A Believable Fantasy: 10 Points to Consider: Point #3: Characters

Whether writing or reading a fantasy story, the characters are everything. They can move the plot, or the plot can move them. They are the link between the reader and the fantasy world you have created. Good characters (and I’m not speaking about their morality here) will keep the reader interested and make him care about the story.

My personal opinion is that the characters are the most important element in a story. All main characters should be round and dynamic (terms I will explain in a moment). You need to care about them, and one way is by portraying them realistically. Regardless of how fantastical the world is, the characters will have emotions and reactions that are like our own. They must be believable for the reader to have a relationship with them.

I’m speaking of the main characters, of course. You will want to identify if a character is a major character or a minor character. One to distinguish this is if plot influences the character or if the character influences the plot. Often (but not always) main characters have the power to make important decisions. What they do will influence the world and those around them. Minor characters tend to serve a rather limited purpose, and their sphere of influence is limited.

Often (but not always) you might glimpse the thoughts of a main character. If this major character is important enough that you can see inside his/her mind, then this character is a major character.

The main/major characters are usually active take up substantial page space throughout the story. Minor characters will come and go, often with little or no consequence.

Lastly, consider stereotypes and clichés. A good major character will not fall into any “category” perfectly. An example: a wise, old wizard who has special knowledge and great power that assists the main character in his/her quest. Another example: the wicked villain whose lust for power propels him through grandiose lengths to rule the world. We’ve all seen these stereotypes. Often they’re annoying; occasionally they can be useful for flat characters.

Aside from major and minor characters, you can classify a character as flat or round. A round character is dimensional. He has a range of emotions, a history, and relationships with other characters. A flat character is often a stereotype; we see this character from one perspective because he has no depth.

Characters can also be dynamic or static. Dynamic characters will respond to their environment; they will change significantly between the beginning of the story and the conclusion. Static characters will not change at all.

Character creation is like applying crayons to a coloring book. The colors you use and the way you apply them generates a unique picture: your character. Character creation stretches the limits of your imagination, and it can be as fun as it can be challenging. The process can also be quite involved, so here are a few things to consider when pulling out those crayons.

The tangible. By this, I’m referring to physical traits. Whether you are an artist who can draw your character, or you search for the perfect face in a magazine, it helps to be able to physically visualize your character. Hair color, eye color, complexion, height, weight—even the shape of the face or the way the character walks—these can have significance to the story. Make sure you’re consistent with your descriptions, but don’t feel you need to describe every detail about the character in a long-winded paragraph. Reveal a little at a time so you don’t take the reader out of the story by unnecessary distractions. Also, you may want to forgo a physical description if the reader is to completely identify with the character; a faceless character can be anybody—reader included.

A prominent fantasy novel trait is to have different “races.” Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, and other mythical humanlike creatures are popular variations aside from your typical human. What makes an Elf an Elf? Is it a physical distinction, or is there more? Be brave and create your own race. Just make sure you’re consistent. Matt created the Markanturians—a blood-hued, humanlike race with dark eyes and the ability to heal others through tendril-like projections from their bodies. His inspiration? A character named Frank from the movie Hellraiser. Ideas can come from anywhere.

The intangible. Now we list the traits you can’t describe with your senses. This includes personality, flaws, religious beliefs, talents and special abilities… You get the idea.

When Matt and I first started writing together, we created character sheets to help us keep track of the tangible and intangible qualities of our characters. The sheet included a physical description but also the character’s origin, likes and dislikes, nicknames, history, occupation, etc. This will keep your character consistent through the novel and add to his/her believability.

Most importantly, what is the purpose of your character? Is this the main protagonist who will save the world? Or is this a supporting character who will influence the hero? Once you know the function your character will serve, you can determine just how detailed you would like to get in his/her creation. The easiest trap to fall into is to create an awesome character who has no purpose. Likewise, you will not want to create characters who are too similar lest your reader be unable to distinguish (or care about) who they are and what their struggle is.

Never underestimate the power of a good character. Your novel will ride upon his/her believability, and that will make all the difference between a book that can’t be put down vs. a coffee table ornament.

-Stefanie