Character’s Past

This post has a Podcast Version! Check it out here: My Amuseing Life Season 2, Episode 1

Word of the Week:

Development: the process of developing or being developed.: ” Develop: grow or cause to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate (Encyclopaedia, B. (2023). Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/development)

10 Ways to Build Unique Characters:

1. Give your character both strengths and flaws.  We all have both negative and positive traits, and your characters should too.
2. Give your character a past.  Wherever your character is in the story, it’s likely something in their past has made them who they are today.  Think about your characters happiest memories, worst memories, and how they impacted them.  Try to include memories in your story through methods such as flashbacks and dialogue.  
3. Develop your character’s physical characteristics.  Does your character’s appearance impact the story at all?  What do they look like?  These characteristics should become an important part of your story, or they may not be needed.
4. Do your research.  If your character is drastically different than your own personality, culture, or background, do research to see how your character might actually act and respond to various situations.
5. Create conflict.  Internal, external or both.  What is keeping your character from getting what they want?
6. Use secondary characters to build your primary characters.  These characters might be the exact opposite of your primary character, or they may have similarities to them but should help bring out your main character’s strengths.
7. Show your character’s reputation with strangers.  How do those who don’t really know your character view them?  What are their first impressions?
8. Change: How does your character change and grow throughout the story?
9. Find a name that “fits” your character.  
10. Use dialogue.  You can show a lot about your character through how they talk to others.  How would they try to convince the villain of the story they are wrong?  How do they interact with their best friend?  Their brother or sister?

Writing Prompt: Your Character’s Past:

 Give your character a past.  Choose a main character from one of your stories, and create a past for them.  

• Where were they born?  
• Where did they come from? 
• What was their childhood like?  
• How old are they now?  
• What events, people, and places shaped them?

Free Printable Character Past activity sheet: