How to Create Incredible Characters Easily

by Caterina Christakos

Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of a few simple rules:

1. Each character should have his own voice. If your character is from Brooklyn, give him brooklyn accent and mannerisms.

2. Before you write, decide on his or her background and outline it thoroughly. If she is supposed to be from a high profile Georgia family, know what her parents do for a living. Is she trying to live up to their standards or does she move to California in rebellion? Why?

3. Know your character’s motivations. If he is a seriel killer, what about his upbringing or his mind created him into the pathological criminal that he is.

The lesson is know your characters. Know what makes them tick. Know what drives them wild and what drives them crazy. Know them as well as you know yourself otherwise your audience never will.

By creating a thorough outline on each characters before you begin writing, the decisions are made for you. You will know your characters well enough to know what they would and wouldn’t say and how they would say it. More importantly, your readers will believe in them and in you.