Building Great Characters: A Guide for Writers

Take a gander at the above picture. What can you infer about the man in this photo? Go ahead, take your time.

All set? Alright, let’s compare notes.

I think this character is a fun-loving guy. Seems like he’s outdoorsy, in good shape, probably a runner, maybe even a former (or current) track and field star. I’m guessing he’s also a risk-taker, since he’s posing for a photo on what looks like a rural highway with intense fog cover. Finally, this image would make for a trendy profile pic, so I’m guessing our guy is active on Facebook, Instagram, or both.

This is what character development is all about. We writers must draw our readers’ attention to the right details at the right time-and that’s only the beginning! For more on building great characters, keep reading.

Voice

Voice is more than just dialogue. Dialogue is the method by which characters most often express their voice, but the term encompasses far more. Voice is a character’s world view, their word choice, their eloquence (or lack thereof), their regional dialect, and more.

Let’s look at a line from one of my favorite books ever: Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad.

“I’m always happy,” Sasha said. “Sometimes I just forget.”