Helpful Hints on
Characterization
Characterization
Perfection Does Not Exist
No one is perfect, and that goes for the characters in our stories. The hero can have a
heart of gold, eyes as blue as the sky, hair as black as sin, and a smile that can make the
sun look like it is low on voltage. But come on now, shouldn't he have some weakness,
some part of him that is less than perfect? Maybe he doesn't trust any woman further
than he could toss her. Maybe he is scared of needles, and faints at the sight of one.
The same holds true for your villain and villainess. Sure they are awful people, and no
doubt their souls are cold and dark but isn't there even one beam of good light in there?
Of course there is. The villain might hate everybody, but maybe he has a dog he would
give his life for. The villainess probably wishes death on those who defy her, but the
sight of a baby might melt her cold heart, and maybe she would even sacrifice
something to protect a child. I'll never forget the barkeeper from Dr. Quinn Medicine
Woman. In lots of ways, he was this awful person, but there were times, when this
softer, good side of him broke free. It made him memorable -- it made him real. He
wasn't just a cardboard character, but a person with both good and bad inside of him.
The difference between Cody and Egbert
One of the first things we need for a character is a name. It might not always hold true
in real life, but in fiction, it's necessary most times for the name to fit the character.
That's because -- right or wrong -- we all have preconceived ideas as to who a person is
with a given name. If I'm speaking to a female over the phone, that I've never met
before, and she introduces herself as Ursula, Scarlett, Desiree, or Hildegard, I get a
picture of that person's appearance and character in my mind. I might be way off, but
it's there. So when I read, I do the same thing. I find that for me personally, Egbert just
doesn't work as a good name for a hero. In my judgment, Egbert, Egor, or Eugene just
does not a sexy hero make -- although you might know one very sexy guy with one of
these names, it's not the norm. So, what characters do names conjure up in your mind?
Make sure there is at least a good chance that those name will conjure up the picture
you want your readers to see.
Character tags
A tag word or action tag can make even a character that has a small part in your story
stand out or be recognized when needed. With a main character, it can show a little
personality, a hint of tension, or just make them seem more human.
In one of my stories (set in the 1800's) I have a heroine who always says "hell's bells"
when she is angry. It's her way of cursing. No one else in the story says this, so if the
reader sees that tag in a sentence, they know who is talking without a doubt. You could
also have a character that has a habit of calling everyone honey. Or a character that talks
with slang, uses bad English, an accent, or whatever fits that character and seems
normal for him or her.
Action tags work the same way. I for one, have this habit of playing with my hair,
twisting strands of it around my finger. I notice I do this a lot more if I am nervous, or
even bored. I could have a character in a story who has a slight limp, or the habit of
jiggling loose change in his pocket, sucking on a piece of hard candy, or maybe
drumming his fingers on his desk.
Charlotte Dillon ~ www.charlottedillon.com
Copyrighted 2003 by Charlotte Dillon
No one is perfect, and that goes for the characters in our stories. The hero can have a
heart of gold, eyes as blue as the sky, hair as black as sin, and a smile that can make the
sun look like it is low on voltage. But come on now, shouldn't he have some weakness,
some part of him that is less than perfect? Maybe he doesn't trust any woman further
than he could toss her. Maybe he is scared of needles, and faints at the sight of one.
The same holds true for your villain and villainess. Sure they are awful people, and no
doubt their souls are cold and dark but isn't there even one beam of good light in there?
Of course there is. The villain might hate everybody, but maybe he has a dog he would
give his life for. The villainess probably wishes death on those who defy her, but the
sight of a baby might melt her cold heart, and maybe she would even sacrifice
something to protect a child. I'll never forget the barkeeper from Dr. Quinn Medicine
Woman. In lots of ways, he was this awful person, but there were times, when this
softer, good side of him broke free. It made him memorable -- it made him real. He
wasn't just a cardboard character, but a person with both good and bad inside of him.
The difference between Cody and Egbert
One of the first things we need for a character is a name. It might not always hold true
in real life, but in fiction, it's necessary most times for the name to fit the character.
That's because -- right or wrong -- we all have preconceived ideas as to who a person is
with a given name. If I'm speaking to a female over the phone, that I've never met
before, and she introduces herself as Ursula, Scarlett, Desiree, or Hildegard, I get a
picture of that person's appearance and character in my mind. I might be way off, but
it's there. So when I read, I do the same thing. I find that for me personally, Egbert just
doesn't work as a good name for a hero. In my judgment, Egbert, Egor, or Eugene just
does not a sexy hero make -- although you might know one very sexy guy with one of
these names, it's not the norm. So, what characters do names conjure up in your mind?
Make sure there is at least a good chance that those name will conjure up the picture
you want your readers to see.
Character tags
A tag word or action tag can make even a character that has a small part in your story
stand out or be recognized when needed. With a main character, it can show a little
personality, a hint of tension, or just make them seem more human.
In one of my stories (set in the 1800's) I have a heroine who always says "hell's bells"
when she is angry. It's her way of cursing. No one else in the story says this, so if the
reader sees that tag in a sentence, they know who is talking without a doubt. You could
also have a character that has a habit of calling everyone honey. Or a character that talks
with slang, uses bad English, an accent, or whatever fits that character and seems
normal for him or her.
Action tags work the same way. I for one, have this habit of playing with my hair,
twisting strands of it around my finger. I notice I do this a lot more if I am nervous, or
even bored. I could have a character in a story who has a slight limp, or the habit of
jiggling loose change in his pocket, sucking on a piece of hard candy, or maybe
drumming his fingers on his desk.
Charlotte Dillon ~ www.charlottedillon.com
Copyrighted 2003 by Charlotte Dillon
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If you find my articles being used in any way that isn't free and open
and including my name and link, please report the situation to me so it
can be handled. If you are unsure if your use will fall under what is
allowed, please contact me and ask. Thanks!
newsletter or on a free website as long as 'my name and a link to my
homepage' is given. You may not include my articles in an e-book
without asking unless it's a free e-book and my name and link are
included. You may not charge in any way for others to read or reach
these articles. They may not be used in any way for profit, like in a
workshop, class, site where people have to pay for a membership, ect...
If you find my articles being used in any way that isn't free and open
and including my name and link, please report the situation to me so it
can be handled. If you are unsure if your use will fall under what is
allowed, please contact me and ask. Thanks!