Writing a fantasy novel: Characters
Step 3
Part 1- How to write a main character.
First adjust your mind set; you are creating a fictional character, but you must go about it as if you are writing the life of a real person.
This will allow you to develop a well-rounded character.
The initial task is to decide on who your protagonist(main character) will be; is it female or male, how old, what will the character's occupation, etc.
-Deciding on the gender: This can depend on a lot of factors. Do you feel more comfortable writing male characters or female characters?
It is of course most easiest to write what you know, so making the main character the same gender as yourself can work, but sometimes this may be wrong for your book.
There are plots that need a male protagonist, or benefit more from a male protagonist, and some plots that need a female protagonists. So you will have to consider this in creating your character.
An example: The plot: A school of wizards gets a new pupil, but they only accept male students.
Now if you are writing a standard plot line, you of course need a male character; it could be a coming-of-age-as-a-wizard story. However, a plot twist could be utilized by using a female protagonist.
She would have to disguise herself as a boy, there would be the constant threat of discovery, and even the big reveal of her being female. Both versions could be good books, but their plots hinge on the gender of the main character.
All right, you have decided on your characters gender. Now what? Now you have to detail your character's personality and life.
Some details will be dependent on your plot.
For instance:
1-How old is he, and does age matter to the story. If the plot is about the last days of an old wizard, then your character cannot be 28 years old.
2-What does your character do for a living? Again this may be determined by your plot. Whether he is a wizard, a vampire hunter, etc is solely up to the plotline.
But if your story is a modern fantasy, an alternative history, or just one where a character is drawn into events, the occupation may not be relevant to your plot, and therefore flexible.
Now you have a basic character, time for the details.
You should sketch out a character outline or background. How much detail included in this outline will depend on you, and how you prefer to write.
You may feel more comfortable developing your character's personality as you write the first draft of your story (oh yes, there will be be more than one draft of your book), and you will write just a basic background for your character. Or you may find it helpful to flesh out the character with all sorts of detail, some or most of which will never be included in your book.
I try to aim for somewhere in between.
What details to include in your outline:
I like to include some sort of family tree: parents, siblings, cousins, whatever. Is he an orphan, an only child, have three brothers, etc?
Physical traits: hair colour, eye colour, height, weight, etc.
Characters, at some point in the book, will be described in a physical manner; just avoid any straight, detailed physical descriptions that read like a list. It is better to try for a more casual mention of physical traits, especially if it is mixed into the plot.
I like to be very detailed in outlining physical characteristics; I don't use every detail, but it helps me get a mental handle on writing the character.
Personality traits. Is the character shy, outgoing, laugh too much, egotistical, arrogant, sensitive, intelligent, have low self-esteem, etc. Find the traits that define your character; from these you will build every action and reaction of your character.
Major life events. Don't detail every little thing in a character's life, but do include major events that will effect the characters personality; such as deaths, choices, traumas, etc.
Take these things and create a history for your protagonist.
Part 2- How to write an antagonist (the villain of your book):
All the rules for creating a protagonist apply to the antagonist as well, but your villain has some peculiar quirks that must be addressed.
First, he cannot be too evil. Yes he may be a megalomaniac sorcerer, bent on dominating the known world through dark magic, but he can still love kitty cats. Seriously though, you do have to give your villain some redeeming human characteristics, so your readers can identify with him on some level. The best villains are the ones we love to hate, that have been twisted by circumstance, tragedy or their own ambition. By making your villain a three-dimensional character instead of a caricature, you ensure that his actions in the book are taken seriously by your readers.
Second, don't be afraid of the villain's evil side. Your villain exists solely to make life miserable for your protagonist, and to move the plot forward. So feel free to kill, maim, pillage and destroy in his/her name. Just remember to keep it realistic; make sure there are logical reasons behind every action of your villain.
Part 3- A word on how to make your characters believable:
Characters, especially fantasy characters inhabit worlds which do not exist, so it is up to you as the writer to convince your reader that the world and the people who live there are Real.
There is only one way to do this: use logic. Every world, every character you create Must Have a set of rules that that they adhere to and strictly follow. Now these rules can be dictated by real life or by a series you have created for your world.
Examples:
1- You have set your story in a modern day setting, and your characters are werewolf hunters who operate in secret. Your hunters have a code they exist by and live duel lives under a great deal of stress.
According to your rules, to make your characters believable they must:
a. -Never reveal their secrets, or face punishment and consequences
b. -Have problems in their personal lives (even if they are just small ones)
c. -Show some conflict in juggling their duel lives.
d. -Interact with modern society and a supernatural world. (So your characters will need two sets of behaviour).
2- You have created a world of dragons and wizards, who are at war.
According to your rules, to make your characters believable they must:
a. -Have limits on their magic and powers. Characters must have weaknesses.
b. -Remember war has to have consequences, and people die. Soldiers, innocent bystanders everyone is a potential casualty.
c. -Live by the laws of the world you have created. Just like in regular life they have to restrain themselves from wreaking havoc (unless the character is a villain).
d. -Know, and at least in some part, support the reasons for this war. Your characters must have a valid reason for their actions (you can of course give them doubts).
Now a note about villains:
Your villains need a separate set of rules for their behaviour, but will operate within the basic world structure you have created. They may, of course, break criminal laws and moral imperatives as needed. Just remember those sorts of actions have consequences, for both villains and the good guys.
Helpful Links:
Fantasy Hero Cliche-o-Meter
The Not-So-Grand List of Overused Fantasy Clichés
The Fantasy Cliché Meter: the Bad Guys
First adjust your mind set; you are creating a fictional character, but you must go about it as if you are writing the life of a real person.
