What a Character!by Author Jennifer Erin ValentTom Sawyer. Atticus Finch. What is it about Tom, Atticus and Lizzie that makes them stand out and stick in your memory? They’re people you could know but don’t. People who are believable and remind you of others you’ve met… or maybe of yourself. But when it comes down to it, maybe they’re just a touch past reality. They’re not perfect. They’re not usual. They’re certainly not one-dimensional. They are the people we wish we knew or wish we could be… at least for a while. To me that’s what fiction is. It’s the chance to be transported for a little while. We live in reality, and every now and again we need a short escape from it, so why not escape into a good novel; into a place where people who don’t exist in our world take us for a tour of theirs? We get to feel what they’re feeling, know what they’re thinking, experience what they’re experiencing. A great plot is a great plot, but if it isn’t supported by great characters, we’re just not going to care so much about that great plot. Who you write about is key to what you write about, whether they’re heroes, villains, or anyone in between. As writers, we have to provide the reader with a reason to want to turn pages. Without a doubt, plot is a huge reason for that. But readers don’t keep turning those pages to find out what happens. They’re really turning the pages to see what happens to whom. So if you wonder why your work in progress just isn’t progressing as planned, take some time to examine your characters. Ask yourself if they’re people you could know, if they’re people you’d want to read about. Learn from life and the people around you and use those lessons to infuse your characters with life, humor, believability and vulnerability. And maybe one day your characters will join the ranks of those known simply by name. Return to Creative Writing from What a Character
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