11 Things to Consider if You Want Distinct, Unique Characters

There are many things that I could stand to improve in as a writer‒say, everything‒but I have been told that one of the things that I have halfway down is creating characters.

Since I started sharing my writing a year or two ago, I have heard time and time again that my characters are alive, so I sat down today, thought about my character process, and put together my strategy.

Getting to know your characters is a lot like getting to know real people. You must spend time with them‒or in the case of characters, think on them. You must consider how all of their traits feed into other ones, and how they affect them.

It’s easier said than done, but I do believe that with some practice, it can be as natural as getting ideas, and far simpler than English grammar.

So here is the list that I compiled of things to consider‒in order of what I believe to be more important to less important.

1. Flaws
2. Quirks
3. Interests
4. Preferences

Kind of vague, isn’t it? Here’s the more in-depth version with one of my characters being used as an example.

1. Flaws‒Aaand this is the one that makes people people. It’s also the one that writers seem to enjoy to leave out, and I think I know why. This is why: Flaws make people less-desirable, (while some won’t admit that they think that, it’s the underlying reason for all of the picture-perfect characters in books), and people are afraid of people not liking their characters. But with that said, people are not interesting without flaws.

1. Character‒These are the more plot-affecting flaws, usually. They’re the problems such as “not knowing when to shut up”, “finding other’s misfortunes hilarious”, or even “a tendency to lie about everything”. The latter is one of the character flaws of my character, Riley.
2. Psychological‒These are the flaws that give the characters more depth of mind, in my opinion. Personality disorders and disabilities are good additions to any character, even though they in themselves are not good things. For example, Riley is a borderline sociopath. That makes her very complex, as well as creating a great deal of tension between her and the other characters,
3. Physical‒I don’t find this one to be the most important, but it adds some depth as well. Imperfect people are much easier to sympathize with than the golden people we read about who have perfectly symmetrical faces and flawless physique. I don’t really enjoy reading about those people, unless there is a good reason for it. (i.e., the character is a model or the result of a genetic experiment. In which case, perfection is almost acceptable. ;) ) Riley is short‒not quite 5 feet tall‒and weighs more than would be acceptable according to most modeling agencies guidelines. Which doesn’t quite fit the cookie-cutter character list, if ya get me.

2. Quirks‒My personal favorite. As a person who is quite quirky, as well as loving adversity, this has always been the category that I don’t run out of ideas for. So now are your characters not only imperfect, they are also unusual. It’s starting to sound like a nightmare for every Mary-Jane in the world! (It’s starting to sound real. *gasp*)

1. Speech‒I personally love different voices. Accents, improper uses of long words, improper grammar‒they make speech a fun thing to listen to. Not lawful, (grammarly speaking,) but fun. (What fun is obeying every rule? Not much.) Riley’s manner of speech and her isms are subtle, but “there” enough that she doesn’t sound like the others. For example, when someone asks her a question, the order in which she replies is unusual. Like this:

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, yeah. It’s been a weird week, but I’m okay. Man, I’d like a break.”

And that’s the way she talks. She never says yes, just “yeah”, and she directly refers to people as “man”, even if they’re not.

2. Mannerisms‒These are not my strong suit, but I know that they’re important. Things like wringing your hands when you’re nervous, clearing your throat when you have nothing to say, and pursing your lips are all different mannerisms‒and all people have them. That should make it obvious that all characters should have them, too. Riley smirks a lot‒very generic, I know. Don’t judge my lack of creativity, hehe‒and when she cries she does so without making any noise. (I really need to work on giving my characters mannerisms.)
3. Fears‒(This one probably could have been placed with the “Flaws”, but I thought it more of a quirk, since it isn’t exactly something that is wrong with people.) Fears are the darkest parts of people’s subconscious. They influence the character’s behavior, the other characters’ behavior, and the plot of the story. They’re very important, in other words. In my recently finished manuscript, Riley has a horrible fear of water, caused by an accident in her teenage years, which entangles itself throughout the entire story and gives her character some flavor. (She seems completely collected and arrogant, but water turns her into a frightened child.)

3. Interests‒These are fun, but a bit harder to think of. I mean, it’s pretty simple to give non-cliché interests to characters. But at the same time, it’s a lot of fun to give them things to do aside from carrying the plot on their shoulders‒and it’s even more fun to think about. (I daydream a lot.)

