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Characterization

© Kim Kay

To imagine yourself inside another person...is what a storywriter does in every piece of work; it is his first step, and his last too, I suppose. - Eudora Welty

The characters in your novel may make the difference between it being published and being stuck on a shelf in your closet. Your readers have to care about your characters in order to care what happens to them. If you can create compelling, three dimensional characters, you are well on your way to a successful novel.

Types of Characters

The protagonist is the main character in your novel. He or she is the one your readers should care about and root for. Your protagonist should be likable but not perfect. A couple of flaws and weaknesses make your character more realistic and can help make him or her more endearing to your readers.

The antagonist is the the character who is in direct conflict with the protagonist. He or she is usually competition with the protagonist for a specific goal, such as power or a love interest. Ideally, your readers should dislike and root against this character. The antagonist can also be an inanimate object. For instance, in a thriller where the protagonist is in an airplane which might crash, the airplane is the antagonist since it has the potential to keep the protagonist from reaching his or her goals.

In many novels, there is a love interest who is sought after by both the protagonist and the antagonist. The plot may revolve around the fight for the affection of the love interest or this may be used as a subplot. In other novels, the love interest may always be loyal to the protagonist instead of being a source of conflict.

You may also have one or more minor characters in your novel. Minor characters can be useful in getting information across to your readers when they act as confidante to either your protagonist or antagonist. They can also provide subplots, enhancing the primary plot and making your novel more interesting. Minor characters should have their own unique personalities but should not overshadow the main characters.

Character Traits

Character traits fall into three main categories: physical, identity, and social/moral. Physical traits refer to the character's appearance. Not only their looks, but also their style of clothing and body language. A character's identity is made up personality traits like habits and quirks, vices, psychological/emotional problems, and behavior. Their identity also includes external things such as occupation, education, and hobbies. Social/moral traits define how a character interacts with others and his or her code of ethics. An excellent source for developing characters is Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon. Another way to help create well rounded characters is to use a character chart.