How to Create Round Characters in Fiction
5 ways to develop characters
“Your fictional characters must breathe and bleed and ache and must convince the reader that they live and are just like the rest of us.” –John Dufresne
The job of the writer is to create characters that the reader wants to follow. That’s one of the main reasons that people read (or watch film or television for that matter): an interest in the characters.
You likely already know that “character” refers to a person presented in a dramatic or narrative work and “characterization” refers to the process by which a writer makes that character seem real to the reader. However, we want to focus on not just understanding these literary terms but learning how to develop our own characters.
Quick review: character types
A protagonist is:
- The main character of a narrative
- The central character who engages the reader’s interest and empathy
The antagonist, on the other hand:
- Is the character, force, or collection of forces that opposes the protagonist
- Gives rise to the conflict of the story
Dynamic character:
- Undergoes some kind of change throughout the story…
