October 2025

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Creating Unforgettable Characters

A Guide for Writers

          Characters are the beating heart of storytelling. While plot drives a story forward, it’s the characters who make us care enough to follow the journey. But what separates a forgettable, one-dimensional figure from a character who lingers in the minds of readers long after they’ve closed the book? The answer lies in crafting individuals who feel real—complex, flawed, and alive. Let’s dive into how you can create unforgettable characters that leap off the page and into your readers’ imaginations.

Roles vs. Characters: The Skeleton and the Soul

          First, let’s start with a crucial distinction: roles are not characters. A role is a framework—a placeholder that tells you what function a character serves in the story. Think of roles as job titles: mother, hero, villain, mentor. They’re a starting point, but they’re not the endgame. A role is the skeleton, but a character is the soul.

          For example, let’s say you’re writing a story with a mother figure. It’s tempting to stop there and let the role define her: nurturing, protective, maybe a little overbearing. But that’s not enough. To transform this mother into a living, breathing character, you need to ask deeper questions: Who is she as a person? What are her quirks, flaws, and desires? What keeps her awake at night? Maybe she’s a fiercely independent woman who had to sacrifice her dreams for her children and now struggles with resentment. Or perhaps she’s a nurturer who hides her own pain to keep her family whole. These details breathe life into the skeleton, turning a generic placeholder into someone real and relatable.

Thought Exercise:

          Take one of your own characters and ask: What’s their role, and what’s their identity? If you can’t answer the second part, you have work to do.

The Cast: Building a Network of Relationships

          Characters don’t exist in a vacuum. A compelling story is like a web, with the protagonist at the center and other characters forming interconnected threads. Each relationship—whether built on love, rivalry, obligation, or fleeting exchanges—adds texture and tension to the narrative.

The Concentric Rings of Character Importance

          Picture your story’s cast as a series of concentric rings, with the protagonist at the center:

1. The Inner Circle: These are the characters who have the most immediate and personal impact on the protagonist. They might be a best friend, a mentor, a love interest, or the antagonist. Their actions directly influence the hero’s decisions, emotions, and growth.

 Example: In "Harry Potter", Hermione and Ron are part of Harry’s inner circle, constantly challenging and supporting him.

2. The Second Ring: These characters still matter, but their influence is more indirect. They represent societal pressures, institutional obstacles, or competing priorities. Think of them as forces that complicate the protagonist’s journey without being deeply personal.

Example: In "The Hunger Games", President Snow is an omnipresent threat, but his interactions with Katniss are limited, keeping him in the second ring.

3. The Outer Circle: These are the bit players—bystanders, crowds, or fleeting acquaintances. While they may seem peripheral, they add realism and texture to the world.

 Example: The shopkeepers, neighbors, and nameless citizens in "To Kill a Mockingbird" create a vivid backdrop for Scout’s story.

Pro Tip:

          Start with the protagonist and build outward. Each character should serve a purpose—whether it’s to challenge, support, or reflect the protagonist’s journey. If a character doesn’t pull their weight in the story, consider cutting them.

Creating Compelling Characters: Starting with the Core

          When creating a character, it’s tempting to begin with surface details like names or physical traits. But these are just decorations. To craft a truly compelling character, you need to dig deeper—into their motivations, fears, and desires.

The Core Questions to Ask:

1. What does this character want most? Their goal or need drives their actions and shapes their arc.

2. What are they most afraid of? Fear adds conflict and depth.

3. What moral dilemmas or internal contradictions do they face? These are the moments that reveal their humanity.

Example: Instead of creating a generic “brave knight,” imagine a knight whose greatest desire is to protect their kingdom but whose biggest fear is being exposed as a fraud because they secretly lack courage. Now you have a character with layers, someone readers will root for because of their vulnerabilities.

Character Development: Embracing Complexity

          Real people are messy, and so are great characters. They’re shaped by their personalities, talents, flaws, and contradictions. They have moments of strength and weakness, joy and sorrow, pride and insecurity. The key to developing layered characters is to embrace their humanity.

