Writing convincing characters is one of the hardest things to do in any novel. It doesn’t matter what book genre it is; a character must be believable otherwise the reader will not be engaged. We, as readers, want to know what a character feels and why they feel that way. It doesn’t matter if we like the characters or hate them. Great literature produces great characters - Atticus Finch, Scout Finch and Boo Radley were perfectly drawn characters as were Charles Ryder and Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited. There are some books where the characters' names are as well-known as the book's name – Humbert Humbert, Sherlock Holmes and Holden Caulfield are just a few names.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever tried to write a book, that there is an industry of websites and courses explaining to every writer how to write a convincing character. Jericho Writers, for example, suggest an 11-page document that details the backstory to the character, their appearance, the character’s career, hopes and goals, their relationships, their personality and quirks. Other suggestions focus on ‘wants’ and ‘needs’, ‘traits’ and ‘fears.’ However, overwriting a character is equally as bad as leaving a character undeveloped. Describing every irrelevant detail of a character’s background will have the reader dropping that book in the bin.
If, however, a writer needs to understand that the protagonist is there to shape the plot, and/or the plot may shape the protagonist. It is therefore important to understand people. Jung thought that 12 human characteristics reside in our collective unconscious, and everyone has one dominant characteristic that shapes our personality. These are: 1. Ruler, 2. Creator/Artist, 3. Sage, 4. Innocent, 5. Explorer, 6. Rebel, 7. Hero, 8. Wizard, 9. Jester, 10. Everyman, 11. Lover, and 12. Caregiver.
It is then possible to place attributes onto these character types. For example, the personality traits of Everyman could be as follows:
Motto: All men and women are created equal
Core Desire: connecting with others
Goal: to belong
Greatest fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd
Strategy: develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, the common touch
Weakness: losing oneself when trying to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships
Talent: realism, empathy, lack of pretence
The Everyman is also known as the good old boy, the regular guy/girl, the person next door, the realist, the working stiff, the solid citizen, the good neighbour, and the silent majority.
Therefore, if a character falls within the ‘Everyman’ type, you should not make that character do things that stand out from the crowd, although you may want the character, at some point, to face their fears. In my new book 'A Remembrance of Death' (out in September 2024) I found that I spent more time developing the characters than I did in my first book and the book that I am currently writing is more focused on the development of the characters than anything else.
For more information about writing characters see "Creating Character Arcs" by K.M. Weiland - which provides a comprehensive guide to developing compelling, three-dimensional characters, including detailed advice on building character arcs and character flaws; and "Building Believable Characters" by Marc McCutcheon - which focuses on techniques for making characters feel authentic and lifelike, such as incorporating realistic mannerisms, speech patterns, and emotional responses.
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