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Great fiction depends on great characters. That epic fantasy you're writing might have the world's most brilliant plot, setting, and writing... but if your characters are dull, your story won't soar. The reason is simple. Readers need to care about the story. They want to invest their emotions in your work. Readers will care about a story if they care about the characters. You might think your story is the most exciting story in the world. "My epic fantasy has chases, battles, wars, torture, and action that never stops," you say. Shouldn't that be enough to keep readers turning the pages? Well then. Why did we care about the battles in Lord of the Rings? (I know you're surprised I chose such an obscure book as an example, but bear with me.) Sure, all the orcs, knights, swords, and monsters were exciting, but we only truly cared about the battles because they were about the characters. We wouldn't care if a million orcs and knights battled it out, unless we cared about those little hobbits caught in the middle. Why was Dragonlance so popular when I was a kid? Those novels were full of action, battles, dragons, and armies, but all the action centered around the characters, their stake in the outcome, and their emotions during the wars. Sure, the dragons were exciting, but the main reason we kept reading was because we loved (and hated) Raistlin. Even if you're writing grand scenes of epic battle, they should focus on the characters involved in the conflict. Make those characters so real and important to the readers, that they'll keep turning the pages to see what happens to them. So, how do we create these characters that readers will love? The art of characterization is complex, with infinite levels to explore and develop. I myself am still learning how to create them. I'll share what I've learned so far. Great characters are larger than life Great characters are exaggerated. They do things we never would in the real world. They are over the top. By exaggerating their traits, you'll let them leap from the pages and become real. Is your character tall? Don't just make him stand 6'1". Turn him into a 7 footer. Wow, now that is interesting. How did he deal with life, being a giant? When did he begin growing so tall? We all loved Andre the Giant in The Princess Bride, after all. Does you other character suffer from anger? Don't just have him scowl all the time. Let him trash his room in rage. Consider the character of Esteban in House of Spirits, whose temper became legendary. Consider the TV show Lost. Audiences love Sawyer because he's not just a scoundrel... his behavior is so scandalous, he draws our interest every episode. He acts in ways that most people, in the real world, would never dare. Hurley became popular because, with his size, unlikely hair, and distinctive way of speaking, he was unlike anybody we've seen. On Lost, characters stood out. The characters who did not ended up being killed of. You know what? This isn't true of fiction alone. Think of characters in the real world. Richard Simmons, Michael Jackson, Howard Stern... celebrities know that to stand out, to grab our attention, they must be outrageous. We might dislike them, but we notice them. They know what we writers should know when creating characters. Let characters in your stories get noticed. Make them larger than life. Great characters are complex Don't think, based on the above, that characters can be one-note beings. It's not enough to have "the giant", "the scoundrel", or "the funny one". Your characters need to have the complexities of a real person. That means a history, motives, dreams, fears, loves, interests, and desires. When creating characters, I like to brainstorm with a big piece of paper (or Word document. Both work). I often start with a physical description. Eyes. What color are they, what shape? What emotion lives within these eyes, and what do they say about the soul that hides beneath them? Eyes are the windows to the soul. What do your character's eyes say about her? What color is your character's hair? What style is it, and why does your character wear his hair this way? Is it long, matted, and dirty from tribulation? Is it always neat, and never goes for three weeks without a haircut? If the hair is shaggy, why is it shaggy? If it's meticulous, why? How tall is the character? How much does he or she weigh? Does this person carry any scars, tattoos, piercings? What is the story behind them? How does your character dress? How has your character's physical appearance affected his personality, and vice versa? How does it affect the way others treat her? Lots of questions. But they're worth answering. If nothing else, answering these questions will let you brainstorm about your character. Maybe you'll learn new things about him. When I create characters, I like to carry an image of them in my mind. I might not include all this information in the story, but it helps me to know the character. And when I know the characters, I know how to write them. Let's ask some more questions. Think about how your character expresses himself. Is his voice loud and confident, or shy and quiet? Does he have any catch phrases? What is his body language like? Do your characters have any physical habits? One of my own characters bites her lip when nervous. She also shrugs only one shoulder. Does your character bite his nails, tap his finger, or scratch his chin often? thesis writing
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