Think of your favorite story for a moment. I bet that in that story, the characters feel so real that you almost expect them to walk right off the page. This is exactly the kind of magic we’ll talk about – the magic of creating convincing characters, This magic is what brings the character to life. Characters that touch us on a personal and deeper level pull us into their world, into the story, and make us emotionally invested in their fate. We share their happiness and their sorrow. Without them, even the most gripping plot loses its charm.

Everyone has heard about J.K. Rowling and how she created the entire magical world. The spells, the creatures, the iconic Hogwarts, but still, what readers talk about the most are the characters. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Snape, and even the villains like Voldemort are what make the story unforgettable despite the whole magical parallel universe Harry Potter has to offer.

 

Here’s how you can make deep and interesting characters in 9 steps:

 

Establishing Core Values and Beliefs

You should first figure out what your character believes in. These are the things that influence what they do. If characters have strong, clear values, then what they choose to do will make sense. Their actions will seem like they fit with who they are. This is the key that makes it easier for your readers to relate to them.

If you want to create characters that feel genuine, start by understanding what truly matters to them and what they stand for. Their beliefs will influence their choices and actions. When characters have well-defined values, their decisions will be logical and their behavior will align with their personalities, making it simpler for your audience to connect with them.

 

How to Do It:

Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” is especially known for justice and equality. Even when others in his town are prejudiced, he still defends Tom Robinson, a black man who is wrongly accused. Atticus’s strong beliefs in doing what’s right guide his decisions. This makes him, not only a character we won’t forget but a synonym for righteousness.

 

How Not to Do It:

Imagine a character named Alex who is introduced as a dedicated environmentalist. Throughout the story, Alex frequently makes choices that harm the environment, like investing in a company known for polluting or ignoring opportunities to promote eco-friendly practices. This inconsistency is what will confuse your readers. Without clear core values and beliefs, Alex’s actions seem random and unconvincing which in turn makes it impossible to relate to him on a deeper level.

 

Creating Multi-Faceted Personalities

As a next step, let’s give your character some layers.  Not only writers, but all people tend to avoid contradictions since it’s, for most of us, an unexplored, illogical territory. This is also what makes characters unrelatable.  Real people have different sides to their personalities that sometimes seem to conflict. Developing multi-faceted characters becomes a lot easier if you simply compare them to real people from the start. Also, consider using a character organizer tool or set aside one notebook for creating character profiles, this way you’ll make sure you have every aspect of their personality noted down. Once on paper, the information becomes a lot clearer and so do the charcters, not to mention there’s no way you’ll forget something ever again.

 

How to Do It

Remember Tyrion Lannister from the “Game of Thrones”? Of course, you do! Well this is a great example of a multi-sided character. Despite his sharp tongue and ruthless behavior, Tyrion is also searching for acceptance and love, from his family or rather his father. This combination of traits makes him a deeply compelling character that a great number of readers resonate with. He’s a blend of different and contradicting traits, which makes his growth and downfalls fascinating to watch.

How Not to Do It

Now, let’s consider our character Alex. Alex is presented as a brave hero, always ready to jump into danger to save the day. However, that’s about all we know about Alex. He has no fears, no inner conflicts, and no moments of doubt. His personality is entirely one-dimensional—bravery without any flaws or other traits. Because Alex lacks contradictions, he ultimately lacks depth. He feels flat and unrealistic which results in a character no one can relate to. Readers don’t get to see different sides of him, so they don’t connect with him or care about his journey.

 

 

Using Unique Voice and Dialogue

How to Do It

Holden Caulfield in “The Catcher in the Rye” is known for his cynical voice. His speaking is filled with slang, digressions, and a casual tone. Everything that perfectly captures his rebellious and disillusioned personality. It makes him stand out in the crowd of other characters. This is a perfect example of how dialogue provides deep insights into thoughts and feelings.

