Write – a – Novel Workshop
Wood County District Public Library
November 12, 2013
CREATING BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS:
Or how to get those people out of your head and onto paper
By Judy Clemens, author of the Stella Crown series, the Grim Reaper mysteries, and Lost
Sons
1) Who is your character?
 Physical Description:
a) Height
b) Weight
c) Age
d) skin tone
e) hair color
f) eye color
g) bone structure
h) facial features
i) teeth
j) ears
k) hands
l) neck/throat
m) clothing
n) piercings
o) tattoos
p) quirks
q) etc.
2) Surroundings
 Where does your character live?
a) Country
b) State
c) city or rural
d) house
e) apartment
f) retirement home
g) trailer park
h) gated community
i) etc.
 Who is in your character’s life? Family, friends, enemies, co-workers,
 Describe your character’s typical day:
a) When does your character wake up?
b) How does your character sleep?
c) Where does your character go?
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
d) How will your character get there?
e) When will your character arrive back at home?
f) What is the remainder of the day like?
g) What time does your character go to bed?
h) Does your character enjoy the typical day?
Inner Life
 What is your character’s strength?
 What is your character’s flaw?
 What does your character love?
 What does your character hate?
 What are your character’s hopes and dreams?
 What does your character fear?
 What is your character’s secret?
Goals
 For each scene.
 For the novel.
Which characters matter the most?
 Protagonist
 Antagonist
 Secondary Characters
 All characters are important! Just don’t flood your story with too many of them.
And remember – don’t name non-essential characters. It’s okay to have a
nameless man on the street!
Now that I know my character, how do I get that across to the reader? SHOW,
DON’T TELL. But what does that mean?
 Instead of thoughts…use actions
 Instead of descriptions…use dialogue
 Instead of generic words…use strong verbs and precise nouns.
 You are telling your character’s story. See it through your character’s eyes. Tell it
with your character’s words. Act it out with your character’s behavior.
 Only then will your character become someone the reader will care about, and
want to follow to the end of the story.
Your character’s voice.
 Your character’s voice is one of the main things agents look for, which means it is
also one of the main things editors will look for, and ultimately, readers.
 Your character’s voice is the culmination of everything you’ve learned about your
character. Is your character cynical? Hopeful? Angry? Playful? This must come
across in actions and dialogue.
 And that must be consistent. If your character embodies one voice in chapters 3-5,
then has a different viewpoint in chapters 6-8 there must be motivation for that!
©Judy Clemens, 2013