If you’re wondering how to write interesting characters so your readers can distinguish between them, you’re not alone. It takes some practice to create a unique style and voice for every character.

How is it Done?

“The devil is in the details.”

It’s not enough to choose a name, hair color, height, and sex for each character. For your characters to leap off the page, you must have unique characteristics, mannerisms, beliefs, and much more for each one.

You may be asking, “But how do I do that?”

To start, think about all of the people you know or have known in the past. What about them stands out? What makes them unique?

There’s a comedy movie I’ve seen several times called, Why Did I Get Married. There’s a character named Marcus. Whenever he lies, he follows up every statement with “Know what I’m saying?” That’s how everyone who knows him knows that he’s lying. His wife always has a glass of wine in her hand. These are two examples of what makes characters stand out; what sets them apart.

When you’re creating a character, write everything you can think of that makes them unique and use those things throughout the story so the reader can easily tell who is talking.

Does your character:

Have unruly hair they’re always twirling?

Do they constantly adjust their clothing?

Do they have repetitive habits?

Do they speak quickly? Slowly? Avert their eyes when they’re shy or lying?

Do they only wear purple?

I have a short book on Amazon called How to Create a Protagonist Your Reader Never Forgets. The book is only .99 and is in a questionnaire format with the reasoning behind each question. I wrote it to help you create unique characters. I have the questions one after the other to build your character, gathering more details as you go along.

I created it for writers who struggle in this exact area. Click the link above if you think it may help you.

In the meantime, here’s an exercise to help you get better at creating unique characters.

• Pick 3 people you know well.
• Write down their names.
• Write 5 sentences on what makes them unique/stand out. You can write it in list form is you’d like.
• From those 5 sentences or points, if you were to read what you wrote to someone else who knows those same people, would they be able to guess who they are from what you wrote?
• If not, try it again. Really try to capture that person’s uniqueness in those five sentences or points.

Once you have the hang of it, apply that idea the next time you create a character. By doing that exercise, then applying it, you’ll also be practicing show rather than tell.

Remember, the devil is in the details.”

Now, if you’d like some more guidance as you create your characters, grab the .99 eBook. It’ll make creating unique characters easier and more in-depth than what I describe here.

I hope this helps. Happy Writing! Gina