One of the most essential elements of any well-told story is it have great characters. As readers, we might forget the plot details, but we tend not to forget the characters who made us cry, laugh, worry, or feel like we’re not alone. But how do you make characters people remember after your story ends?

Endow Them with a Well-Defined Character. A memorable character must be real. Develop more than just your character’s looks. What makes him or her angry? What is he or she afraid of? What are this character’s hopes, wishes, vices, and personal philosophy? Build a personality for this character that determines what he or she thinks, says, and does.

It’s often the minutest of details that bring a character to life. Whether they have a nervous tendency to tap their fingers, frugally hoard discarded postcards, or refuse to eat vegetables, these minutiae will really help them leap off the page.

Provide Them with Strengths and Weaknesses. No one is perfect, and the same applies to your characters. If your character happens to be brave, kind, and always successful…there is no story there. Don’t make your characters perfect—give them flaws too. Your hero might be fearless and determined, but he might also be an incurable romantic. Alternatively, your villain might have a burning desire to be successful but is secretly scared of the dark.

Give Them Something They Want. All good characters need a goal. What is the thing they want above all others? And why do they want it so badly? Their goal may be something big and (or) universal, for example, to save the love of his life, or just to prove to his relatives that he can. The barriers between the hero and his goal serve as the source of conflict, growth, and feelings.

Allow Them to Evolve. The quickest way to get your reader invested in a character is to have them evolve. Characters need to be impacted by what has happened to them. A timid character might become confident. An arrogant character might learn to rely on others. When your character responds, it can add so much to the story.

So don’t worry about your characters being OUT OF THIS WORLD. They just need to be believable. Let them breathe. We all need faces, quirks, character, quirks, flaws, goals, wishes, and a little room for growth. If your readers see themselves in your characters, then they will be with them for long after the book ends!

Thank you for your continued readership and Support. Have a blessed new week!

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