How To Make A Character Come Alive Through Traits

Giving your character a problem to resolve brings them alive and dialogue is a brilliant way to bring out your characters’ traits while trying to solve the problem they have. When you add unique mannerisms to those characters and connect it to their dialogue or actions it also assist to add character depth. An overweight fellow may wipe sweat off his face when he speaks, another might twiddle their fingers indicating nervousness. Give your characters something to react to, a trigger, and then reflect their emotions and moods in the dialogue and their actions.

Depending on how you write something it can show your characters traits without needing to describe them.

He stepped close, his lips an inch away from her face. “I will not defend my past, my reputation, or the gossip of others.”

The fellow above is obviously head strong, confident, and not happy, without needing to say so.

You can give your characters traits by the way they speak, or for that matter the way they become silent or do not answer a question, their posture and gestures, facial movements, the distance they keep from other characters, and their eye contact.

Characters ARE what they DO.

What makes a real life person 3-dimensional and real? Think on that.

And make your characters one of those people, who have a full life, and not just facets that you put on paper or manipulate.

The rest will follow.

If you try to tweak and mold and find if there are some tricks on making a character "come to life" then you're more likely to fail.

Some traits are found in behaviors displayed. Some of those traits are learned behaviors. For instance, a fella that always opens a door for a lady may show he is a bit of a gentleman, be old fashioned, or was taught good manners. Those are traits a writer could convey in a story with having the character do such things. Some behaviors are driven by emotion, rather than something taught. For instance, a lady who cries at the drop of a hat with or without provocation may be overly emotional. And that trait could be conveyed in varying ways throughout a story when she cries and what she cries about. To show that over emotional trait of hers. Those are just two examples. Arrogance, pride, exuberance, bubbly personality, hostility, abusiveness, etc. Those are also all behaviors/traits that lend dimension to a character and are all describable and usable in a story to make it fuller. And make your character come to life or be multidimensional.

Some traits are things that are just there in a person. For instance, a person's laugh. That is a trait that is describable. And showable in a story. A deep belly laugh, rich with tonal quality that makes others smile or laugh along. Even at a bad joke.

Some traits are found in physiology or physical appearance. For instance, a trait could be that a person has a scar or a medical condition that you use in your story that assists in defining the character and how it shapes them.

Some traits are habits. For instance, biting fingernails, smoking, drinking, etc.

Those are all traits (learned and inherent) that lend dimension to a character and are all describable and usable in a story to make it fuller. And make your character come to life or be multidimensional.

Hope I did not muddy. If I did? Iggy. Just tryin' to assist.

Good luck!

Christine

Just make your characters and keep who they are really

Know your characters; know far more about them than you ever intend to place on paper.

A new hobby.

A new hobby I've discovered is having a heart to heart with your characters. I do this when driving home from work. My passenger has been empty for years, so now I fill it up with a character.

It go a-something like this:

The slightly translucent image of Frank, an old man bearing the signs of one who was very active in his younger days, appears beside me. He stares out the window, pondering or remembering.

"How's it going, Frank?" I ask.

"Oh, not too bad."

"Do you have anything you would like to discuss?"

"Well, I'm not feeling very... I feel like I'm wandering a bit, you know?"

"Wandering?"

"Yeah. My purpose in life, what is it? I'm old, but I used to be young. I've been places and done things some of these other folks'll never see. I just doesn't seem right for me to sit around so much."

"I understand, but you know this kind of talk will get you in trouble..."

"Trouble I can handle, sir. It's the doin' nothin' that brings a good man down."

"Then dust off your boots," I tell him.


This may not work for everyone, but I know my characters, and you know yours. Try it out. You may be surprised how quickly and naturally their answers to your questions flow through your mind. Then think about the experience you just had. How did your character sit? What was your reaction to them? What sort of voice did they have?

Frank, in my mind, had a slightly quavering voice with the punchy responsiveness of one who had seen military service.


I know I tend to ramble--I'm one of those writers who overwrites, then trims--but I hope my point got across and it is useful.

Best of luck.

Neversage said:

A new hobby I've discovered is having a heart to heart with your characters. I do this when driving home from work. My passenger has been empty for years, so now I fill it up with a character.

It go a-something like this:

The slightly translucent image of Frank, an old man bearing the signs of one who was very active in his younger days, appears beside me. He stares out the window, pondering or remembering.

"How's it going, Frank?" I ask.

"Oh, not too bad."

"Do you have anything you would like to discuss?"

"Well, I'm not feeling very... I feel like I'm wandering a bit, you know?"

"Wandering?"

"Yeah. My purpose in life, what is it? I'm old, but I used to be young. I've been places and done things some of these other folks'll never see. I just doesn't seem right for me to sit around so much."

"I understand, but you know this kind of talk will get you in trouble..."

"Trouble I can handle, sir. It's the doin' nothin' that brings a good man down."

"Then dust off your boots," I tell him.


This may not work for everyone, but I know my characters, and you know yours. Try it out. You may be surprised how quickly and naturally their answers to your questions flow through your mind. Then think about the experience you just had. How did your character sit? What was your reaction to them? What sort of voice did they have?

Frank, in my mind, had a slightly quavering voice with the punchy responsiveness of one who had seen military service.


I know I tend to ramble--I'm one of those writers who overwrites, then trims--but I hope my point got across and it is useful.

Best of luck.

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I love this! I do this when I wake up in the morning.

DwayneA said:

Characters are supposed to be 3d dimensional in order to be likeable and seem real. But what I want to know is, exactly how do you make them come alive? When do their traits come into play? How do you portray them then using those traits? What's a good example?

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You've been asking the same question for months and months...in various ways. I think you know the answer by now, Dwayne.

Write4U2 said:

I love this! I do this when I wake up in the morning.

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Now I can prove to my wife that I'm not crazy, or at least, I'm not the only one.