Are you wondering how to create fictional characters, or how to make your characters more realistic? Many writers struggle with this, but it’s my FAVORITE part of the creative process. I write novels, so I hang out with the same characters for a long time–and I’ve developed strategies for getting to know them. Here are some helpful tips for beginner writers–or anyone who wants to improve their skills in character building.

1. Choose the right name

Naming fictional characters is really fun–but also really important! Your character’s name gives her a flavor before your reader knows a single fact about her. Choose a name that aligns with her personality and her role in the story. Here are some strategies I use:

• Pick a few names and write paragraphs about the character using those names. Do any of them feel right? If not, try something else.
• Say the name out loud–by itself, and along with the names of other characters in the book (this is especially important if your nameless character has a love interest!). 
• Use a resource like Behind the Name. I LOVE this website because not only does it give you a name’s origin/history, it also has an awesome feature called “ratings.” Anyone can rate a name based on 14 categories–is the name strong or delicate? Wholesome or devious?–and the website gives you a summary of those ratings. This gives you an idea of how your audience will perceive a name. Plus, you can then search for names that are RATED similarly to the one you chose, even if they have nothing else in common. It’s like searching by VIBE. 
• Keep a notebook where you write down interesting names you hear 

Picked a name? Time to start digging deeper…

2. Talk to your characters 

Yes, they are real people, so you need to know them like real people. Start by asking questions: “Who was your first kiss? What’s your relationship like with your parents? Your siblings? How did you get started on this career path? What are you afraid of?” Then respond to these questions–in writing, not in your head–in your character’s voice. Get a sense of how she talks; use words that she would use. Most of these “conversations” won’t make it into the novel, but they will help you create a multi-faceted person instead of a pawn being pushed around by your plot. In fact, once you get closer to your characters, you may change your plot–for the better.

When I’m unsure what a character would do in a particular scene–or I know WHAT I want him to do but I’m not sure WHY–I write it all out from my character’s perspective (not mine). I will type something like this into a document:

Alex, why are you being such a jerk?

I’m angry because…

Then I’ll brainstorm all the feelings churning beneath the surface. Since you’re not writing the actual text of the book, you don’t have to worry about polishing your sentences; write whatever comes into your head and only use the parts that work. Some of my favorite sentences from my novel Games of Chance were written this way, when I let my characters talk without restrictions.

3. Interview real people

Some types of novels, like historical fiction, require a lot of research. Other novels can mostly be written with what’s in your head–until you run into a character whose life experiences are wildly different from your own. How can you write about a firefighter or a psychiatrist or a software engineer if you’ve never been in these professions yourself? This is where interviews come in handy.

I find interviews to be the most useful form of research because they’re personal, just like crafting a character is personal. When you speak to an expert in a particular field, you not only learn facts–you also get a sense of how that person TALKS. Word choice is important in making a character sound authentic. One of the main characters in Games of Chance is a doctor, and several medical emergencies take place in the novel. As part of my research, I read every EMT book in the library along with dozens of blogs written by doctors–but I didn’t feel confident in my medical scenes until I interviewed a doctor. If your character’s background is different from yours, find people who have that background and talk to them. Don’t worry about sounding stupid–you WANT to find out what you don’t know!

I hope these tips can help you craft memorable characters!