By Toni Shiloh, @tonishilohwrite
One of the things I love about writing is the characters. After all, we wouldn’t have a book without them. There’s just something about being able to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes—thank you fiction!—that makes the book all the believable. Bonus points if you not only like the character but want to cheer for them as you read their journey.
But sometimes, you can read a book and the character seems totally unrealistic. The situations they find themselves in (or put themselves in), their dialogue, or even inner monologue. Unrealistic behaviors can turn a reader off and have them marking it as DNF (do not finish), never to pick up the book again.
So how can we writers ensure our characters seem completely realistic to where readers end up talking about them like they’re real life?
1. Develop a believable back story
I think with all the rules of ignoring backstory dump, some writers are hesitant to even develop a good backstory. But the person you are today includes the history of your back story. You wouldn’t be you without it and neither will your characters. It’s okay to develop a backstory so you know the actions that your characters will do when the story picks up amidst their journey makes sense.
2. Know who they are right now
As important as a backstory is, you have to know who your character is when the book starts. And before you pantsers start panicking, I don’t mean that the character has to be completely fleshed out in the first draft. However, who is your character? What makes them tick? What makes them happy? Are they a morning bird or a night owl? All of these answers help you develop a very real person. That night owl who’s forced to wake up to go to work might be reaching for the coffee before they even contemplate what they’re wearing to work. They may be slightly grouchy and snap at the nearest person. But they can be a total joy by the time lunch rolls around. But you need to know that so that we can see those little nuisances and relate to them.
3. Know who you want them to be
Self-reflection is such a wonderful thing. It gives us goals, lets us know where we currently are realistically, and gives us hope that we can change. Your character needs these same motivations. Who will they be by the end of the story? Does the grouch become a loveable realist? Does the optimist come down to earth but maintain their outlook of hope? What arc journey will you take them on to ensure growth happens, not to mention the tension of getting there? Knowing the end goal is vital to ensure your character gets to that result. The idea can be as fleshed out as you need it to be in the first draft but knowing is half the battle.
I hope these tips give you a fresh perspective the next time you meet with your character. Have a conversation with them, get to know them, and make them come alive between the pages.
Blessings,
Toni
It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.
Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.
Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to encourage authors in the writing industry. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.