 

How Not to Do It:

Let’s get back to Alex. Imagine Alex is supposed to be a seasoned, well-educated detective. However, his dialogue is indistinguishable from other characters. He speaks in the same formal, bland manner as everyone else, with no unique expressions, slang, or tone that reflects his tough experiences. This makes Alex seem generic and robs him of a distinct personality. Without a unique voice, he blends into the background.

 

 

Developing Emotional and Psychological Depth

It’s important to explore what makes your character tick by exploring their emotional and psychological state. This involves thinking about their fears, hopes, traumas, and dreams. Characters with emotional and psychological depth obviously feel more real and relatable to readers.

 

How to Do It:

Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs” – a character with depth. She shows immense strength, but she also exhibits vulnerability stemming from her past trauma. Her childhood memories of her father’s death and her fear of failure are the driving factors behind her actions and decisions. Clarice is a compelling character, as readers can see her internal struggles and growth. Her traits are rooted in her childhood, and become relatable and real since they have a valid cause in her past.

 

How Not to Do It:

Suppose Alex is meant to be a complex character, but instead, he is portrayed without any emotional or psychological depth. He faces numerous challenges, but he never shows fear, doubt, or personal struggle, just courage. His past is never explored, and he reacts to situations in a very flat, predictable manner. This makes it impossible for the readers to connect with Alex on a deeper level.

 

 

Integrating Character Arcs and Transformations

It’s important to make sure your characters develop and change as the story continues. After a great story or adventure, people never stay the same, and neither should characters.  A character’s journey from start to finish can really make the story more engaging, as it shows how they are shaped by what they go through.

 

How to Do It:

Walter White in “Breaking Bad” goes through a big change in the show. At first, he’s just your regular chemistry teacher, but then he starts cooking meth because of his diagnosis. As the series goes on, he becomes a tough drug boss, making morally questionable decisions. It’s interesting to see how he changes over time, and since the change is so drastic, yet so gradual it feels real. Notice how gradually building up a character results in being able to make them transform into something completely different.

 

How Not to Do It:

Imagine Alex is introduced as a brave soldier at the beginning of the story. Throughout the narrative, he faces various challenges and battles. However, by the end of the story, Alex remains exactly the same—brave but unchanged. He doesn’t learn anything new, doesn’t grow, and doesn’t evolve. This lack of a character arc makes Alex’s journey feel stagnant. As a soldier so many changes can naturally happen, PTS, depression, guilt, remorse, patriotic changes. Yet readers don’t see any development or transformation.

 

 Balancing Internal and External Motivations

Combining characters’ internal desires with external goals and pressures creates depth and complexity in your storytelling. Internal motivations are personal drives, such as desires, fears, and moral beliefs. External motivations are pressures or goals imposed by the outside world, such as societal expectations, relationships, or survival needs. Balancing these elements helps to create well-rounded characters.

 

How to Do It:

Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice” perfectly balances internal and external motivations. Internally, Elizabeth values personal happiness, integrity, and love. She desires to marry for love rather than for convenience or wealth. Externally, she faces societal pressures and expectations to marry well and secure her future. Her journey involves navigating these external pressures while staying true to her internal values, which adds depth to her character and makes her story compelling.

 

How Not to Do It:

Let’s think about Alex once more. Picture Alex as an athlete who wants to win a big competition. But if Alex is only focused on winning without any exploration of his inner motivations, he seems one-dimensional. We don’t understand why winning is so important to him—whether it’s for personal satisfaction, proving something to himself or others, or overcoming past setbacks. Without balancing inner desires with outer goals, Alex’s motivations seem dull and uninteresting, which makes it tough for readers to relate to him. If you think for a moment, you’ll be able to come up with a reason Alex is so determined to win. Was his father a great athlete and he’s under pressure of living up to his expectations? Is there a history of being underestimated and he has a need to prove himself in front of his classmates? See how this simple trick already added some depth to our unfortunate Alex.

