Do you know how many books are published every year? Around 500,000 to 1 million! What are the odds of your book rising above all those to become a bestseller? Statistically, the chances aren’t great, but one way of increasing them is by applying the right character development techniques to help the people who populate your story stand out from the crowd.
It’s no accident that fan-favorite stories such as Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones have compelling characters that make readers go all-in.
Characters are the heartbeat of the story. Even if a story might have a compelling plot and a setting that transports you to another realm, engaging your readers will be almost impossible without characters that intrigue or resonate.
Here is where the art of character development comes into play. Characters must grow and change, just as we do. As authors, you invite readers to see parts of themselves and others in these fictional beings through their journeys, victories, and defeats.
But first, let us understand what character development is, and what techniques you can use to craft complex characters.
What Is Character Development?
Character development, often referred to as a character arc, involves meticulously crafting a character’s traits, goals, and motivations, then skillfully allowing these elements to evolve and reveal themselves throughout the course of the story.
When your readers can’t stop thinking about the character’s motivations, actions, and thoughts long after the story has concluded, you know you’ve nailed your character development game.
Here are some examples.
Famous Characters in Fiction
Some characters are crafted so well that they become famous in their own right, overshadowing the story itself.
For instance, we are all too familiar with the character of Sherlock Holmes, even though we may not be able to recall the plot of a single novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Similarly, characters like Hamlet, Heathcliff, and Jay Gatsby are all too well-known for various reasons. Their motivations, drives, and actions are so well-established that readers feel they know these characters personally.
Sometimes, however, unforgettable characters lack many traits we think should be present in a character — like a backstory. A great example is the character of ‘Big Brother’ in the novel 1984 by George Orwell. We never actually meet Big Brother, and he blurs the lines between a character and a symbolic entity, he is nevertheless a central figure in the story.
Giving readers minimal information about Big Brother is exactly what makes the character so effective. Big Brother’s mysterious yet omnipresent nature heightens tension and evokes unease in the reader.
We’ll talk a bit more about backstory later in this article.
So what makes a character unforgettable? They must evoke strong feelings. Positive or negative, it does not matter as long as a character makes you feel; the writer has done a great job crafting complex characters.
6 Character Development Techniques For Crafting Complex Characters
The most compelling characters leave an indelible mark on the reader. It takes an author’s skill and imagination. But to get you started, here are some character development techniques you can try when crafting complex and memorable characters.
1. Get to Know Your Characters
As an author, you are the conductor, and your characters are the orchestra. Each part has a role to play, so you need to plan out each character carefully. What’s their purpose for the plot and the overall story? If a character doesn’t serve a defined purpose, then they shouldn’t be in the story in the first place.
A character can have many purposes – they might be the main protagonist, the villain, the love interest, the henchman, the wise mentor, the comedy sidekick, the trusty friend – but if you can’t identify what their role in the story is, then you (and they) immediately have a problem.
Your characters will also have different personalities, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and 101 other things to differentiate them from one another, just like real people do.
Delving deep into these will help give you an insight of who they are, what makes them tick, and how they will respond to situations you put them in during the events of the story. A librarian who lives alone with five cats will respond very differently to the same situation than an alcoholic military veteran with PTSD.
You can probably predict how your close friends and family will react to a given situation, because you know them so well.
In TV sitcoms, much of the humour comes from the anticipation of knowing exactly how a character is going to respond to something happening in the story, before it even happens. That’s because the writers have created characters who we feel we know and understand.
That’s what you need to do to make your character come alive on the page. You have to know them as well as you know your friends, or as well as you know Rachel and Ross, or whoever your favourite sitcom characters might be. Dive deep into who they are and what made them that way, and you’ll be well on your way to building memorable characters that will help your story stand out.
2. Detailing Physical Characteristics & Quirks
When crafting memorable characters, detailing physical and superficial characteristics plays a crucial role in making them vivid and relatable to readers. These details do more than just paint a mental picture; they can reveal deeper truths about the character’s personality, history, and even their motivations.
Physical descriptions—such as height, build, facial features, or distinctive scars—set your character apart visually. But, if done correctly, they can begin to tell a story of their own. For instance, a detective might have deep-set eyes and a persistent furrow between their brows, suggesting not only a life of intense scrutiny but also a perpetual skepticism of the world around them.
