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How To Create Characters That Stand Out From The Crowd

By on January 9, 2020

Do you want to create characters that stand out? Every novelist knows that compelling characters are crucial if you hope to write a successful novel. One thing that makes any individual in your book compelling is giving them certain characteristics that are unusual. Bless them with particular traits, mannerisms, or behaviorisms that make them stand out from the crowd.

So what are the things that a writer can do to ensure this happens?

Create characters that stand out from the crowd - Here are some useful tips

Make every character a hero or a villain.

Don't just focus on your protagonists or even the main characters in your story. If you want your cast of characters to stand out, you need to make each and every one of them a hero or a villain in some way. This doesn't mean every individual needs a starring role, but they should all have qualities that make them heroic or villainous and commit acts that change the course of events in some way.

Give your character's quirks.

Characters with ticks and mannerisms that make them distinctive will appeal to your readers, make them more memorable, and make it easy for your reader to differentiate between them. 

Give each a unique voice.

Pay attention to dialect and ensure that each of your chargers speaks in a way that is particular to them. Doing so again will help readers know who is talking at any given time and eliminate confusion as well as make your characters different from one another.

Ensure readers visualize them differently.

Charter descriptions are also essential, and by adding in descriptions of their appearance and making sure that you have a good range of different-looking characters in your story, you will help to ensure that they stand out.

Make characters multi-layered.

Characters need to feel real, be three-dimensional, and have different layers that are revealed as the story unfolds and your readers get to know them better. 

Ensure characters compliment your plot.

Unique characters that have to perform within a dull plot will stand out for all the wrong reasons. Make sure that your amazing, original characters work within your story, so work hard to ensure that your plot is every bit as unique and exciting as them.

Have them do unexpected things.

Unique characters don't always act in the way you expect them to. Adding twists and turns into your novel or making your characters change, grow, or even react in a way that might be unexpected can help them stand out. It is, of course, essential to do this with care. If a character suddenly behaves in a way that's 'out of character,' this could jar the readers, and not feel very realistic, so make sure there is a reason that makes sense for them to do so. 

By following the above tips, you can ensure that you create unique, remarkable, memorable characters that your readers are sure to love!

So now you know how to create characters that stand out from the crowd, let's think about why character empathy is important.

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bethany cadman
Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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