How to Write a Book: Creating Characters Part 1

Creating characters is essential when you learn how to write a book. Nubia Ramirez (above) is a core character of my book series and has become one of the more popular characters in the Hayekverse.

It's me, your favorite struggling independent thriller author, back to teach you, the new author, how to write a book. Today, we will talk about creating characters and making them worthwhile. While getting started can be difficult, you will be the best at writing books once you master creating characters.

Introduction to Character Creation

When creating characters, you need to find something that makes them tick. Likewise, you want to make them as relatable as possible. Readers will instantly catch on to your book and call it unrealistic if they spot something off.

Why Characters Matter

Characters matter because they drive your story forward. For example, the first character I ever created was Jon Drake. Instantly, from the start of the book, I establish his arc by having him get into a bar fight in Brazil. This is where his story begins.

Jon's fight at the start of the book drives the story. He essentially helps the reader instantly get hooked into the book through his rowdy personality, the hidden pain, and his interaction with the mysterious Vladimir Ramirez.

I establish a connection with the audience when I send Jon home to Orange County, where he connects with the people he used to love, such as his old friends Jessica Hudson and Ulisez Saucedo or his parental figure Frank Hudson. We all have various relationships that we treasure, and giving Jon some people to latch onto helps him tremendously.

Goals of Strong Characters

In addition to Jon, Jessica Hudson stands out as a strong character. She is immediately authentic in her very first scene, where she rips apart a therapist who is insulting her intelligence and treating her like a child. I build an emotional investment with the readers because we want to see what Jessica's story is about. Additionally, I give a stark contrast to Jon, who is a lush, while Jessica is a recovering addict. Many readers can identify with either character because many of us have attempted to drink away our pain. Both characters display it in different methods.

How to Write a Book by Conceptualizing Your Characters

Conceptualizing your characters is important. It's essential to establish them from the start of the book and then take the audience on a ride with them.

Core Identity

We all have a core identity. When creating characters, you want to give them something that sets them off from the rest. For some, identity means race, sexuality, or gender. For me, it's their character to the core.

With Jessica, I establish her as a headstrong woman with many issues as a result of her mother's death. She chose to forget the pain by doing drugs and going to raves. Doing so put her in trouble with the law, and she began rehab. Conversely, Jon began drinking to escape his situation as he dealt with tragedy after tragedy, which eventually led him to Brazil and the cartel.

Jon wants revenge on the men who killed his father. Likewise, Jessica wants justice for her mother's death. These two have similar goals but want to use different methods to get what they want. When you are creating characters, you must establish this early on.

Understanding Character Types

Jon and Jessica are dual protagonists in my book 'Jon Drake.' Sometimes, you will have one protagonist; other times, two. If you want to know how to write a book successfully, you also have to know how to understand the different character types.

Creating good antagonists is important, too. You must know how to establish them and set them apart. In my first book, I establish one antagonist early and the main antagonist later. I do it as a slow burn, with the characters slowly realizing what they are up against.

Secondary characters also play a role. When you learn how to write a book, your secondary characters will do a lot to drive the main character's characters' motivations. For me, I created two secondary characters who were pivotal to the story and so good that I gave them their own spin-off books.

Conclusion

Creating characters can be challenging. However, once you slowly start to understand what makes them tick. There is so much to character creation that putting that all in one blog is difficult. I will have more on character creation and creating characters that will make your readers keep reading. If you want books with compelling characters, check out my books on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Until next time, see you next time.