Recap:

Last week we addressed character likeability and reflection of self through characters. Remember, we looked at Andy Weir’s three major novels as examples of the likeability scale to strong characters. If you want a refresher, or are just joining us, review the older posts below.

Character Development and Character Creation:

Character creation is the inception and first mold of your character. With what we’ve gone through here, I hope you have a good start to your character. But just like you, your character’s development can’t occur in a vacuum. It’s time to place your character (s) in your world to watch them develop as you write your story. I’ve learned more about my characters in writing and rewriting Extoria than I ever thought I would, and they differ greatly from the original mold.

With that in mind, let’s close out the character creation posts.

The World-Building and Character Creation Crossover:

A lot of your character creation stems from the world you developed. The contrast between character and world will determine what features, habits, and other distinguishing factors you’ll build from. Genre will support how your character views the world and the answers to their problems. Setting aids in supporting or contradicting their world views or actions. Situation/Conflict will show how your characters react to the events in their lives. So, as you’re building your world, you’ve already begun the character creation process. Don’t forget to turn back to your world for guidance on what kinds of characters you want in your story. If you want to review these posts, start here.

The Arcs:

Though I’m not referring to a ship, character arcs carry your characters and readers through your story. The various forms of character arcs addressed in my posts are just big-picture guidelines. The character’s arc depends on your story’s purpose, which you may not know at first. Sometimes it takes writing the first draft to know the exact arc you need. So choose the best option for your character at this point in the draft. If you want to review the main character arcs, read the first post here.

Researching and Deepening your Character:

While the first inklings of a character begin as words, our goal as writers is to bring them to life. Just like learning about a new friend, or even yourself, you need to make sure you’re focusing on the right character, doing your research, and deciding whether to break them free of stereotypes. There are so many tools you can use for researching and developing your character that I don’t believe in the ideal tool. Each story and character differ so much that you will often find yourself at the same drawing table with each book. Here are some tips and tricks for the final stages of character creation.

As always, thank you for reading and working on your writing with me. I look forward to the next step in your writing journey as you begin the first draft of your story. Check in next week for an introduction for the first draft process.

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Next: The First Draft Introduction