What is the best way to develop life-like characters for novels and scripts?

Answer 1

Write a character sketch on each character before you write the novel or script. Make it as long and detailed as possible. Make sure you know exactly who the person is, and then put the people together and see how they interact.

Answer 2

Give them an identity.
Name them. How old are they? How tall are they? What do they weigh? When were they born and where? What color is their hair? The eyes? Do they have scars or handicaps? Educational background? What do they do for a living? Who are their best friends? Who are their enemies and how did it happen to be so? What about their parents? What are their problems? and how can it get worse before it gets better? What are their strong and weakest points? What do they think of themselves? and how are they viewed by others? Do they have a good sense of humor or are they the serious types? Are they ambitious? Do they have hobbies or other interests? Do they like to read or listen to music? How do they dress? What is their favorite color? What do they do to while away their spare time? How do they live? What is so special about this character that the reader would care enough to read on in order to know what happens in the end? Will this character leave a lasting impression on the reader?

To base your characters on living individuals is a cop out. The point of being a novelist is to invent places, situations and most importantly--the characters because they are the vehicle that drives the story along, and if they crash, oh well, you have to make it all better or worse in the end.

Answer 3

analyze the ppl around u. u don't necessarily have to know them personaly. just assess what u see.

example: ur neighbor ain't much of a friend. i mean, u don't meet up every evening for a barbaque. but u see him every day. he wakes up after twelve on a daily basis. so what could this mean? don't ask him. just assume. hmmmm... lets see... maybe he goes out clubbing every night and then returns at 7 in the morning. that piece of info in itself can tell u an awful lot about his personality: he's an extrovert, a womanizer who is defintely afraid of commitment, coz u never see him bring the same woman home twice. the assumptions could go on and on...as long as u set ur imagination free and make up scenarios. they don't have to be realistic, they just have to give u a good idea of what ur character's personality is like.

watch the ppl around u, ppl on the street, on the news, in other novels...the list is endless! u can even take urself as an example. just take several aspects of ur character and add them to ur heros. it's easy once u get the hang of it.

try it out a few times and contact me to tell me how it went. any questions r welcome, ok? best of luck.

Answer 4

My favorite thing to do to make characters real. Write a page on physical description then go on to how the character acts. How does it act around the opposite sex, its parents, its children. Does he/she have a nervous scratch or twitch. etc. i find it really helps you though out the story

Answer 5

Many novelists based their characters on real people, often adding attributes or eliminating them. Some characters are composites. I write short stories and often I imagine someone I know,or myself even, and I put them in imaginary situations and ask myself, "What would so-and-so do here?" It works for me.

Answer 6

Base characters in your book on people you know or have met in real life. Obviously, change their names and some characteristics but by basing the characters on people you know you will be able to bring them to life easier. Describe them physically, their habits, their mannerisims, their likes, dislikes, etc. so your reader gets to know them as well.

Answer 7

Role play, become the character for a while... It might mess up some of your relationship's though...

Answer 8

Base them on people you know. That nasty neighbor next door would make an excellent evil henchman.

Answer 9

real stories