SOS
I need HELP!!! And, fast too.
How can l create realistic, believable characters in my politico_legal thriller?
I need HELP!!! And, fast too.
How can l create realistic, believable characters in my politico_legal thriller?
Make-believe vs Reality
- Thread starter maggie
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 18,805
- Reaction score
- 4,600
- Location
- Caledonia
- Website
- derekpaterson.net
Welcome to the board.
That's a big question. How can you create realistic, believable characters in any story? By giving them understandable motivation and goals? By keeping them "grounded" and avoiding anything fanciful that might make readers raise an eyebrow? It's tough to nail down exactly what might accomplish this, or what might burst suspension of disbelief.
I have to assume you've read as many similar-genre novels as you can, to see how they work and what the authors did to make their characters seem real and engage you.
So why do you need help fast?
-Derek
That's a big question. How can you create realistic, believable characters in any story? By giving them understandable motivation and goals? By keeping them "grounded" and avoiding anything fanciful that might make readers raise an eyebrow? It's tough to nail down exactly what might accomplish this, or what might burst suspension of disbelief.
I have to assume you've read as many similar-genre novels as you can, to see how they work and what the authors did to make their characters seem real and engage you.
So why do you need help fast?
-Derek
If your talking the psychological political thriller heres a couple quick thoughts.
I would say that the biggest thing in such a genre is to make many of your characters grey... as in they come into politics with strong beliefs but over time these are wore down into whatever you see fit. Of course you can have idealistic characters with strong beliefs however in such a psychological genre these ideals should be challenged on multiple occasions resulting in changes, once again, however you see fit. Think about modifications they can make once they know (or believe) somethings wrong with their ideals (as no one should be 100% right all the time).
And on one more point. Its common to have a single idealistic protagonist fighting against the system all alone however I believe this has gotten old. Give your protagonist like-minded individuals, keeping in mind they won't all make the same decisions when faced with a choice your protagonist would make~ creating some internal tension. Besides, it is these close acquaintances who are the most poignant tools you as a writer can use to open your MC's eyes.
Dont get me wrong: your MC can be deep, strong and true to his/her beliefs however you should work in dynamics as to your MC's attitude and approach to their beliefs. The last thing you want to do is have the second something is faulty in their beliefs they run over to the other side which inevitably is always the righteous side... there should not be any clearly righteous side period in most situations.
Side switching is fun, fine and dandy to a degree but it should never be a wishy washy thing spur of the moment thing overall... I have a single ridiculously wishy washy side-character in my story so I know it can be fun but keep it on the down-low.
Idk, its late but I hope that helped
I would say that the biggest thing in such a genre is to make many of your characters grey... as in they come into politics with strong beliefs but over time these are wore down into whatever you see fit. Of course you can have idealistic characters with strong beliefs however in such a psychological genre these ideals should be challenged on multiple occasions resulting in changes, once again, however you see fit. Think about modifications they can make once they know (or believe) somethings wrong with their ideals (as no one should be 100% right all the time).
And on one more point. Its common to have a single idealistic protagonist fighting against the system all alone however I believe this has gotten old. Give your protagonist like-minded individuals, keeping in mind they won't all make the same decisions when faced with a choice your protagonist would make~ creating some internal tension. Besides, it is these close acquaintances who are the most poignant tools you as a writer can use to open your MC's eyes.
Dont get me wrong: your MC can be deep, strong and true to his/her beliefs however you should work in dynamics as to your MC's attitude and approach to their beliefs. The last thing you want to do is have the second something is faulty in their beliefs they run over to the other side which inevitably is always the righteous side... there should not be any clearly righteous side period in most situations.
Side switching is fun, fine and dandy to a degree but it should never be a wishy washy thing spur of the moment thing overall... I have a single ridiculously wishy washy side-character in my story so I know it can be fun but keep it on the down-low.
Idk, its late but I hope that helped
Last edited:
SOS
I need HELP!!! And, fast too.
