Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 1: Create Images for Your Own Characters
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

You fly by plane to a distant country to visit some eccentric old distant relatives. In your hands you are holding the book that your friend recommended. As you read through, you start to feel that the characters are boring and the plot is stamped. This often happens to many readers. Now imagine that you are a writer and can help them by coming up with a story with vivid and realistic characters! This step-by-step guide will help you create good looks for your characters.

Steps

Method 1 of 1: Create Images for Your Own Characters

1. 1 Start with a simple questionnaire that will include the following details: name, age, gender and occupation. All of them will influence the decisions and motivation of the character. It is worth filling out this form with data about the main character. For example, your hero's name is Jack, he is 15 years old, male, occupation - a member of the gang. Jack's age, gender, occupation will influence his personality. Notice how you quickly assumed he was a difficult alcohol and drug abuse teenager.
2. 2 Choose a good name for your hero. As you know, the name greatly affects the personality and character of a person. He may also have a nickname. For example, you might call it Tweezers. Jack, gang member, or Tweezers, gang member: which would sound more appropriate in the context of your story? Your choice will be based on this.For example, in fantasy there may be characters with names from Greek myths, such as Demetrius. But in science fiction novels, there is often something technical about the names of the heroes. However, be smart and imaginative rather than blindly following the canons of the genre in which you write.
3. 3 Sketch a more detailed bio for the character. Come up with a backstory for him, tell us how long he has been in the gang. What brought him there? What are his desires? What is he afraid of? What does he strive for, what goals does he set for himself? The environment and the events that take place in our lives leave a very strong imprint on the individual. Therefore, if you want to create a holistic image, you need to work out these points very carefully.
4. 4 Add depth to the look. How did his past affect his personality? Perhaps the death of a loved one brought him to the gang? Perhaps he joined in to become stronger and protect those who are dear to him. Consider his strengths and weaknesses. Play with his shortcomings in the plot. Make your character memorable and unique, make the reader draw parallels, evaluate his actions and empathize in every way. These are the most important qualities for any hero. And they can be revealed as the plot progresses.
5. 5 Add the Tweezers to the storyline. Come up with an introduction and an ending. Think about the opponent he will be fighting against throughout history. They may have similar personalities with minor differences, which will ultimately play a key role in their life choices. They can even be friends and be part of a common gang. Think about as many characters as possible that can be involved in your story! Make them as human as possible. Relationships and contrasts are key here.
6. 6 Keep creating and developing characters until your story ends. Keep up the good work until you come up with images of, for example, the leader of the Tweezers gang, his best friend, possibly a girl, and other important members of the gang. You can also work out the images of members of rival criminal gangs or the parents of the Tweezers. (The basic rule: the less significant the character is for the story, the less detail you need to think over his image).
   • Remember, the ratio of the characters matters a lot. Introducing certain types of personalities into history will show how the Tweezers might interact with them, and thus change the course of history. The ratio of characters also means that in specific places or situations, certain characters will look inappropriate and ridiculous, so they should be replaced with others. This also means that the type you created can be used in several completely opposite scenarios of the development of events. For example, a happy, perky girl who comes from a rich family, and a poor man like her. In this way, you can play with contrasts and make the story more interesting. Feel free to experiment with the ratio of characters in your story and you will see what results you can achieve.

Tips

• Your characters must remain true to themselves. Make sure that their actions are consistent with both the overall plot and their backstory. The story should be the result of the actions of the heroes, and not the characters obey the will of the canvas of the plot, invented by the author. Everything should be organic.
• If you are having trouble creating personalities, their zodiac signs may come to your rescue. There are many astrology books and websites available. In addition, Jung's personality test (known as ENFJ and many personality types) can be a source of ideas. Think about how you can differentiate the main characters from the others. Maybe they always end a sentence with “I know,” or maybe they have a tendency to cough right before speaking.
• Names are extremely important, so try to come up with a name that captures the essence of the character. Write down dozens of names, say them out loud, ask your friends what associations your favorite names have in them, and what names they think were missing from your list.
• Ask yourself questions about your characters and their actions to develop the plot of the novel.
• Imagine yourself in the place of the main character of your novel, who is in the thick of the conflict events you have described. How would you react? For example, if a member of a gang with which the Tweezers' faction rivals insulted him, Tweezers will probably want to look good in the eyes of the so-called "friends" and will begin to respond to the offender with the same coin.

Warnings

• You shouldn't copy characters from familiar books like Harry Potter. Otherwise, it can get you a lot of trouble.
• You should not use other people's names, even if the character you invented is fundamentally different from the original. If people know this name, they will still accuse you of plagiarism, and then you will have trouble not only with your readers, but also with the law.

What do you need

• Pencil
• Paper
• Imagination
• Internet (if necessary)