How to write compelling fictional characters

Write fictional characters that your readers will fall in love with

Image Source - https://pixabay.com/el/γραφομηχανή-βιβλίο-notebook-χαρτί-801921/

Category :Article Writing

Writing tips that can help writers create and develop the most interesting fictional characters.

Writing compelling fictional characters ensures that readers will keep reading your story till the last page and will come back asking for more. But here pops the question. How can you write compelling fictional characters?

1) Find what the character wants

Find what the character wants to accomplish in his life. What his goals are. If it is more than one thing, make a list , starting from the most important goal and ending with the least important one.

2) Find what your character needs

What your fictional character needs is what gives your fictional character peace, what helps him sleep at night without nightmares. It is usually just one thing, or two. But you have to dig really deep to find it.

3) When desires and needs collide

What your fictional character wants can be very different from what your fictional character needs and that can cause a lot of problems (which is what you want). For example, your character may want to be a succesful, rich businessman no matter what, but he may need a partner who will stick with him through thick and thin. How long can your character keep a loyal partner if climbing to the top is his primary focus? Eventually, he will have to make a choice and depending on the choice, there will a difference price to pay.

4) Find your character's scars

Find what has caused your fictional character pain.

What haunts him every minute of every day, what makes him stay up all night, what his nighmares are all about. As a writer you need to know what your character's trauma is, as this can explain (not justify) your character's behavior and make him sympathetic to your readers .Be careful not to use your character's heartbreak to manipulate readers though; you are just the narrator of the story, the readers will decide if the character is worth rooting for or not.

Hopefully the above writing tips will help you create and develop compelling characters. Good luck!