THE 4 CHARACTER TYPES
A round character is a multi-dimensional character with different (and sometimes contradictory) features. Round characters are interesting to audiences because they feel like real people, and readers can feel invested in these characters' successes and failures.
A dynamic character undergoes significant internal change throughout the course of a story. The development of a dynamic character is often subtle and understated. A dynamic character is one who learns a lesson or changes as a person (either for better or for worse). Most main characters in stories are dynamic.
The term "dynamic character" is often confused with "round character," and while they often overlap, they are not the same. A dynamic character is one who changes significantly throughout the story, whereas a round character is simply one who is interesting and layered.
A flat character is a one-dimensional character who isn't layered or deep. They may have one or two traits that make up their whole personality.
A static character remains largely the same throughout the course of the story, keeping the same personality and outlook despite what goes on around them. It's common for secondary characters in stories to be static.
The term "static character" is often confused with "flat character," and while they do overlap, they are not the same. Flat characters are almost exclusively static characters, but not all static characters are flat—many static characters can be interesting and round.
TIPS ON WRITING ROUND CHARACTERS
Round characters are fully realized characters that come into conflict with other characters in believable ways, spurring character development. Not every main character needs to be dynamic and experience change to their overall behavior. They might merely 'see the light'. For example, we might see Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice as a round character, who remains true to her nature but gains insight about a narrow perception she'd held.
📌 Like dynamic characters, round characters need motivation. The harder the choices, the more possibilities you have to reveal the character's deepest fears or truest desires.
📌 Force them to make choices between good and evil. You must know your character's mind in order to understand their beliefs and how they will justify their actions—even the cruel ones.
📌 Conflict is essential for developing character. If nothing is at stake, then a person's choices don't matter very much, and the audience will begin to lose interest.
TIPS ON WRITING DYNAMIC CHARACTERS
Dynamic characters are considered a mark of a good story. They help audiences become invested in the character's journey. Readers are interested to see a dynamic character progress toward their goal. Examples of dynamic characters are: Ebenezer Scrooge, Anakin Skywalker, and Neville Longbottom. Each of these characters' personalities changed from the beginning of the narrative to when the story ended.
📌 As you outline your story, list your character's personality traits. Are they shy or cocky, rude or kind, enthusiastic or disheartened, innocent or experienced? Then identify which traits might change over the course of the story.
📌 Make your character responsible for the conflict. While it's easier to write a character who is the victim of cruel circumstances outside their control, characters who have in some way caused the conflict are much more likely to learn lessons and change because of it.
📌 Heighten the conflict. If you have a character who refuses to change, it might be time to add more obstacles and hardship. Stronger conflict can help bring characters to their breaking points, which helps them discover something new about themselves or realize how their behavior needs to change.
TIPS ON WRITING FLAT CHARACTERS
Often considered 'stock characters', flat characters can usually be summarized in one word (like "bully" or "popular kid") and never transcend their role. Still, flat characters serve the specific purpose of helping to propel the story forward in some way. Examples of flat characters are: Crabbe and Goyle from the Harry Potter series.
📌 Make a list of personality traits for your flat characters. They can still be interesting. For example, you could pick a gravedigger who is always happy because he loves his work, or a tightrope walker with a fear of heights. Flat characters aren't easy to take seriously because audiences can't relate to them—but when they're written to be funny or ridiculous, audiences can enjoy laughing at their one-dimensionality.
📌 Use flat characters in a plot-heavy story. Deep character backstories can get in the way of plot details. To help guide readers through the twists and turns of a complex story, writers can opt for simple, flat characters to help push the plot.
📌 Consider creating a foil character. Foil characters embody the opposite traits of another character (usually the protagonist). Give a flat character a trait that mirrors the protagonist's, or a trait that brings out the protagonist's lighter or darker side. This can be helpful in moving the plot forward.
TIPS ON WRITING STATIC CHARACTERS
Static characters do not change throughout the story. As such, they have a hard time holding the attention of an audience because there's no character arc for readers to be invested in, no lessons learned. Therefore, the character must be round in order to keep the audience's attention. While static characters are often antagonists of stories, any character—even a protagonist—can be static. Examples of static characters are: Captain Hook and Sherlock Holmes. Both are interesting in their own right and unfailingly predictable in their methods.
📌 Focus on motivation. If the character is not going to change throughout the story, they need a good reason for it—are they too stubborn, too shy, or maybe too damaged? Coming up with a strong motivation for the character will help audiences believe that they have a reason for being static.
📌 Think about backstory. A character's backstory provides a great opportunity to make them interesting. Were they raised by circus folk or near a junkyard? How does this influence the way they look at the world?
📌 Play with personality. A unique personality is a great way to keep audiences engaged in static characters. For instance, Sherlock Holmes is a famously quirky static character.
On to Part 3 of Character Development...
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Bootcamp Mentors Workshop Topics
RandomThe Bootcamp Mentors have hosted many workshops over the years, and we have included them all in this book. Consider this another ongoing resource from your friends here at BCM.