This will allow you to develop a well-rounded character.
The initial task is to decide on who your protagonist(main character) will be; is it female or male, how old, what will the character's occupation, etc.
-Deciding on the gender: This can depend on a lot of factors. Do you feel more comfortable writing male characters or female characters?
It is of course most easiest to write what you know, so making the main character the same gender as yourself can work, but sometimes this may be wrong for your book.
There are plots that need a male protagonist, or benefit more from a male protagonist, and some plots that need a female protagonists. So you will have to consider this in creating your character.
An example: The plot: A school of wizards gets a new pupil, but they only accept male students.
Now if you are writing a standard plot line, you of course need a male character; it could be a coming-of-age-as-a-wizard story. However, a plot twist could be utilized by using a female protagonist.
She would have to disguise herself as a boy, there would be the constant threat of discovery, and even the big reveal of her being female. Both versions could be good books, but their plots hinge on the gender of the main character.
All right, you have decided on your characters gender. Now what? Now you have to detail your character's personality and life.
Some details will be dependent on your plot.
For instance:
1-How old is he, and does age matter to the story. If the plot is about the last days of an old wizard, then your character cannot be 28 years old.
2-What does your character do for a living? Again this may be determined by your plot. Whether he is a wizard, a vampire hunter, etc is solely up to the plotline.
But if your story is a modern fantasy, an alternative history, or just one where a character is drawn into events, the occupation may not be relevant to your plot, and therefore flexible.
Now you have a basic character, time for the details.
You should sketch out a character outline or background. How much detail included in this outline will depend on you, and how you prefer to write.
You may feel more comfortable developing your character's personality as you write the first draft of your story (oh yes, there will be be more than one draft of your book), and you will write just a basic background for your character. Or you may find it helpful to flesh out the character with all sorts of detail, some or most of which will never be included in your book.
I try to aim for somewhere in between.
What details to include in your outline:
I like to include some sort of family tree: parents, siblings, cousins, whatever. Is he an orphan, an only child, have three brothers, etc?
Physical traits: hair colour, eye colour, height, weight, etc.
Characters, at some point in the book, will be described in a physical manner; just avoid any straight, detailed physical descriptions that read like a list. It is better to try for a more casual mention of physical traits, especially if it is mixed into the plot.
I like to be very detailed in outlining physical characteristics; I don't use every detail, but it helps me get a mental handle on writing the character.
Personality traits. Is the character shy, outgoing, laugh too much, egotistical, arrogant, sensitive, intelligent, have low self-esteem, etc. Find the traits that define your character; from these you will build every action and reaction of your character.
Major life events. Don't detail every little thing in a character's life, but do include major events that will effect the characters personality; such as deaths, choices, traumas, etc.
Take these things and create a history for your protagonist.
Part 2- How to write an antagonist (the villain of your book):
All the rules for creating a protagonist apply to the antagonist as well, but your villain has some peculiar quirks that must be addressed.
First, he cannot be too evil. Yes he may be a megalomaniac sorcerer, bent on dominating the known world through dark magic, but he can still love kitty cats. Seriously though, you do have to give your villain some redeeming human characteristics, so your readers can identify with him on some level. The best villains are the ones we love to hate, that have been twisted by circumstance, tragedy or their own ambition. By making your villain a three-dimensional character instead of a caricature, you ensure that his actions in the book are taken seriously by your readers.
Second, don't be afraid of the villain's evil side. Your villain exists solely to make life miserable for your protagonist, and to move the plot forward. So feel free to kill, maim, pillage and destroy in his/her name. Just remember to keep it realistic; make sure there are logical reasons behind every action of your villain.
Part 3- A word on how to make your characters believable:
Characters, especially fantasy characters inhabit worlds which do not exist, so it is up to you as the writer to convince your reader that the world and the people who live there are Real.
There is only one way to do this: use logic. Every world, every character you create Must Have a set of rules that that they adhere to and strictly follow. Now these rules can be dictated by real life or by a series you have created for your world.
Examples:
1- You have set your story in a modern day setting, and your characters are werewolf hunters who operate in secret. Your hunters have a code they exist by and live duel lives under a great deal of stress.
According to your rules, to make your characters believable they must:
a. -Never reveal their secrets, or face punishment and consequences
b. -Have problems in their personal lives (even if they are just small ones)
c. -Show some conflict in juggling their duel lives.
d. -Interact with modern society and a supernatural world. (So your characters will need two sets of behaviour).
2- You have created a world of dragons and wizards, who are at war.
According to your rules, to make your characters believable they must:
a. -Have limits on their magic and powers. Characters must have weaknesses.
b. -Remember war has to have consequences, and people die. Soldiers, innocent bystanders everyone is a potential casualty.
c. -Live by the laws of the world you have created. Just like in regular life they have to restrain themselves from wreaking havoc (unless the character is a villain).
d. -Know, and at least in some part, support the reasons for this war. Your characters must have a valid reason for their actions (you can of course give them doubts).
Now a note about villains:
Your villains need a separate set of rules for their behaviour, but will operate within the basic world structure you have created. They may, of course, break criminal laws and moral imperatives as needed. Just remember those sorts of actions have consequences, for both villains and the good guys.
Helpful Links:
Fantasy Hero Cliche-o-Meter
The Not-So-Grand List of Overused Fantasy Clichés
The Fantasy Cliché Meter: the Bad Guys
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