I love a good page-turner of a novel, don't you? As an avid reader, I admire an author's ability to weave us a plot we are unable to resist, one that puts us in the story, longing for a great resolution of the problems. But, for me, it's the characters, the people in trouble, in confusion, in dire need, that draw me way in. Love them or hate them, we have to see, feel, and know who they are and what they have or haven't done to get them where they are now.
A writer can't help but wonder where these fictional characters come from and why their story must be told. Are they based on people known by the writer? Delivered to them by a muse? Well, it's often an unsolved mystery of its own.
What are the essentials of a good character? These come to mind:
- appealing
- flawed
- relentless
- realistic
- determined
- lovable or hate-able
- dynamic
- imaginative
What can you add to the list?
flawed and realistic are the characteristics I am drawn to the most. And you're right, people read mostly to be drawn in by the characters.
ReplyDeleteVisiting A to Z Challenge blogger LittleCely's Blog
Vulnerable...
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It does seem magical sometimes how these characters spring from our writer minds.
ReplyDeleteHope you’re having fun with the A to Z challenge,
Jocelyn