Quirks, which we all have, inject life into characters, transforming them from templates to individuals. These can range from physical ticks, like the nervous tapping of fingers, to more profound habits, such as an old soldier’s ritual of polishing an old but no longer needed service weapon. Such details suggest a past, hint at a psychology, and give depth to what might otherwise be a flat character.
They can also be much simpler and more straightfoward. Winnie the Pooh, for example, is renowned for his love of honey, which is so intense it often gets him into trouble. Pooh’s honey addiction quirk doesn’t just make him more interesting, it often drives the narrative of his stories.
Quirks can serve as narrative devices in a number of ways. A character’s habitual eavesdropping due to their nosiness might be what propels a plot forward in a crime novel, or introduces a comedic element in a romcom when someone misunderstands something they’ve overheard.
Ultimately, the key is to blend these physical traits and quirks in a way that feels organic and purposeful. Each detail should feel necessary and telling, contributing to the character’s authenticity. By doing so, you not only make your characters stand out but also ensure they remain in the readers’ minds long after the story ends.
Humans are complex and unique; even seemingly bland characters have unique qualities that must be highlighted.
3. Developing Your Characters’ Inner World
They say actions speak louder than words.
Only some of the time. This does not necessarily follow in storytelling.
Actions must be backed up by inner dialogue. What are the characters’ underlying motives or psychology that made them act that way?
It does not need to be rational because how many of us are actually rational all the time? I know I’m not! And, let’s be honest, sometimes irrationality helps to thicken the plot. Whether rational or not, though, you as the author need to pull back the curtain a bit for the readers to understand where the characters are coming from and why they do the things they do.
Sometimes, this isn’t always easy.
The most straightforward way of doing this is with first-person POV, where a characters, usually the protagonist, is the narrator of the story. (e.g. “I woke up with a headache. Last night had been a killer. Literally.”)
This is a simple and effective way to reveal your character’s inner world, but it can also be a great way of developing that inner world, even if you’re writing in third person perspective. Take some time to write monologues as your character, in which you can explore how they think and feel. Find a unique inner voice for them.
Are they more critical of themselves, or of others? Do their thoughts suggest a confident person, or one always second-guessing themselves? Even if the readers won’t ever get to read these monologues, by doing this exercise you will know your characters far better, and have much more of an insight on how they think, feel, and behave.
It’s entirely possible, of course, that your characters’ internal worlds will change over the course of the story, particularly if they’re a character who goes through change over the course of the narrative. How they view themselves and others at the start and end of the book might be very different, so why not write two monologues to really focus your understanding of what that change would look like internally?
Communicating your character’s psychology and inner world effectively is vital to give readers a deeper understanding of them, and to make them either root for their success, or cheer their demise!
4. Develop a Backstory
Character backstory writing is essential in giving your character the much-needed depth. What is your character’s origin story? Where have they come from? What made them the way they are when we first meet them? The backstory is the initial jump-off point of the character arc.
Main characters need a backstory, not only to furnish the plot and fill in story details but also to shape the characters’ personalities. This provides a deeper understanding of why they have such beliefs, flaws, and motivations.
Sometimes, a backstory can completely change the readers’ perception of a character. A great example of this is Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. Snape transforms from being an antagonist to being a character with whom we can empathise.
Even the problematic aspects of Snape’s personality, like his attitude toward Harry, are seen in a new light once his backstory is revealed.
Remember we mentioned Big Brother from Orwell’s 1984, and the fact he has no backstory? This was a very deliberate choice because Orwell knew that, knowing nothing about a characters’s past, would make them feel untrustworthy and even threatening to the reader. This, in turn, highlights the importance of backstory to characters you want readers to like and identify with.
That being said, don’t gorge on backstory reveal!
Don’t just lay out a character’s history on full display like an all-you-can-eat buffet. (Although, who doesn’t love a good buffet?) Instead, break it down like a sumptuous, slow-paced, 7-course meal. Cut the backstory up into smaller bites and weave them into the story at relevant points.
You’re not aiming to give the readers a full biography of your characters’ lives, you want to reveal them, piece by piece, like a jigsaw puzzle, and let them build the picture themselves.
