When I am deciding on my characters and what kind of character I want in my book, I like to look at their weaknesses and strengths. This is not a lengthy process, I just take a quick look at how I want my character to be which relates to their weaknesses and strengths. Once I know how my character is going to be, once I know their weaknesses and strengths, I can then process in relating this in their behavior. Such as a person who has a weakness with anger, will be quick to react and possibly cause more issues.
For example in one of my short stories, I wrote: “Fuck you,” one guy said to the mystery voice. “When I get out of here, I’ll come for you and see how you like it.”
“You should not aggravate the guy. He clearly is insane, and who knows what he will do to us if you make him angry,” another guy told him.
“I don’t care if I get him angry. This lunatic has no reason to do this to us,” the first guy said.
As if the second guy predicted it, the wall behind them began to move, pushing them forward towards the trap. Now they had no choice but to go through the traps.
This is a prime example of how the weakness for anger or a character quick to anger could react and therefore the outcome is a reaction to what the character is like. I love looking at my characters at how I wish them to be like and that relates to their actions. It is a bit of cause and effect. So looking at what your character’s weaknesses and strengths allow you to look at how you want your character to be like and how they will react. It helps me built the right kind of character that I desire for my story.
How do you create your character?
