Every novel, short story, film, or play has a main character; without one there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell. But what separates timelessly lovable leads from the herd of forgettable duds? The way a main character is presented can make or break the audience’s ability to connect with a story.
Relatability, development, and overall personality are all important facets of a well-constructed MC, but it takes practice—and a considerable amount of thought—to find the right balance.
Before diving headfirst into your plot, it can be helpful to take a step back and check in with your main character(s) to make sure that you’re both on the same page.
Main Character vs. Protagonist—There’s A Difference!
Although the protagonist is often one of the main characters, it’s a common misconception that they mean the same thing. A main character is any character, including antagonists or “villains,” with significant presence in the story while a protagonist is the “lead” or catalyst of the progression—the “mainest” main character. Think of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, for example. Katniss is the protagonist of the story but Peeta Mellark and President Snow are also important main characters. All of them are integral and heavily featured in the plot, but Peeta and President Snow aren’t the “lead” of the series pushing events along.
This can get even more complex, which we promise to revisit in a later article! But for now, regardless of whether you have one main character or a cast of several, creating well-rounded characters requires some elbow grease.
Give Your Character a Backstory
Everyone comes from somewhere, and that includes the characters in the stories we tell. While a character’s history may not impact the story directly, it does influence the way that character behaves in a set of circumstances. For instance: a character who was chased by wolves as a child may have a different reaction to unfamiliar dogs than someone who wasn’t. Understanding where your character comes from is the key to getting inside their mind and bringing them to life for the reader.
Give Them A Future
Just like everyone has a past, we all have futures full of uncertainty. Plotting out character progression may sound dreadful to my fellow Pantsers out there, but establishing (some) beats of a character arc can help you understand where that character fits in your story, where there are gaps to develop, and whether those factors are in line with your vision.
Don’t Let Them Stagnate
In other words: your main character(s) should be affected by the story and change in some way. A character experiencing personal development is simply more dynamic and interesting than one who stays the same throughout. In J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins starts as a cheerful, naïve character with little sense of the world outside the Shire, but as he takes on a perilous quest and witnesses the hardships of a fracturing Middle Earth, he loses his wide-eyed sense of wonder and becomes progressively hardened.
Imagine if he had returned from Mordor and immediately sat down for a pint at the Green Dragon like nothing had happened—it would be quite the letdown! Allowing characters to grow with the plot is not only interesting from a storytelling standpoint, it also offers the reader an opportunity to identify with a character on a deeper level. Even if the reader has never experienced the specific circumstances, they’ve definitely experienced change!
Make Your Character Feel “Real”
No matter how hard some people may try, perfection does not exist—and the same can be said for characters! Writers sometimes find it daunting to give their characters flaws. They want their character to be cool, tough, or likable, but these imperfections are often what makes them relatable. Life is chaotic, relationships are messy, and the world doesn’t stop turning to let you catch your breath. Characters who always have the right answers or “perfect” response can come off as flat or underdeveloped. Allowing characters to make mistakes and have diverse personality traits of imperfections reactions is key to making them multidimensional.
Use Character Interaction
No man is an island and no character exists in a vacuum. Giving your main cast time to interact with supporting characters makes them feel entwined with the story and setting. This gives the reader a sense that these characters exist outside of the framework of the story. Interaction with secondary characters can also be a way to highlight different aspects of a main character’s personality or journey. For example: if a pickpocket snags your character’s wallet, they may show anger or mercy depending on their emotional makeup. Common or repeat interactions can also help convey character growth as their responses change over time.
No matter the genre or plot you write, developed and well-rounded characters are essential in getting a reader invested. If you find yourself stuck with cookie-cutter main characters, take time to find new inspiration. Watch films, read books, or even people watch to bulk up your nuance.
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