readers absolutely feel like they are real.  Here are our top tips for writing compelling and believable characters in your fiction writing.

1. Give the character an external and internal conflict.
Make sure to give your character BOTH external conflict (character versus character, character versus nature, etc.) as well as internal conflict (character versus self). It is often easy to focus on the external conflict, but adding an internal conflict gives depth and believability to your characters.

2. Give your character flaws.
You want a write a character with whom your reader can relate, and to do that, your character needs to be vulnerable. Avoid writing a perfect character and instead give your character flaws. The intrigue of your story will come from how your character responds external and internal conflict. While they should have strengths that help them face these conflicts, you need to allow them to fail sometimes. Allowing your character’s flaws to get in the way gives them the opportunity to learn and grow.

3. Give your character an arc.
A good character changes throughout the course of the story. They don’t remain static. As they face the challenges that come their way, they grow and learn. However, remember, at the end of your book, your character should not be perfect; he or she needs to be a human with human flaws.

4. Show, don’t tell.
You’ve heard it once; you’ve heard it a thousand times from us. Show your readers your characters; don’t just tell them about your characters in a narrative summary. As your story unfolds, trust your readers to deduce character qualities through what they see your character do and what they hear your character say.

5. Avoid stereotypes.
It is very easy, especially when writing side or minor characters, to rely on stereotypes. Using a stereotype of a specific type of person may be harmful or offensive without you even knowing it. When writing a character unfamiliar to you, where you might be tempted to rely on stereotypes, make sure to do your research. This may include Google searches, watching interviews, or talking to real people. One of the best ways to ensure you are not using offensive stereotyped characters is to use a sensitivity reader or make sure you have a diverse group of beta readers!

Use these tips to help develop believable and dynamic characters in your writing. Your characters should be as dynamic as the people you know in real life!