Writing Believable Characters
Too often, stories can turn into laundry lists of plot points: they did this, and then this, and then this. But what happened is only as interesting as the emotional connection makes it. And emotional connections are made through characterization.
We know a strong character when we see one. We know what they want, how they feel, and that they’ll be different at the end of the story than they were at the beginning. Here’s how to make sure they’re connecting with your reader.
Believable characters are no longer the “everyman” of epics past.
Want even more Good Story Company content? Become a member! Get access to tips, workshops, handouts, resources and videos for writers of all levels—all for less than your Netflix subscription.
Believable Characters Feel Something
A believable character is brought to life with an inner world of their own, much like you have. All of a character’s thoughts, behaviors, patterns, and reactions can be summed up as “interiority.” Interiority builds empathy between characters and readers. The more specific you can get, the better.
Why? Because it’s one thing to say, Sadness overwhelmed her. But that doesn’t necessarily make you sad. Now, if we get more specific:
She had seen him just yesterday. They talked for hours. As they parted ways, he said what he always did: “See you later!”
Only now did it hit her: she wouldn’t see him later. She’d never see him again.
Here, I don’t even need to name the emotion to convey it. Because there’s a specific thought process going through the character’s head. You may not have experienced this exact moment in your own life. But chances are, this was more relatable than a vague notion of being overwhelmed by an emotion without anything specific attached to it.
Believable Characters Are Specific
If this idea sounds backwards, it’s because it is. It’s a paradox! In fact, the idea that more specific characters appeal to more people is called the universal paradox. It means that if you’re writing a believable character, there will be plenty about them that I don’t identify with, but also plenty that I do. There will be a richness to them that goes beyond likes and dislikes and into values and what makes them tick.
You don’t make this happen through description alone. Actually, you’ll want to be careful about getting too descriptive. It’s all too easy to fall into “observing the observer”—also called filtering—which is when you get preoccupied with insignificant details. Most often, this happens when it comes to appearance. It’s the first thing to notice, right? It’s super specific, right? Yeah, I’ve got bad news for you: this bores the reader. That’s not the kind of specificity we’re talking about here.
Instead, show us believable characters through their actions and reactions. And I don’t just mean the physical choreography of what they do. If your character is making a sandwich, they do not need to take out the bread, find the jar of peanut butter, shuffle through the refrigerator for the freshest-looking jam … you get the point. Or rather, just sum this up quickly as “[character] made a sandwich” and get to the point. If you even need the sandwich, which is arguable.
Believable Characters Want Something
And that’s the point, really. Why does this sandwich matter right now, to this character? What does the sandwich mean? It all sounds very philosophical, but such is life and believable characterization. Because if they’re just making a sandwich, that’s just choreography. It doesn’t tell us anything about the character’s thoughts or motivations.
But if the character is making a sandwich … and we learn it’s for a woman living with homelessness that he’s seen every day for a week and if he could just bring it to her, earn her trust, and find out if she knows anything about his birth mother … aha! Now we’re talking. Next, keep it believable by keeping us in the moment with the character:
The jam lid went flying across the kitchen and spattered raspberry all over the wall. Oops. He steadied his hands and refocused on smearing peanut butter on bread. This had to work. It had to. The woman in the tattered coat knew something, but if he didn’t want to scare her off again, he needed to calm down. He eyed the mess he’d made. “Here goes nothing.”
Summary
To write believable characters, go further into interiority and get specific about how they’re feeling. What do they stand to lose? Bring their processing into the current action right in front of us. Characters making discoveries and growing up before our eyes are the most engaging and believable ones. Keep digging deeper for the truth of their experiences.
Want to know if your characters are believable? Hire me as your beta reader!