1. Hobbies‒Ah, yes. The silver lining of the cloud of the subject. Give them a love of art, of sports, of literature‒is there anything more fun than designing lives? My only advice: to go crazy. Don’t rationalize the hobby thing. That’s the fun of it. (Riley loves to prank people, play video games, and be dramatic. She would have more hobbies, but her life hasn’t been very supportive of normal pastimes.)
2. Dreams‒Some characters have more dreams than others. Not all characters have to have many dreams. After all, not all people dream about a better future, learning how to fly an airplane, or solving world hunger. Some people are just more grounded in the present, are more rational, and for that reason don’t dream. But for your more fanciful characters, dreams are the icing on the cake. The hopes, dreams, desires, and etc. are the things that drive the plot forward. Riley, however, unlike her fellow characters, doesn’t really dream at all. She knows what’s up and doesn’t really think about the future. (It’s a dangerous habit to get into. Just ask her.)

4. Preferences‒The less important category of individual qualities, preferences are the finishing details of the character. But details are fun. Don’t let their lesser importance stop you from making them unique. =)

1. Style‒This encompasses two different things‒clothes and other appearance factors. What is your character’s style like? How do they wear their hair? If relevant, do they wear makeup? What kind of clothes do they wear? Do they dress eccentrically? These are all fun things to consider. Riley doesn’t wear makeup or do her hair, and she dresses very casually. These things make her much more real, personality-wise. Her personality and her style match perfectly, which is the way it’s supposed to be.
2. Dislikes‒Haha… how fun. Give them something to hate. Find a food, an animal, or basically anything that they can’t stand, and let them do the rest. Whining makes it authentic, if the character is prone to that sort of shenanigans. Riley doesn’t like nosy people or following rules.

Does that help you? I hope so‒that was my intention with sharing the list, anyway. Tell me what you think! And I’ll see you all again next week, with another post. (Don’t know what about yet, though.)

~Alyssa

Beta Readers: Thoughts from the Other Side

Over the weekend, I got a few of my beta friends together and interviewed them. And I think that it went splendidly! (At least I hope it did. I think so.)
So, before I give much ado about nothing, here's what was said. 


How would you describe the way it makes you feel to beta read?

Cana:

I feel like beta reading is really, really fun. It’s a chance to 1) read a book, 2) help someone out, 3) get experience with editing and improve my own writing, 4) build a friendship with the author, and 5) possibly make the story turn out more to my liking. (Just kidding about number five. I can advise the author if there is an actual problem, but I never try to change their story!)

Mandy:

To be honest, it depends on the book. There are some books I have absolutely loved to beta read. I love the story, get deeply involved in the characters, and I get very, very excited for the next part. Breathless even, if it is a good enough book. And then there are some that are just… eh; when the story is uninteresting or the characters don’t interest me. It all really depends on the project. :)

Katie:

Beta reading is a special experience, because the author is trusting me with his or her story and expecting helpful feedback on how to make it better. Being one of the first people to read that story makes me feel like I’m being let in on a secret, and as an aspiring editor, I also appreciate the chance to hone my editing skills.


Do you ever get tired of it?

Cana:

I don’t get tired of beta reading in itself. I need breaks, of course, so I don’t fry my brain. Sometimes the story itself is boring, but part of my job as a beta reader is to help the author fix that kind of thing. That is rewarding rather than tiring.

Mandy:

Aye, sometimes. Being dyslexic and all, it is very difficult for me to read books, especially if the grammar is poor to where I have to decipher the meaning of things. Because of this, I often pick and choose what books I choose to beta read.

Katie:

I’m relatively new to beta reading, but I haven’t gotten tired of it yet!


How does it make you feel when you get asked to beta read a book that isn't in your interests?

Cana:

So far, I haven’t actually had that happen for a full book. I’ve beta read excerpts of books that aren’t in my interests, though. In that case, it’s not like I have to deal with the story for very long, so I don’t mind.

Mandy:

A bit wary. Especially with having difficulty reading, it’s very hard to get through books that I don’t enjoy or don’t interest me.

Katie:

So far, I’ve never been asked to beta read a book that isn’t in my interests‒but then, I enjoy reading books from every genre and for every age group. I have read a book that wasn’t very good, due to a cliche storyline and rather poor writing. Since it was my first experience beta reading, I didn’t feel confident telling the author any of this, and I ended up just pointing out such grammatical errors as the comma splices which permeated the manuscript. If I could go back, I’d draw the author’s attention to aspects of the story and the writing that could be improved. I’ve since become more comfortable with doing this, and I’ve also been so fortunate as to get better stories to read. ;)


What is the most common flaw you come across in the things you read?

Cana:

I don’t know which flaw actually shows up the most, but the area of flaws that is most common is basic English grammar. This makes me sad, because it’s the kind of stuff anyone should know and can easily learn, such as its vs. it’s, or the correct placement of commas, or how to avoid run-on sentences. People could take their writing to the next level if they took a little time to review basic grammar rules.