How can l create realistic, believable characters in my politico_legal thriller?
By forgetting they are in a politico-legal thriller.
People are people. If you make them a certain way because of the story they'e in, then the characters are being manipulated to serve the plot. Even lawyers go to the loo and wake up in the night feeling insecure like everyone else.
Sure, if they're in a particular profession then they may have the traits that profession demands. But ask yourself why they're in the job they are, and the answers might surprise you...
Hi Maggie
Remember that real people are flawed. Nobody is 100% 'good' or 100% 'bad'. To make your characters realistic, you need to make sure they have imperfections. Protagonists with honourable ideals and good qualities also need imperfections, vices, prejudices. Readers are much more likely to sympathise with realistic characters. 'Perfect' characters become annoying because they are too far removed from real life.
Good luck!
Shara
Remember that real people are flawed. Nobody is 100% 'good' or 100% 'bad'. To make your characters realistic, you need to make sure they have imperfections. Protagonists with honourable ideals and good qualities also need imperfections, vices, prejudices. Readers are much more likely to sympathise with realistic characters. 'Perfect' characters become annoying because they are too far removed from real life.
Good luck!
Shara
Maggie,
I don't write the genre you have mentioned, but I believe making a character believable and realistic is pretty much the same regardless the genre.
I don't know how other writers do it. But I will tell you what I do. If it sounds useful for you, use it. If it doesn't, hopefully someone here will have a method that will work for you.
When I am creating a character I sit down and list everything I know about the character, from the color of their hair, eyes, and skin, to how they feel about the other sex or what type of clothes they prefer. Nothing is too small or insignificant for me to put down. I did this with every character I started with when I began my WIP. If a new character is added to a scene, I do the same thing. Everyone has a bio in a file on my computer, and that bio is updated if I 'find out' something new about the character. The major players have more in depth bio's than the minor characters. This is a file that no one sees but me; the readers will never be privy to this information. But, the bio's allow me to know how my characters think and speak and how they would react to a given a stimulus. I put in under 'research'.
I hope this helps.
I don't write the genre you have mentioned, but I believe making a character believable and realistic is pretty much the same regardless the genre.
I don't know how other writers do it. But I will tell you what I do. If it sounds useful for you, use it. If it doesn't, hopefully someone here will have a method that will work for you.
When I am creating a character I sit down and list everything I know about the character, from the color of their hair, eyes, and skin, to how they feel about the other sex or what type of clothes they prefer. Nothing is too small or insignificant for me to put down. I did this with every character I started with when I began my WIP. If a new character is added to a scene, I do the same thing. Everyone has a bio in a file on my computer, and that bio is updated if I 'find out' something new about the character. The major players have more in depth bio's than the minor characters. This is a file that no one sees but me; the readers will never be privy to this information. But, the bio's allow me to know how my characters think and speak and how they would react to a given a stimulus. I put in under 'research'.
I hope this helps.
Politicians are a special kind of people. They have well developed egos, and must be catered to by their subordinates. A politician is the sort of person who can sit down to a friendly dinner with a person who would make his skin crawl, if it would serve the politician's purpose.
On the lighter side:
Someone asked what's the definition of politics. It comes from the greek Poli meaning many, and Tics meaning blood sucking insects.
On the lighter side:
Someone asked what's the definition of politics. It comes from the greek Poli meaning many, and Tics meaning blood sucking insects.
There are some principles that I use professionally to try to understand people and their problems that seem to have some benefit for creating a character.
Draw a series of concentric cirlces on a piece of paper but leave youself lots of space between the layers.
The centre is the person and their personality traits. Their likes and dislikes, hopes and ambitions.
The next layer is their immediate family. Spouse, kids.
Next layer is important family. Parents, siblings
Next layer is work or school
The layers after that become more personal...the group of friends you go out with, your neighbours, etc.
Fill in the details that you've already decided on as best you can.
Then look for the conflict between the layers.
Generally, the inner layers are the most important to the character. You can switch them around if you like, but if you make work more important that wife then you have conflict.
