D is for Developing your Characters...

 

What does developing your characters or character development mean? The simple answer is everything that we have been doing so far and a little more. It's the creation of believable characters who have the same complexities and depth as humans do. We also give them purpose, a goal to obtain so that they move continuously forward and develop into well rounded three dimensional beings.  

Developing your character also takes into account their voice, how they sound, the phrases that they use when talking. These all are unique to them. It is also about how they look, not just 'tall dark and stunning' but regular, and possibly changing over the course of the story. If they are neat and tidy at the beginning, maybe they become messy and dishevelled.

Giving your character goals and ambition (as mentioned at the beginning of this post), also help them develop over the course of your story. There is something that they need to achieve, how they do this, how do they pursue their passion? A characters motivations will inform their actions an decisions, which allow them to move and change throughout their journey. This should be one of the first things as a writer you do, give them purpose.

When introducing your character, reveal their information slowly over time, as you would find out details about a new friend you have made or a person you are meeting for the first time. 

Conflict is another way of showing your characters development, not just exterior conflict, but also internal, challenging their own morals, or having opposing beliefs to those around them, are just two ways to do this. Conflict is known to move the story forward, by forcing the characters themselves to move forward. 

Readers will relate more to your characters as if they were a well rounded real person.