Mandy:

Errors with commas. Almost no one that I’ve beta read for knew how to properly use a comma. For instance, they would not have stuck the comma after “for instance” in the beginning of this sentence. It seems people, almost universally, are uncertain of the rules surrounding the comma.

Katie:

Grammatical errors and sentences that don’t flow properly are probably the most common flaws I’ve come across when beta reading. This isn’t surprising, since the author is bound to be more focused on the story itself than the nitty-gritty details of grammar and sentence structure. I’ve also found that it’s common to run into aspects of the story world that aren’t explained well. This too is understandable‒the author is immersed in the world he or she has built, and it can be easy to forget that no one else has such a complete knowledge of how that world works.


What is your favorite phrase to use when correcting something?

Cana:

“Perhaps you could change this to something like ____ ?”

Mandy:

“I really like this part. It shows a lot of promise. The only thing you might like to consider changing would be ________________”

Katie:

I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite phrase, especially since it’s a cliche, but I’ve said more than once that my advice on a certain matter should “be taken with a grain of salt.” I never want to be presumptuous enough to believe that my way of thinking is always the right one.


What is your advice to other beta readers or people who are considering it?

Cana:

Study, study, study. Read articles and blog posts about writing, especially niche details, such as how to make likable characters or the correct usage of the word lay. Read as many different views on whatever you’re studying as you can, since writing is so subjective. When you are beta-reading, you should know what you’re doing. But remember that the author is the boss, not you.

Mandy:

Remember that these aren’t published books. They aren’t going to have the perfect phrasing, wonderful grammar, and no plot holes. Don’t expect to be reading a shelf-ready book. If you get so caught up in the problems with the book, you’ll never enjoy the story. Try to forget the little things and look at the big picture: the plot, the characters, the feel of the book.

Katie:

Be kind in your corrections, but don’t be afraid to make them. You aren’t doing the author any favors by not pointing out the flaws you discover. Realize too that some things are subjective, and that the author probably will not‒and probably should not‒take your advice on every single thing. There are points which come down to matters of personal style. That style may not always be to your taste, but that doesn’t make it wrong.


What is your advice to writers?

Cana:

Writers should also study, study, study. You want to get it right the first time, not have a beta reader or editor tell you you need to completely rewrite your book. Again, read everything you can that has to do with writing. You should have some good starting points based on what is in your story. For instance, if you have a lot of fight scenes, read about how to write them. If your character loses a loved one, read about grief.
Also, since you’re a person whose tool is grammar and materials are words, you should know how to wield both. Learn the rules of punctuation. Study good sentence structure. Know correct word usage. Your writing will go from okay to awesome.

Mandy:

Be picky who you let beta read your book. There are helpful beta readers and there are those that will simply pick your story apart until you feel it has no hope of ever succeeding. Remember that your book is not published, and it isn’t perfect yet. Don’t let negative comments dissuade you. There is almost always gonna be that one person who is dead-set on pointing out every flaw. Don’t take it as law. Enjoy the good comments, consider the bad, but don’t let it dictate you, either. It’s your story, after all.

Katie:

First, realize that good writing involves lots and lots of re-writing. Your first draft probably isn’t going to be that great, and that’s okay. Second, don’t be afraid to get feedback on your work. You can’t fix mistakes and weaknesses if you don’t know what they are. Lastly, while getting published is a wonderful goal, ultimately a writer should write for the sake of writing. If you love it, keep doing it‒no matter what.

~

Isn't that an awesome interview? I was blown away with how awesome the answers were--even though my questions were less than fabulously deep.
Thank you so much, Cana, Mandy, and Katie, for agreeing to be interviewed! You all are the best. =)
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post! Next week, I plan to do a post on character development... the story-building kind. And it's going to be AWESOME.

Stay tuned and stay writing,
~Alyssa

Beta Readers: What I've Learned

Hey peoples! After a week of battling with a lack of inspiration, a serious editing hangover, and lack of sleep from going to way too many family parties, I have figured out what to write about.

Fantastic, isn’t it? I think so. And I’m excited. I’m excited because these things that I’m about to share with you are things that I had never even considered-- or heard of, since no one seems to write about them-- until after I took the plunge into the world of beta readers.

To start us off, I will give the don’ts of betadom.

1.  Don’t have beta readers go over it before you edit.

Yes, it’s true! After you edit, people. It’s not only easier on you that way-- since you don’t have to send it out to the readers more than once, it’s also easier on them. They don’t have to read the same story OVER and OVER again. That’s your editor’s job- not your beta readers’!

And you may be sitting wherever you’re at thinking, “Well. She should have known that. How stupid can a person be?”, but I entered this business with innocence. I was clueless, as well as naive, and while that hasn’t yet worn off entirely… *angelic glowing* … I’m a lot more in-tune with the business now.

