Q&A for How to Create a Character for Your Novel

Make sure that you know what drives and motivates the character. What is the character's desire? What is standing in between the character's desire and their ability to achieve that desire? A novel is basically desire in conflict, where a character has something that they can't get. So, it's all about obstacles in front of what the character wants—that's the most important thing. The rest of it just going beyond that in terms of character description and background, as well as how they're situated in the world.

As long as you aren't directly copying a story, it is okay to use an idea that has already been used. It is impossible to write a book where every single aspect is brand new. Just try to include some twists that makes it unique. For example, if you are writing a fantasy novel, add a mystery aspect. Or if you are writing a fluffy YA novel, add an odd character that takes the story in an unexpected direction.

If is difficult to make something completely different from what it is based off of. That said, you can try making subtle changes to your character and as you write, go back and make sure that you are able to distance you new story from the original. It may take time, but you can do it.

Usually you can tell when something is overwritten. I usually stop at one or two adjectives per sentence, and maybe leave one bare. If you're talking about a character, then they can never have too much. Just don't introduce it all at once or it'll be overwhelming.

Ask yourself how you would deal with your character's situation. Once you determine how you would do it, make sure the character does the opposite or something different from your choice.

Give yourself time to think. Good ideas for stories don’t usually come quickly. As for not using their ideas, you can take little bits of these stories and meld them into a new plot if you must, as long as these bits are not anything that could be copyrighted, like a character named Harry Potter.

Create a character people can relate to. Do this by assigning it actions and characteristics people find heroic and likable.

Try writing a small side story about one of your minor characters; that can help get your creativity going. Sometimes you just need to take a break from writing altogether though, so maybe wait a week or two before you continue your story.

You can easily stop this from happening by giving her some flaws, like maybe she's very impatient, or perhaps she has a bitter personality.

See Write a Good Plot .

Have them do some things that directly affect the protagonist, such as hurting someone they love/care about.

You can't be sued for copyright infringement unless you use a name that is really specific to another book or some other medium. For example, don't name your character "Harry Potter," but if you named your character something like "Eric Jones" and it turned out someone else has a protagonist named Eric Jones, that's perfectly fine. It's a common name, it can't be trademarked.

Yes, but it's possible you could be inviting teasing or ridicule based on the character's actions or qualities.

Many writers take ideas from true experiences! If you make sure that your characters have different names and you change the dates, you can definitely do this.

Basic appearance (gender, age, skin tone, hair color, body). Traits and personality (look to astrology or the Myers-Briggs personality types). History (family life, birthplace, past triumphs or traumas). Desires and goals (lifelong dreams, current McGuffin). Relationships to other characters. Try to show as opposed to tell.

Think about what roles need to be filled. Does your main character need a best friend? A love interest? Perhaps a mentor or a bully? You'll need all kinds of roles to surround your main character, and in most cases, you'll also need some kind of antagonist. Try to create characters based on the parts they need to play.