tmunnerlyn
Oct '19
2

I wanted to keep the conversation going on sprucing up your writing. These kinds of posts also help when you have writer's block. When I can't think of what to write, I examine other aspects of my work to jot down ideas. You don't have to be writing the story to be working on it, remember that. Some of my best ideas came from me just laying in bed daydreaming, not staring at the monitor wishing words weren't so damn hard.

  1. In my novel, the main character Raiden has anger and trust issues. He's also a control freak and a bit of a cynic. Giving him such serious flaws immediately tells the reader that he's not some super character that never fails. I know it may be tempting for all your characters to be super likable in every way, but keep in mind that perfection breeds predictability very quickly.

  2. Think to yourself "What would it take for my character to lose their cool?" then show it in some way. Having a breaking point helps your readers relate to your characters. It's not uncommon for Raiden to get so overwhelmed, that he takes it out on his fellow soldiers. He even has a reputation for yelling and screaming at people when all hell breaks lose. However, I also want to show his more badass strategic side, so there are also plenty of times where he pulls a seriously ingenius solution out of thin air and saves the battle. Having your character break down every so often, is a good way of keeping any situation suspenseful, since your readers know your character can fail.

  3. Your characters don't have to win every time. You don't have to kill anyone off, but knowing success is never guaranteed, can also help keep suspense going. Raiden is fighting against a vast army that's controlled by a psychic creature. Sometimes Raiden gets baited into pushing too far too fast and suffers heavy casualities, othertimes he gets cornered. In one instance, Raiden has a strong aerial force made up of pegasi. His nemesis lures them in to a false sense of confidence then hits them with projectiles. It ends up crippling moral and they have to retreat. Now you know that every battle isn't going to be Raiden just fighting harder and winning.

  4. Everyone has vulnerabilities and insecurities. Everyone. Show those insecurities. Raiden hates opening up, so there's several times where he's asked about how he feels and his response is a very abrasive "I'm fine!" You don't have to spell out their insecurities to your fans. In fact, it's always better to show, not tell your readers information.

In conclusion, if you're having a hard time writing or want to make things interesting, take time away from your keyboard. Think of a main character and ask yourself "What is this characters flaws, when would they lose their cool and how can I show this to my audience?"

So how do you feel your character stands out? how are they interesting? do you have any fun ideas for their development?

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    Oct '19

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    Oct '19
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