In the world of your novel, no character should sound like the other. Instead of relying completely on dialogue tags, you can also lean on different speech patterns, and words or phrases that the character may use often.Consider assigning a unique speech pattern to each of your main characters. Describe the cadence of their speech, if they use big or small words, and if they’re abrupt or coy.
Many writers have the tendency to write dialogue like they think it should sound. This often leads to cringe-worthy interactions where thees and thous are used incorrectly. On the other end of the pendulum, some writers have a tendency to modernize historical dialogue, ignoring the era-specific ornate language for a plain, stripped down, bastardized version. That’s a no-no, too. Whether you’re writing a period piece or a young adult series set 10 years in the past, remember to use specific language that’s accurate for that time period.
Let the reader know more than the protagonist does. However, don’t let the reader know every single thing about the characters. Don’t be afraid to let your protagonist fail. Make sure that each character (and name) stands out from the others. No Marcia and Maria in the same book, unless this move is on purpose.
“Create an arc for your protagonist that changes him/ her in some way
by the end of the story.”
Tension. It can spellbind your readers and leave them breathless, on the edge of their seats and biting their nails in anticipation for what will happen next. And, without it, your story will feel as lifeless and limp as a pricked balloon. The most effective way to elicit an emotional response in your reader is through tension.
Motifs are recurring elements in a novel. Motifs can be physical objects, images, actions, sounds, symbols, or abstract ideas. The most important thing to note about motifs is that they repeat themselves throughout the story. The elements may not appear in the same form, but they will share the same message.
For example, an author may wish to use ticking clocks, wristwatches, and hourglasses as a series of symbols to represent one motif (i.e. the passage of time). That motif will then tie into the story’s main theme (i.e. the transience of life).
If you want to tell the best story possible, you can only do so with characters who are fully alive and made for the world that you’ve created— Not characters who are borrowed from a world that someone else created a long time ago. . . . Characters are storytelling devices that help the reader experience and process the story. If your character is one-note, your story will likewise fall flat. It won’t be as rich and nuanced as it could have been because your stereotypical characters aren’t able to carry the weight.
It’s Tough Not to Play Favorites With Your Characters
It’s a point echoed by everyone from William Faulkner to Agatha Christie to Ernest Hemingway all the way to Stephen King: you’ve got to write without playing favorites, even if that means killing those that you’re fond of. I get it. After you’ve spent weeks, months, or even years plotting out characters, ideas, scenes, or backstories, the last thing you’ll want to do is delete them like they never even happened. It becomes even more complicated if you get emotionally invested in these characters and root for them.
This is why it takes guts to be an author. It takes an incredible amount of self-control to write a story that you don’t control. It takes bravery to allow the characters to play out exactly as they need to.
Give vague descriptions of your characters to allow the reader’s imagination to fill in the blanks. It’s okay to share hair color, body build, and general features, but if you’re getting into tooth color, you may be going too far.
“Give your antagonist a virtue. A fully evil villain is boring and two-dimensional. Everyone has at least one admirable trait, such as loyalty, honesty, or bravery. In fact, make your villain likable in some way.”
