Friday, September 24, 2010

Creating Compelling Characters

I'm participating in the Great Blogging Experiment writing about creating compelling characters.

When it comes to making a character compelling I think the most important part is to have the character's stakes in their conflict be clear to the reader. A major character can be likable or not, but either way there needs to be a clear understanding of what the character has vested into the story's conflict and what they stand to loose. This applies to the protagonist and the antagonist. 


The character's stakes don't have to be life and death. What they can risk loosing through various choices is related to their main conflict. This does relate back to character driving plot. What a character doesn't have and is trying to attain becomes the conflict for the story. From this conflict comes the plot. Without compelling characters plot can fall flat. 

Another part of a character's stakes are the choices they make through the story. When writing these choices it helps to understand what the benefits and costs of each option are for the character. What will happen to the protagonist if she decides not to challenge what a former friend is saying about her? What about if she says something to this person? Or about this person?

In real life we all face choices and risk loosing or gaining things. As a reader seeing this in characters makes them more interesting and almost real in a way. Plus to feeling that risk that a character faces helps keep an interest in the story. We read on to find out what choices the character makes to work out their conflict and how it is all resolved. Does the character loose what's important to them? Do they solve what they need to?

13 comments:

Elana Johnson said...

Dude! The consequence! ABSOLUTELY. If we don't know what's at stake for the character, why should we keep reading? Good hair and cute boys will only take us so far, no? YES.

Excellent post.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Excellent points! I don't think anyone else has covered it the way you just did.

Melissa said...

I love that you mentioned the consequences to our characters actions. It's so true. Seriously. I'm glad someone mentioned it as I feel like it has been suspiciously absent from many of the posts today (including my own!)

Cinette said...

It sounds like you're putting that BS in psych to good use;0) Excellent viewpoint on compelling characters.

Claire Goverts said...

Thanks everyone. I think it helps that I'm currently figuring out what choices my MC in my current work in progress makes and how they impact what other choices she can make.

The Blogging Experiment was fun, it was interesting to see what other people included in their posts that I hadn't thought of, like character flaws.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Great post...We have to know what is at stake. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hey Claire! Thanks for offering to help me on October 19. I was going to email you the information but I couldn't locate your address. Mine's alexjcavanaugh AT earthlink.net. Thanks!

Renae said...

This was a very unique twist on the subject. Great points!

N. R. Williams said...

I like the questions you ask. A little different than mine. Nice post.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Great post! So true to make their purpose clear or we will lose the reader. Like Elana said, looks can only take you so far, but if the character doesn't feel compelling or liked, it's sure to be shelved!

Come and visit me!

Elena Solodow said...

I totally agree with you on STAKES. Buffy the Vampire Slayer loves 'em. I do too.

Nicole Zoltack said...

The stakes and the consequence - brilliant. Excellent points.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Stakes and choices are important for both character and plot. Good post.