by Joshua Peacock

Created on: June 15, 2009   Last Updated: June 16, 2009

Creating believable characters - even in science fiction - is one of those all-important factors that will make or break your book. Merely giving them a unique name and a trait or two isn't enough. You yourself have to imagine this person is real. That sounds weird, but it's true. You have to know the person inside and out; meaning, they have to have a great depth. Not all characters are this developed, but it still helps to go deep with even the secondary characters.

Creating believable characters is not a short process. Nevertheless, it doesn't have to be difficult either. A good way to start learning to create believable characters is to start observing people from an exclusive view. Instead of actively participating in a conversation with your friends, sit back and listen to how the interact with each other. Eavesdrop in a restaurant like a cafe or coffee shop, taking notes on a pad. Really pay attention to how these conversations and interactions work, then portray them accurately according to the principles of good writing.

Make a list of traits that defines your character's personality. Things like favorite foods, dislikes, favorite kinds of movies, pass times, etc. In fact, even summarize his/her character within a few sentences as a rough guide. Even write down things that will most likely never be used or mentioned in the story; it will add depth to the way you write about this character, which, is an essential skill than can't be taught, but is invaluable nonetheless. Also spend time imagining how this character would react to every day problems, and then determine how he/she would react to larger problems from the predecessive ones. Making this person real inside your head is the first step to making him/her real inside your reader's minds.

After you have mapped out the character's personality, give him/her his/her own way of interacting. Give the character quirks, instinctive reactions to certain things (like psychological fears or reaction to violence, etc.) and his/her own way of speaking. With the latter, you are able to know when this character is speaking with out adding a tag line after the dialogue like "he said" or "she replied" - which adds a real dimension of realism. This own way of speaking, as well as these habitual actions, are yet another part of what makes these characters come to life.

In the end, it's your personal touch, your understanding of this fictitious person and how you portray him/her in words, that makes the character leap off the page. Spend your time with the more important characters; even some with the secondary ones. This effort will definitely show, making a huge difference in the quality and acceptance of your story. There have been many books with great stories and premises, yet the lack of character development has cost them poor reviews. Like any art or discipline, you only get back what you put in.

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