Character Design (or, Writing Memorable Characters)

It’s easy to write characters that everyone has seen, or who are without depth or… character. Especially in fantasy literature.

These articles share some of my thoughts on how to make unique characters and get your readers to care about them. Or, if they should, to loathe them instead.

Start With a Human, Let the World Build Itself

Some people love to build worlds, and that’s great. But even the most well-crafted worlds will fall short if the characters don’t fit. Read how to wrap your world around your characters >

Writing Fantasy Races: Elves? Which Elves?

A character’s race and cultural background will directly impact their story, of course. But we sometimes approach fantasy races, especially elves, from a different place than some of our readers. Read about how to frame Elves in your story >

Naming Characters, Creatures, and Places Without Regret

A great character needs a name to match up. As the writer, you also need to be able to speak about that character with confidence. Consider this before you finalize your character’s name >

It’s Okay To Write Strange Characters

Humans are strange. Every last one of us. But we often want to write “normal characters” and drop them into a fantasy world. Read about writing “strange” characters, and why you should >

Character Design: Writing Consistent Characters

One of the biggest ways to lose the interest of your readers is to make your characters inconsistent. Read about writing consistent characters >

Make Your Characters Thirsty

We tend to write our characters in idealized stories. But, often it’s the small, relatable things that connect with your readers. Read about “humanizing” your fantasy characters >

Writing About Disoriented Characters

It’s a toss-up between the fantasy and sci-fi genres as to which has more ways to stun or disorient a character. Before you write about characters who aren’t quite coherent, read this >