6 Ways to Write Unforgettable Characters

Readers don't fall in love with perfect characters. They fall in love with real ones.

The most memorable characters in fiction are not the strongest, the smartest, or the most heroic. They are the ones who feel like they could exist, who want things desperately, contradict themselves constantly, and change in ways that cost them something.

Here are six techniques that will make your characters impossible to forget.

1️⃣ Give them a clear desire and real stakes
A character who wants something badly — and has something to lose — is a character the reader cannot look away from. Desire is the engine. Stakes are the fuel.

2️⃣ Add contradictions
Brave but emotionally insecure. Kind but brutally honest. Real people contain multitudes and so should your characters. Contradiction is not inconsistency — it is humanity.

3️⃣ Build a distinct voice
Two characters should never sound interchangeable in dialogue. Word choice, rhythm, humour, silence — every character should have a way of speaking that belongs only to them.

4️⃣ Give them meaningful flaws
Not quirks. Not habits. Flaws that cause real problems in the story. Pride that costs them a relationship. Fear that stops them from acting. A flawless character is a forgettable one.

5️⃣ Show their personality through action
Do not tell me she is brave. Show me the choice she makes when she is terrified. Behaviour under pressure is the most honest thing a character can do.

6️⃣ Let them change — or refuse to
Growth is not the only valid arc. Some of the most powerful characters in fiction are the ones who had every chance to change and chose not to. Either way, the journey is what stays with the reader.

Save this for your next character. 📌

Which of these is the hardest for you to get right? Drop it below. 👇

If you want to learn more about character building, this book can help (Disclaimer: I’m an Amazon Associate and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases:

Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: https://amzn.to/4cGv5UZ

Видео 6 Ways to Write Unforgettable Characters канала ReadWriteBetter