If wife doesn't like parents you have conflict.
If work says you need to be squeaky clean and your son shoplifts and takes drugs then you have conflict.
If you believe the means justifies the ends but your wife doesn't then you have conflict.
If you have no-one at all in your immediate family and only have your work but you're a social person then you have conflict.
Basically, make your characters just like normal people, trying to balance the demands of different people and situations. no-one can win all the time.
Your character who is an idealist but who has to get his hands dirty to get things done and then explain what he's done to his disappointed wife while teaching his shoplifting son that he should do the right thing is interesting.
Your character who wants to do the right thing, has a wife who loves him for doing the right thing, has a son who thinks his dad is the perfect role model and emulates him, parents who think his wife is the perfect person for him, a group of friends who all support him and a job that rewards him for doing the right thing....less interesting.
The onion model can be helpful for knowing how to start when you want to write down a list of things you know about you character.....saves it becoming a random list of facts.
Craig
Draw a series of concentric cirlces on a piece of paper but leave youself lots of space between the layers.
The centre is the person and their personality traits. Their likes and dislikes, hopes and ambitions.
The next layer is their immediate family. Spouse, kids.
Next layer is important family. Parents, siblings
Next layer is work or school
The layers after that become more personal...the group of friends you go out with, your neighbours, etc.
Fill in the details that you've already decided on as best you can.
Then look for the conflict between the layers.
Generally, the inner layers are the most important to the character. You can switch them around if you like, but if you make work more important that wife then you have conflict.
If wife doesn't like parents you have conflict.
If work says you need to be squeaky clean and your son shoplifts and takes drugs then you have conflict.
If you believe the means justifies the ends but your wife doesn't then you have conflict.
If you have no-one at all in your immediate family and only have your work but you're a social person then you have conflict.
Basically, make your characters just like normal people, trying to balance the demands of different people and situations. no-one can win all the time.
Your character who is an idealist but who has to get his hands dirty to get things done and then explain what he's done to his disappointed wife while teaching his shoplifting son that he should do the right thing is interesting.
Your character who wants to do the right thing, has a wife who loves him for doing the right thing, has a son who thinks his dad is the perfect role model and emulates him, parents who think his wife is the perfect person for him, a group of friends who all support him and a job that rewards him for doing the right thing....less interesting.
The onion model can be helpful for knowing how to start when you want to write down a list of things you know about you character.....saves it becoming a random list of facts.
Craig
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2009
- Messages
- 9,251
- Reaction score
- 7,297
I have a vague idea of what my characters will look like and how they will act. They take on a life of their own as the story develops. Other than that, I'm pretty much in the same school as SP.
I like to look at personality traits as having both positive and negative aspects.
The char who
- is dedicated to his career may also be unavailable to his family.
- is decisive may also be opinionated.
- is persistent may also be stubborn.
- is financially responsible may also be miserly or greedy.
- is generous to strangers may also fail to provide for his family.
- is self-assured may also be arrogant.
- takes charge may also be dictatorial.
- stands firm on his values may also be judgmental and intolerant.
(These examples are taken to extremes, and most people fall somewhere in between, but I find it a useful approach.)
Think about how someone's self-image may be different from how they're seen by others. How they're seen at work may be different from how they're seen at home. How they're seen by allies may be different from how they're seen by opponents.
The char who
- is dedicated to his career may also be unavailable to his family.
- is decisive may also be opinionated.
- is persistent may also be stubborn.
- is financially responsible may also be miserly or greedy.
- is generous to strangers may also fail to provide for his family.
- is self-assured may also be arrogant.
- takes charge may also be dictatorial.
- stands firm on his values may also be judgmental and intolerant.
(These examples are taken to extremes, and most people fall somewhere in between, but I find it a useful approach.)
Think about how someone's self-image may be different from how they're seen by others. How they're seen at work may be different from how they're seen at home. How they're seen by allies may be different from how they're seen by opponents.
- Status