12 Quick Tips for Writing Interesting Characters

12 Quick Tips, Writing Exercises, and Examples to help develop and write more interesting characters.

*Check-out the Writing Resources Section at the bottom of the page for some of my favorite craft books on writing interesting characters.

Part 1 - Character Choices

Like Dumbledore says, it’s all about the choices!

Tip 1 - Character choices:

What will your Character do?

Hot tip! — Make it unexpected!

The more unexpected, the more exciting for the reader!

Tip 2 - Example:

Does she stomp off when she gets mad?

Or — does she throw her notebook?

Or even better — does she stand up on the desk and scream?

Or even better still — does she tell her friend, and the entire classroom, that she was faking everything all along and she never liked them?

Now, which of the above characters do you want to read about?

Tip 3 - Writing ExercisE:

Think of a scene where your character makes a choice or decision.

What would be a more unexpected choice? (list 5)

What would be an even more unexpected choice? (list 5)

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Part 2 - Character Wounds

Like Helen Keller says, character is achieved through trial and suffering!

Tip 4 - Character wounds:

What wound does your character carry from their past?

Hot tip! — Make it physical, psychological, or both!

The more haunted by their wound, the more exciting for the reader!

(Even a cheerful character has a wound!)

Tip 5 - Example:

In Harry Potter and The Sourcer’s Stone, what is Harry Potter’s wound?

Physical Wound - The scar on his forehead.

Psychological Wound - The way he got that scar and who he lost in the process.

Harry’s wound just isn’t both kinds of wounds, it’s both kinds in one! Wow!

Who are some other characters that have both a physical and psychological wound-in-one? (Anyone else first think of Scar from The Lion King?)

Tip 6 - Writing Exercise:

Brainstorm a list of trials and suffering that happened in your character's past.

How could each situation show up as a wound in your character’s present?

How do their wounds affect their mood, attitude, and ambitions?

Part 3 - Character Wants and Needs

What does your main character dream for the most?

Tip 7 - Wants and Needs

Dreams and desires give the reader a chance to hope right along with the character.

What are your character's dreams and desires? This should be easy for the reader to figure out near the beginning of the story! The more exciting their dreams, the more exciting for the reader!

Tip 8 - Example:

What is Harry Potter’s dream?

At first, he simply wants to survive living with the miserable and mean Dursley Family.

Later, to learn more about his parents. (this one stays with us throughout the series)

Tip 9 - Writing Exercise:

Achieving the dream isn’t what creates growth in the character.

It’s the thing they need that helps them overcome some weaknesses and creates growth.

What is your character's weakness?

What does your character need? (but doesn't know what they need at the beginning of the story)

What does your character want?

Part 4 - Character Happiness

What stands between your Main Character and happiness?

Tip 10 - character happiness

What they think will make them happy is different from what they need. Make a list of everything they think will make them happy.

Tip 11 - example:

The big thing that is standing between your MC and their happiness is themselves and their own misbelief. The thing your MC wants at the beginning of the story is their weakness and will cause them problems. In the beginning, they have no idea what they need to be truly happy.

Tip 12 - Example:

Luke Skywalker (in the original Star Wars) wants to leave the boring farm life with his aunt and uncle for adventure as a pilot with the Resistance. Of course, this causes some serious problems. And in the end, what he really needs to become truly happy is to find out who he really is and become one with the force.

WRITING RESOURCES

I read a lot of writing craft books and these three are the best I have found when it comes to character development. Check them out - I use them and highly recommend them to all my writing friends.

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a book through this page, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I’d never promote something I didn’t love.

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Writing Unforgettable Characters

How to Create Story People Who Jump Off the Page

By James Scott Bell

Get the book

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The Anatomy of Story

22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller

By John Truby

Get the book

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The Emotional Craft of Fiction

How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface

By Donald Maass

Get the book

If you have any questions or would like more writerly posts like this one, leave me a comment below. You can find links below to follow me on Instagram (where I post daily), Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Until next time, have fun indulging your imagination.