5. Define Motivations and Flaws
Humans are imperfect; this is why the most impactful characters are those with flaws of their own. These flaws make a character relatable, even endearing. Take Sherlock Holmes, for example. His striking flaw was that he was a “high-functioning sociopath” — a trait that may be frustrating to the characters but which makes him fascinating to readers.
Overcoming those flaws is the bridge to character development and growth. That is the trick with unforgettable characters. They are not just unique or relatable; they are imperfect. They make mistakes, bad judgments, and suffer as a consequence of these imperfections.
Even seemingly perfect characters are flawed. For example, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the morally upright Atticus Finch appears as the ultimate hero, a white man going against the grain and challenging the status quo to defend a man whose only crime is the colour of his skin.
Yet, Finch is not without his flaws. He avoids direct confrontation with his overtly racist neighbours and peers, and has an idealistic view of justice and the law which makes him quite naive to how deep the racial tensions in American ran at the time.
Similarly, character motivations give meaning to their behaviour and actions. Why do characters act a certain way or make certain decisions?
Character motivation is the driving force behind a character’s actions and decisions. It shapes their goals, influences their behaviour, and ultimately determines the direction of their personal journey within the narrative. A well-defined motivation not only makes a character’s actions understandable but also adds depth and complexity, inviting readers to invest more deeply in the story.
For instance, consider Sherlock Holmes’ motivation: his insatiable curiosity and desire to uncover the truth. This drive not only compels him to solve mysteries but also amplifies his sociopathic traits, such as his detachment from social norms and relationships. His motivation and his flaws interact dynamically; his obsessive nature makes him brilliant but also socially isolated, a trait that both aids his detective work and hinders his personal connections.
Similarly, Atticus Finch’s motivation stems from a deep-seated sense of justice and a commitment to moral integrity. This drives him to take on Tom Robinson’s defence despite knowing the societal backlash it would provoke. His motivation is noble, yet it blinds him to the immediate realities of racial prejudice and the limitations of the law, which are his major flaws. This idealism not only defines his actions but also sets up the profound impact of the trial’s outcome on him and his family.
Motivation and flaws are thus intertwined, each influencing and exacerbating the other. Characters are pushed by their motivations to confront their flaws, either overcoming them or succumbing to them, and this struggle often forms the crux of their character arc. The interplay between a character’s motivations and their flaws not only drives the plot but also facilitates deep character development and growth, making for a compelling and relatable narrative experience.
This understanding of motivation enhances the portrayal of characters as it shows how their imperfections and aspirations are crucial to their identity and the story’s progression. Whether they triumph over their flaws or are ultimately defined by them, it is their motivations that provide a window into their soul, making them unforgettable to the reader.
6. Don’t Neglect the Interaction Between Characters
Realistic and impactful characters don’t just stand alone. How they interact with others is part of what defines them and makes them memorable.
Sherlock Holmes is sometimes endearing, sometimes condescending to, “My dear Watson.” Professor Snape’s interactions with Harry Potter and his friends are what made him memorable from his very first appearance on the page.
Creating character relationships is an art that requires an understanding human relationships. Characters may push the plot forward, but their interactions give the story depth.
How the villain talks to the hero, how the mentor helps guide the protagonist on the right path, or how everyone reacts to the annoying comedy sidekick all add depth and flavour to the people in your story, making them richer and move believeable.
Make sure you mix the casting well. From protagonists, antagonists, supporting characters, and minor characters — each must bring out the best or worst qualities of the other. Create conflict and contrast, and see how the characters’ personalities mix, making the story more exciting and memorable.
Final Thoughts
Crafting unforgettable characters isn’t just about filling a role; it’s about breathing life into the pages of your story, giving your audience figures they can love, hate, or feel deeply for.
Characters are the soul of a story. They are the reason why we care about the plot. We want every character to get what they deserve, whether they’re the hero, villain, or loveable side character. Making readers care on an emotional level about what happens to the people in your story is what crafting complex characters is about.
Here’s to the characters we’ve yet to meet and the stories yet to be told – may they inspire, entertain, and, most importantly, resonate deeply with readers everywhere.
Happy writing!
