Authors have to figure out their characters first before they begin plotting or creating a setting. Sometimes, the characters and setting come at the same time, such as a lady in Regency England. When authors determine the characters, they are able to fit a setting around them. Here are things to consider when writing characters.
Sometimes, authors are unsure how many characters are enough for a
story. The answer depends on the type of fiction and author's taste.
Fantasy authors often use 10 to 12 main characters to build out a world
while romance authors can stick to about four or five. Children's
authors use one or two. You need interaction, world-building and
suspense, but you also do not want to confuse your reader with two many
characters. This confusion often shows up in movies when directors pack a
movie with characters and fail to develop them. If you are unsure, let
someone outside your genre read it to tell you.
The most believable characters have some flaws. All humans have flaws. Therefore, your characters should also have flaws. Even if your characters are animals with human traits, they should have flaws. In many cases, they will have to overcome those flaws or change before the book ends. My first book character was lonely. My second book character was afraid of water. My third book character felt vulnerable and hated men. My fourth book character didn't let anyone be a part of her life.
Sometimes characters die. How you handle the death depends on what the book is and how it fits your story. Authors often feel real grief over killing favorite characters, but if it is necessary, you should do it. In my 1776 Bed and Breakfast, my main character's mother had to die to move the story along. It was sad for my characters. Don't be afraid to let a character die if it moves the story.
Characters are often athletes. Many romance writers will make a
main character a professional athlete, but sports can occur in many
different genres. For example, ancient Greece had Olympic feats. You
also could have a game using sword-fighting in a fantasy novel. In
sci-fi, a character could be in a sport on another planet, such as the
pod-racing in Star Wars. Sometimes, giving the characters a sport helps
build character development.
Today, much discussion is focused on when to use artificial intelligence to write your story and how much A.I. should be used. There are many aspects to the discussion, but I am focusing on using A.I. to write characters. Your characters should be relatable to human readers. Often, what A.I. produces is not relatable. However, it can help you develop characters if you get stuck. Just make sure a human reads what A.I. writes to determine whether it is good. A.I. is probably better when you are plotting. It can help you figure out how a character would react in a situation. Also, some Christians and churches would not want A.I.-created characters.
When you have strong characters, you are more likely to market your work more efficiently.
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