Creating Characters As an Author

Oct 18, 2009 by Dr. David Field

You do not create characters: they create themselves in the story which unfolds. The story tells itself and the characters, whom you at first only briefly sketch, act out the roles that they are obliged to play in the narrative. The characters develop accordingly in the reader’s mind. Thus a madcap outlaw who seems beyond the reach of human emotions develops to show emotions just as yours or mine. The villain of the book turns out also to have a self hatred which he is unable to stifle. So he becomes human. The heroine has weaknesses of pride and arrogance.

Before I started to write short stories and then these three books, I had heard people say ‘the story tells itself’ – as I have written above. I did not really believe it, but I do now. Of course you populate the story with your cast. But when a character is defined, and that can happen very rapidly, with just a few phrases, he or she can only act in character. The Count in the Friends and Enemies series is strong from the neck downwards, impulsive and a little weak in the brain department. He will not recite poetry, he will not come out with subtle plans to outwit his enemies, he will love rightly but roughly. The Bishop by contrast is a scheming, hard and ruthless man who does not seem to love at all.

So how do you define people such as these to the reader, how are they created? By two things: by their position in society and by their actions to satisfy their desires. As soon as you write the title ‘Bishop’, you create in 1599 the possibility of a world of ambition, hierarchy, arbitrary authority and the power of life and death. Does the Bishop take the route of exploiting his position without care for others? Yes: he is a baddy. Does the Count? Largely, no. He is a goody. But there is always something equivocal: no-one is quite all bad or good. In fact in searching for a line which divides books for children and all other books, perhaps it is that in books for children the good are 100% good and the bad, 100% bad. Books for young adults which grown-ups also read, books with ‘cross-over’, contain characters who are equivocal, like those in the real world. In defining character I also try not to adhere to the Hollywood ethic that if you are beautiful or handsome you are good, if ugly, you are bad. A stunning head turner of a woman, even if basically good, will always descend a little into (perhaps) harmless manipulation: this appeals because it contrasts with her good looks showing some defect in character.

First encounters are often the defining moment, as we all know from real life. The limp handshake, the watery eye, these do not endear you to a new acquaintance; nor does a boastful, arrogant manner. At a more basic level, nor does bad breath! One key to defining character is conversation. Imagine how the person would talk. I do not mean a dialect, but how they convey their meaning, how many thoughts they can keep in their head at once and especially what their true motives are. Conversation between two people whose motives are quite different can be exciting and often very amusing or irritating. We have all experienced it. Exploit the notion that language was invented in order that we could keep our true thoughts from each other. Hide behind the door and just listen to and watch your characters being themselves and creating themselves.

David Field is a professor of Astrophysics at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. He has published numerous articles in many Astronomy and Physics journals. His most recent novel, The Fairest Star, the third installment of his Friends and Enemies Trilogy, has just been published. For more information, please visit David’s website here.

Enjoy that? You can read more of David’s excellent articles at the Cuckleburr Times here.