2. Don’t choose betas without considering whether or not they like your genre.

You don’t want someone who doesn’t like your genre, repeat, you do not want someone who does not like your genre. It doesn’t matter how much you like the person. If you are writing a Science Fiction, don’t have someone read it who only likes Historical Romances. At least not to give you advice on the plot. Do you read me?

I made this mistake once. Just once. And ended up with a rather bored best friend to show for it, but no review. (That’s what happens when you give a reader who likes Western Romances an Urban-Fantasy book to read.)

3. Don’t choose betas who don’t fall into, or at least appreciate your audience.

This means you probably don’t want teenage boys beta reading your Chic Lit.

Enough said.

4. Don’t always be negative on what your beta readers have to say.

Even if you don’t like the way they feel your story coming across, you should still take into account what they think. Chances are, they aren’t trying to pick your story-- or you-- apart! They’re there to help you make your story all it can be, not rip it to shreds! And if more than two have the same thing to say about something, you should probably take a closer look at it. There might be something up.

(I didn’t ever struggle with this one, though keeping my mouth in check when I got advice that I didn’t care for was a bit of a problem.)

5. Don’t take beta advice without seriously considering it.

It can go both ways! Don’t always just do as they suggest without checking your gut feelings. It’s the sixth sense in writerdom, the knowing that something is askew. And if it’s their advice that you’re getting that vibe about, don’t take it! If it’s what they’re telling you about that you feel something wrong with, then fix it! You are the only one who can change your story, so change it well.

(I did, however, have some issues with this one. I find myself surrounded by advice, and sometimes I take it without thinking. Ring any bells with you?)

Don’t the don’ts make you feel cheery? Didn’t think so. So, here are some dos!

1. Do make at least three rounds of editing before you collect your beta readers together.

2. Do choose betas that fit your story.

Remember: You did not write the story for ‘people who read’. You wrote it for YOUR audience. You write for yourself, for select people who like books like yours, and no one else. You are not here to please everyone, you are here to change the worlds of a select few.

3. Do be kind to your betas.

They aren’t fish like the affectionate nickname suggests, they are real people. With feelings, and lives, and minds that can be touched by beautiful stories, just like yours.

So be nice to them! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Make friends with them. Chat with them. Discuss book ideas with them. A beta reader is one of the best friends you can have, because not only do they know your books, writing style, and author personality, they know you! And that’s a really cool thing.

4. Do be careful who you give your story to.

You can’t just have your draft-- and the link to it-- all over the internet! There should be sirens and flashing lights beside every ‘share link’ button. MAKE GOOD CHOICES!

5. Do be personable.

This isn’t exactly a beta reader tip- it’s more of an over-all. Treasure emails from readers and fan mail- angry or not. Respond to your readers or followers. Reply to comments, take questions, let yourself be overwhelmed by the fact that people are talking to you. Unless you’re a magical unicorn, you were an unknown once. There were no people in faraway places who knew that you existed, let alone what your writing sounded like. So if there are people who know you exist, you should be excited! Wow! There are people who care what you have to say!

So get out there, recruit your betas, treat them right, and never stop writing!

~Alyssa

(P.S. I have never been angelic. That was a joke, no need to be jealous. =P )

(P.P.S. Next week, I’m going to have a couple interviews from beta readers, so stay tuned!)

Beginnings: The Lovely Kind

   This is me right now:

• I have no idea what I am doing. I have a very sparse plan. 
• In my mind, I'm running back and forth between 'Bring it on!' and 'HIDE ME.'
• And, I have enough hot air to run the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque hope to move a mountain. 

   Firstly, I'm Alyssa. I'm here to help anyone who wants help with writing or drawing, and perhaps make some friends along the way!
   Secondly, I am an aspiring author working to build up a following of some kind so that I can have an easier time getting a publishing deal. It makes it much easier to get a deal if you already have a good, solid platform of followers, so that's what I'm working toward.  (This is something that I read in The Audience Revolution: The Smarter Way to Build a Business, Make a Difference, and Change the World, which is a very good book, that I highly recommend for go-getters or anyone aspiring to start a successful business.)
    Thirdly, the things that I'll post on will most likely vary a bit. I may end up posting a sample chapter or two of my novel(s) on here- along with writing tips, drawing tips, recipes for awesome cookies and baked yummies, and random awesomeness. In other words, "I am an adventurer into the world of things that don't involve much socializing.", and I'm excited to share all of that good stuff.
   I hope that I can make things clearer and easier- in writing and other things- and in that way be helpful. Being helpful is something that makes my day, and sharing knowledge is my absolute favorite thing to do.
   And with that...
   Here's to the beginning of something great!

   ~Alyssa