The Power of Contradiction

          A character’s complexity often lies in their contradictions. Think of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ruthless yet compassionate, proud yet self-pitying, sane yet mad. These conflicting traits make him one of the most multidimensional characters in literature.

Writing Tip:

          Look for contradictions in your characters. Is your hero brave in battle but terrified of emotional intimacy? Does your villain commit heinous acts out of love? These layers make characters more relatable and compelling.

Flawed Characters Are Memorable Characters

          Perfect characters are boring. Readers don’t want to follow someone who always does the right thing—they want to see characters struggle, make mistakes, and grow.

Why Flaws Matter

          Flaws create tension and relatability. A too-perfect character feels artificial, but a flawed character feels human. The key is to balance their imperfections with redeeming qualities, making them complex and dynamic.

Examples of Flawed Yet Memorable Characters:

·        Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice): Quick-witted and independent but prone to stubbornness and prejudice.

·        Walter White (Breaking Bad): A loving father with a genius intellect, whose pride and ambition drive him to moral ruin.

·        Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games): Fiercely protective but emotionally distant and distrustful.

The “Unlikable” but Engaging Character

          Sometimes, the most interesting characters are the ones who ruffle feathers. They make bold, controversial choices, but they do so in ways that feel true to their nature. These characters stick with readers because they provoke strong emotions.

Writing Challenge:

Think of a character who isn’t likable but is impossible to ignore. How can you make their flaws serve the story?

Drawing from Real Life

          One of the best ways to create authentic characters is to draw from your own experiences. What fears, joys, or challenges have you faced? How did they shape you? By channeling these emotions into your characters, you can create moments that resonate universally.

Example: If you’ve ever felt the sting of rejection, you can use that experience to write a character grappling with unrequited love. The specifics of the scenario might differ, but the emotional truth will shine through.

Techniques for Bringing Characters to Life

1. Dialogue: The way a character speaks can reveal their personality, background, and emotions. A brusque, no-nonsense tone suggests something very different from a rambling, whimsical one.

Example: Compare the clipped, efficient speech of Sherlock Holmes to the rambling warmth of Hagrid in "Harry Potter".

2. Actions Under Pressure: How a character behaves in a crisis reveals their true nature. Do they rise to the occasion or crumble under the weight?

3. Small, Telling Details: A nervous tic, a favorite phrase, or a cherished object can make a character feel real. Just be careful not to rely on quirks alone—they should complement deeper traits.

Final Thoughts: Your Call to Action

          Creating unforgettable characters isn’t about getting it right the first time—it’s about digging deeper, exploring their humanity, and embracing their imperfections. So, here’s your challenge: Take one of your existing characters and ask yourself, “What makes them unique? What flaws and contradictions drive their story?” Then, push further. Add a fear, a hidden desire, or a moral dilemma. Make them messy. Make them human.

          Because in the end, readers don’t remember roles—they remember people.

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Writing Exercise

        These exercises are designed to help participants engage deeply with the techniques outlined in the guide, fostering both technical skill and emotional authenticity in their writing. They are not a test, contest, or trial, but a rehearsal, an opportunity to embed a freshly learned skill and expand your comfort zone.

        Look over both exercises and select one. Follow the instructions and write with purpose, responsibility and courage.

       The exercise instructions are on the Writing Exercise Page. See the MENU or Click Here.

Special Note About the Meeting Location:

          The Royston Public Library is located at 634 Franklin Springs Street, with parking and the main entrance at the backside of the library on Franklin Springs Circle. For reference, Franklin Springs Circle is flanked by Pizza Hut and Subway, with the Pizza Hut end intersecting Franklin Springs Street at the traffic light. 

          Since the library is closed on Wednesdays, we’ll be using the side door. Please Park near the main entrance, follow the walkway to the City Hall end of the library, and go up the steps. Knock on the door, and we’ll let you in. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you Wednesday  October 8, 2025 1:00 PM