by savannah
The influential and world-renowned American literary icon Ernest Hemingway once said, "When writing a novel, a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature." As a writer, characters are vital in transforming the message you want to tell to the world and scream from the rooftops into a living and breathing story. Think about it: without characters, the setting of the events in a book is inconsequential, as are the plot points themselves as they then occur in a vacuum without having an effect on anyone. In books, readers want to see characters they will grow to love and never forget. Characters can make or break your novel. When creating characters in your writing, it is important to know why authors throughout the history of literature have focused on the craft of developing their characters and how to do it yourself.
The history of the novel dates back to the early 18th century. Originating from the Italian word "novella," novels have evolved over the years and now are considered as a work of fiction over 50,000 words. From poetic prose dating back thousands of years to mid-17th century French romance narratives, writing novels is an art form that has been an integral part of our culture for a long time. Novels specifically centralize on character development and use the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters to unfold the plot. Even though novels are created as fictional stories, the characters' interactions and underlying motives are based upon realistic human behavior and the ways in which people interact with each other. Across literature, certain characters have captured readers' imaginations and won over their hearts, making them iconic and memorable. So throughout the history of writing characters, what is it that has made some unforgettable?
A couple of memorable characters are Peter Pan and Dorothy. First, we have Peter Pan. Everything about him is iconic from his personality and the way he looks to his outlook on life. Peter Pan is known as the boy who never grows up and is all for living in the moment and going on never-ending adventures. He lives on an island with his friends, the Lost Boys. Even Peter Pan's image is distinct and recognizable.
Then, we have Dorothy from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Thanks to the 1929 film based on L. Frank Baum's books, Dorothy is one of the most iconic characters of all time. Dorothy is a young woman who is undeniably girly with her blue dress and braids. She carries her little dog, Toto, around in a basket, and, arguably most memorable characteristic of all, she wears glittery red heels. Despite her girlish appearance, Dorothy displays the kind of heroism that was rare in female characters back then. Not only does this story feature a memorable character, it's got adventure, iconic sidekicks, and was way ahead of its time.
There are a myriad of memorable characters, but using just these two, "we can observe similarities that make [them] memorable" (Donovan) and then analyze them to figure out what the method to the madness is. The first thing you might see about these couple of characters is that they break the mold; they deviate from social norms and expectations. Even when taken out of their time and setting they still remain fascinating or admirable. There are many more things you could conclude from your own analysis of these characters, but doing this exercise sets you nicely on the path to being able to create memorable characters of your own. Think for a minute: out of everything you have read, who has been your favorite character? What was it that made the character so captivating to you? Was it the character's looks, personality, or backstory? Character development in novels focuses on all of those great things and more.
Amazing characters are the heart and soul of any excellent novel, and as writers, we need to be able to craft these characters out of thin air. This essential skill of creating engaging and memorable characters is what separates great writers from all the good ones and makes them stand out. By not allowing at least your main character at a minimum to develop or grow in your story, you're cheating your readers. So how do you do this? Although it often takes writing a full draft or more of your story to fully understand the best way you as a unique and individual writer can accomplish this, these five steps will give you a great start.
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writing 4 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜: WRITING ADVICE TO MAKE YOU A BETTER WRITER
Non-FictionWriting is hard. Being a writer is even harder. But with "Writing 4 Writers," you CAN become a better writer. Every time I sit down to write, I reference this collection of writing advice from a variety of blogs, writers, and YouTubers: Jenna Moreci...
