When I first started writing my debut novel, the only characters I had in mind were the two main characters. Being a complete pantser, I had the loosest plotline imaginable and learned more about where the story was going, and where the characters were going, during the writing process.
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What surprised me the most when I was writing, most especially about my female lead, was just how much depth she had. On the surface, she’s a British girl living in America, doing a job she loves. That’s it, that’s all there is to see at first glance. But dig just a little deeper, and you’ll find a wealth of baggage and self-inflicted pain that she has been carrying around for far too long. Part of her journey is trying to figure out if she can “unpack” it, or if she’s destined to carry it around forever.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably a writer too, so you will already know just how important it is to give your characters depth. But this doesn’t just apply to the main characters. Think about the ones around your MCs. Do you really know who they are? Think about how J.K Rowling wrote her characters. She knew everything about every single one of them. I’m pretty sure if you asked her Harry Potter’s grandmother’s shoe size, she’d know the answer!
Of course, you don’t need to know quite that much, but you should at least know some of their background. The minor players in your own lives have their own pasts, and those things affect the way they interact with you. The same is true for the characters you write, or at least it should be if you want people to believe in them.
I can honestly say, I have never had more than one trait or “thing” planned for any character I’ve ever written when I first begin a new story. It sounds like a very sloppy way to approach writing, but it hasn’t ever really failed me. These people pop up in my head, and with one very basic idea as a starting point, they guide me through the rest of the story. They tell me what to do, who they are, where they’ve been and where they’re going. Quite often, they give me this information when I’ve had a different idea, but in spite of my efforts, they usually win and they are always right!
What I’d like to know is, how do YOU approach the creation of new characters. Do you really flesh them out before you begin writing, or do you let them guide you?