 

Leveraging Relationships and Interactions

Another powerful way to reveal traits and drive development. The way a character interacts with others can highlight both their strengths and weaknesses. How many times did it happen to you that you learn something new about a person just by watching them interact with someone? Even slight behaviors we can see when people talk with a waiter or a taxi driver can reveal so much about them. In the same way, you can easily say more about people by watching them interact with others.

 

How to Do It:

Now, let’s shine some spotlight on the dynamic between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Sherlock’s intellect and eccentricities are often showcased in his interactions with Watson. On the other hand, Watson’s admiration and occasional frustration with him, reveal Holmes’s brilliance and quirks. Their relationship also highlights Watson’s loyalty, bravery, and down-to-earth perspective, making both characters more rounded.

 

How Not to Do It:

Back to Alex again. Imagine Alex has a best friend named Jake. However, their interactions are shallow and don’t reveal much about either character. Alex and Jake’s conversations are limited to surface-level topics like sports scores or the weather so they don’t serve a purpose in the story. There’s no depth in their dialogue. Remember how bored you were in a conversation where people talked only about the weather – we’ll your readers will be too. This lack of meaningful interaction fails to develop Alex’s character or show any significant traits.

 

Incorporating Secrets and Inner Conflicts

Giving characters secrets or inner conflicts adds tension and complexity to your story. These hidden aspects create intrigue and drive character development, making readers eager to uncover the truth and see how the characters handle their internal struggles.

 

How to Do It

Let’s take a look at Jay Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby” – an excellent example of a character with secrets and inner conflicts. Gatsby’s past being a mystery, and his feelings for Daisy are super important in the book. His lavish lifestyle and parties are attempts to win Daisy back, revealing his deep vulnerability. These secrets and internal struggles add depth to Gatsby’s character and propel the story forward.

 

How Not to Do It

This time, Alex is introduced as a character who appears to have everything together. He faces challenges, but there are no hidden aspects of his personality or past. He has no secrets that add depth to his interactions or decisions, and he experiences no inner conflicts that challenge his beliefs or actions. This lack of inner complexity makes Alex’s character feel flat and uninteresting, as readers have no deeper layers to explore or anticipate.

 

Showing Through Actions and Decisions

Demonstrating character traits through actions and decisions rather than exposition makes your characters feel more authentic and dynamic. When readers see characters making choices and taking action, they better understand their personalities, values, and growth. This approach is popularly known as the “Show, don’t tell technique’”.

 

How to Do It:

If you watched Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games”, you’ll instantly notice why this is a good example. Her resilience is revealed through her actions, not with so many words. For example, when she volunteers to take her sister’s place in the Hunger Games. Throughout the games, her strategic thinking and quick reflexes highlight her resourcefulness. Her interactions with other tributes, such as protecting Rue, demonstrate her compassion and sense of justice. Even if some people characterized Katniss as a Mary Sue, these actions make her a fully realized character without the need for explicit description.

 

How Not to Do It:

Think about Alex. People say Alex is brave and smart, but he doesn’t really show it. Instead of being bold when things get tough, Alex usually tries to avoid problems or depends on someone else. Even though he’s called intelligent, he doesn’t really figure things out or plan ahead. Because we’re just told about Alex’s traits without seeing them in action, it’s hard to convince the readers that he is a genuine character.

 

Conclusion

By following these nine tips, you can ensure your original characters are dynamic and believable.

Remember, Alex could be a much richer character if we just applied 9 simple rules to create him. His story would be more engaging if his internal motivations were balanced with external pressures, and his relationships with others revealed his deeper traits. Alex would feel more real if he had secrets and inner conflicts, and if his character traits were shown through his actions and decisions.

So, dive deep into your characters’ psyches, explore their complexities and If you ever wonder, just remember Alex. Don’t be like Alex!

 

 

Ana Obradović is a team member at CharacterHub, a website for storing, creating, and developing original characters for writers and artists. She stays busy helping her team bring all fictional characters to life; writing articles and resources for original character creators in her spare time.