I don’t remember where I learned this—and it may have come from more than one source—but I was told that as an author, I should know which cereal my characters eat for breakfast. (Many of my characters are more the Danish-and-eggs type, but the idea still stands.)
Since I began writing the Realm Riders Series, characters have presented themselves to me—sometimes, out of nowhere—at my times of need. Some help me get through a moment, like a waiter at a restaurant. Others pop up and demand a lasting presence in the story. Those who prove they can do more than deliver a banana split must have some kind of motivation, or they won’t survive long-term. (Worse yet, they’ll look like some kind of inorganic plot device.) So, after they’ve introduced themselves, I like to find out a little more about them.
Along with my multitudinous outlines, lists, maps, and other documents that help me keep track of things, I have a Character Background document. (And yes, it’s formatted like an outline, but I’ll spare you another tangent on my love of bulleted lists.)
So, I open this document—and my mind—to the backstory of the characters. It proceeds much like any other interview. Where do they come from? Why are they here now? Do they have a traumatic history? Or are their present life choices what make them complex? Why do they take their coffee black?
Most of this will never showcase in the book at large but understanding a character’s eccentricities will help them develop in a genuine way. Because we all have a reason for not eating leftovers (a travesty), for brushing our teeth with our non-dominant hand (impossible), or for demanding our guests remove their shoes upon entering our home (imperative). Your characters do, too.
I’ll give you an example. Say, a scruffy, little man in his ‘60s pops up in your story and, refusing to be silenced with a casual description, suddenly approaches your main character in a coffee shop. Let’s say this man’s name is Leo, and his opening remarks are rather coarse, like his frizzy, graying hair. You inspect him and realize he has a bit of a stoop and a Napoleon complex. It may not be immediately obvious why he has engaged with your main character or what his role will be.
So, ask him. Center him in your mind’s eye and start with the obvious:
Why the Napoleon complex? Was he the runt of his family? Teased as a child? Disadvantaged by his foreshortened reach on the factory line?
What is it about your main character that prompted Leo to interrupt his coffee break? Are they related, even distantly or through an acquaintance? Did your main character do something that would inspire Leo to help him or her? Or did Leo feel goaded into confronting your main character because he or she is vertically gifted?
Now that Leo is talking to the main character, will he help or harm? This may be answered by taking yet another step backward: what does Leo know that pertains to the main character? Will he tell the truth or lie? Why?
Forcing your characters to do things that don’t come naturally to them will make them seem phony. Asking how Leo could help the main character’s story could stunt his growth or make him too prescriptive. Instead, allow Leo to tell you what he’s up to and why. He showed up for a reason. His answer could provide new possibilities, not only for your characters but also for the storyline. Leo may not be a liar, but he also isn’t the type of man to offer assistance without getting something in return. His approach is not based in altruism. Ask him what he wants and why it’s important to him.
Characters will tell you everything you need to know if you listen. You might ask a leading question or two, but they’ll tell you to rein it in if you’ve overstepped the mark. Learning who they are can develop their voice, habits, gestures, personality—the very idiosyncrasies that make them more relatable. It can also uncover connections between characters or situations that you never realized were there. It may not change your storyline, but it may change how your characters react to it.
Sometimes (often), your characters will surprise you. Give them the benefit of the doubt. If they lead you in a direction you hadn’t considered going, you may come to realize how misguided you were before they straightened you out.
-H.A.
Has a character ever surprised you? What was the result?
