Closet_Anarchist Presents: Writing Tips!

C'mon: Don't Make a Character Unrealistic!

Alright, so when it comes to stories, you can’t avoid characterization… otherwise, where’s the story? Of course, some stories are more character driven than others, but the characters are still important.

There is something that you should try and avoid when creating characters:

 

No one likes a perfect character

Okay, so let’s be honest. When you’re reading a story, and the main character is perfect in every way, the story gets hard to read. No one is perfect, and characters like that weaken a story. I know I’m not the only one who wants to kill the character with the brains, the beauty, the athletic ability, and the boys.

Make her bad at something, gosh darn it!

When the reader of your story can relate to the main character, they are more likely to keep reading, and the purpose of your story will come across better. Here are some examples of characters.

Monica:

 She’s the head cheerleader, her boyfriend is gorgeous, and she is popular. Monica’s parents are rich, she’s really nice, and she can eat whatever she wants without gaining any weight. Monica has a ton of friends and she is still a good Christian virgin.

Phoebe:

Phoebe’s not a model. Sure, she’s got nice hair and skin, but Phoebe has the metabolism of a forty-year-old man, so when she eats Doritos or drinks some Coke, Phoebe doesn’t stay as thin as a twig.  Phoebe’s parents are middle class income. Phoebe has friends, but she’s neither popular or a loser; she’s just in the middle.

Be honest with yourself, guys, who can you relate to more? The descriptions might have been lacking, and I’m aware that I’m probably being a wee bit overdramatic, but you get the point. No one likes a perfect character.

Something I do when I’m creating the main character in my story is I put a little bit of myself into the character. Then, I know the main character is going to be more realistic and relatable. I tend to give my characters the same flaws that I have, because I know what it’s like to live with those flaws.

I also give my characters my sense of humor, my taste in music and movies, and other things like that. With looks, however, I usually end up making them have my dream appearance.

Think of creating the main character as living vicariously through them: put yourself in the plot of your story and imagine how you would react. This keeps the reaction of the character honest and realistic.

I think that’s the most important thing about creating a character; making them realistic. You have to give them imperfections, like I said above, but also, if you’re writing from the point of view of a teenager, don’t make them talk like an elderly scholar. KIDS DON’T TALK LIKE THAT!

Also, when doing the physical characterization of your character, don’t do this:

Hi, my name’s Kelly. I have shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkle in the sun. I’m really tall, and pretty skinny, and my cheeks are sprinkled with little, light freckles.

Try and “sneak” the physical description in without making it too obvious that you’re describing the main character. Let’s try Kelly again.

“Kelly!” My mom called from down the hallway, “We have to get going!”

“I’ll be down in a minute!” I yelled back, and I finished lining my bright blue eyes with the charcoal eyeliner I had in my hand. My pale blond hair had already been tugged back into a braid, but I’d given up on covering up my freckles.

Some people thought they were cute, but I wasn’t a big fan. I knew that I got them from hanging out in the sun on the beach, but I wasn’t going to stop going outside.

I hope you guys see the difference. I didn’t just flat out have Kelly describe herself to the audience. I just added it to the paragraphs. I’m not sure if that makes sense… but yeah, that’s what I mean.

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Okay, I will probably come add to this because I know I'll think of more characterization things later. I'll send out a message when I do that to let you guys know that I did, in fact, add to it. 

Next chapter will be on plot cliches and such

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