You can’t have a book without a plot. It doesn’t have to be planned, but it does have to have a series of events. The first necessary element to a book that deepens it from a list of happenings to a connective piece are dynamic characters. But sometimes it is difficult to uncover what is holding your characters back from reaching their full potential. So, I’ve put together a list of the four most important pieces of your character and how they relate to the reader’s experience from most to least influential:
Actions
Didn’t your mother tell you that actions speak louder than words? Yes, annoyingly, it is true in books too. Actions are how readers will truly remember your characters. Let’s take an example from high school. When you think of Daisy Buchanan, what is the first thing that comes to mind? *Spoiler Alert* It isn’t her blonde hair or that she said she hopes her daughter will be a “beautiful little fool.” The first thing that comes to mind is that she was loved by Gatsby and perhaps that she ran over Myrtle in the end. Actions drive plot, which means that the choices characters make and actions they take are the reason there is a book to begin with. So make sure your characters are taking actions that speak to their character or otherwise directly contradict it in times of growth.
Dialogue
What your characters say and, more importantly, how they say it matters. Obviously. Though it fails to meet actions at their level, dialogue stands at a close second for adding depth to characters. Everybody loves a good turn of phrase that truly captures a character’s personality. It’s a great way for readers to feel their humor, emotionality, and motive through the plot. To build a rich cast of characters, each should have their own voice with preferred vocabulary, snark, or wonderment. Places where the plot turns on these conversations are likely to be quoted again and again by your book’s fans. Any other “Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon” lovers out there?
Thoughts/Narration
There may be a chance that you’re surprised how low on the list a character’s thoughts fall. At least, this is the mistake I find authors making. The narrator’s voice often reflects the author’s inner monologue about the story, and sometimes it’s easy to summarize a moment in the text almost stream of consciousness because it feels natural. I would (and have!) argue(d) to push against that feeling often. It will break up big blocks of text and keep readers engaged to see your characters acting on their own. This too goes with thoughts. They’re more powerful as actions. The exception, of course, is when a character’s thoughts conflict with their dialogue or actions. That will make an impact on a reader more than ten pages of narration ever could.
Appearance
A character’s appearance is often the first thing a reader learns about them. Tall, short, lanky, chub, scars, hair color, choice of clothes. It may be enticing to give all of their details similar to a police report list, but the reality is that good character design either highlights the character’s personality, is ironic for effect, or literally doesn’t matter. In any of these cases, what will influence a reader’s memory is more likely to be their actions, dialog and thoughts. There are exceptions, such as in Wonder where the lead character’s appearance is a plot device, but know there are few. Yes, some physical description is necessary and will help readers visualize the story more clearly, but remember that it is a catalyst to their arc and readers will put their own twist on their looks regardless of how specific you are.
These are my important elements of character building to make your people jump off the page. I’m sure everyone reading can think of an exception for these rules, but the reality is that your characters will undoubtedly be strong if you adhere to these principles. Can you think of anything you think I missed? Pop it down in the comments below! I love hearing from y’all.
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