How to Start a Novel (pt. 2)

Before I start sharing the ultimate recipe for lovable, unforgettable characters, I'd like to apologize for taking so long to update the website. I won't bother you with excuses, but you'll likely be able to understand as fellow victims of the torture this world calls 'school'.

This is Part 2 of the 'How to Start a Novel' series, using information from many different online sources, and some things I've learned just from reading amazing novels. I'm only a beginner like everyone else, with a lot of things left for me to know. That's why I've depended on the very best writing blogs and websites to back up what I already know.

This series is for those of us who haven't yet started writing our novels, but want to--and also for those who want some assurance they're starting out right.

Maybe you've been into writing and reading since you were a wee little thing, or maybe the inspiration only struck you recently. Maybe you love reading novels now, and know a bit about how it's done, or maybe you don't have a clue. I can tell you, I was (and still am, sort of) a little bit of both.

Either way, wherever you're coming from, and whatever age you may be, these rules apply to everyone.

PT. 2: CREATING CHARACTERS

There were several gaps in Part 1, about structuring your novel's action, because characters are so incredibly vital to what goes on in any story. Even if you had an awesome plot that followed the 7-step rule and contained inconceivable amounts of pressure and tension, flat, distant characters will make your readers want a refund.

Believe it or not, there are several different archetypes when it comes to characters, with one type of character working better in certain genres than another would. You must also understand your readers' expectations. More on that soon.

There are 7 things you can't create characters without knowing about. There is no specific order or level of importance, but going without even one of these things can completely ruin a novel. In this article, we'll go over:

1: The Archetypes

2: What Makes a Character Interesting?

3: How Genre and Plot Setting Affects Your Character

4: Appearences

5: The Supporting Characters

6: The Antagonist

7: Your Character and Conflict

The best books have the best characters. Lovable, unforgettable characters that feel like good friends--friends that we want to see succeeding.

Once you understand what makes such good characters, you'll be untouchable. Of course, each writer adds their own magic into their creations, little made-up things that make them unique. So trust your own style and personality when creating characters, using this infallible recipe as a guide.

THE ARCHETYPES

Archetypes are all the different personalities a protagonist can have, along with their inner wants and needs--and weaknesses--that differ according to personality. You don't always need to follow the rules of archetypes, but it's good to use them as a guide.

The simplest list is found in 'Jung's 12 Character Archetypes', which can be read here:

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/Ab8LLrpsPh_B98dRDQVp7GdYYqpRfXpe3XpBnAc125Rt84mlWMpUYF4/

But if you want the idea broken down even more, it has been done. There are 3 main archetypes, which absolutely must be found in a novel, and apply to the antagonist as well as the main characters. There is a full explanation for the 3 main archetypes below.

This is from a TheWritePractice blog post. They explain the three main archetypes better than I can.

Please note that I am not attempting plagiarism. I didn't write any of what's below. I give TheWritePractice full credit, and suggest that you subscribe to them, because they're the best writing blog out there right now, in my opinion.

" In the Harry Potter saga there are really three different kinds of heroes. These heroic archetypes pop up all over Western Literature, and as soon as I identify them, I'm sure you can think of other examples in movies, television, literature, and maybe even in your own stories.

The three types of heroes are:

The Classic Hero
The Every Man Hero
The Anti-Hero

Harry Potter: The Classic Hero

Harry is a representation of all the best qualities in our society: courage, intelligence, athleticism, and loyalty. He is the standard Classic Hero, the best of the best, the cream of the crop. The guy everyone knows will succeed.

The problem is, he's so good it no longer surprises us when he wins. To keep us on our toes, Rowling throws plenty of failure his way (spoiler alert): the death of Sirius, the dissolution of his friendship with Dumbledore, and then Dumbledore's death. Since Harry is so capable, Rowling has to work hard to keep us questioning whether he can succeed after all. Otherwise, the story becomes predictable.

Great writers are always conscious of their character arcs. Protagonists need to change and grow. Otherwise, we lose interest in them. It can be difficult to show growth in the Classic Hero. They're so perfect already, how can they get better? That's why authors will often make orphans of their heroes (e.g. Superman, Batman, Harry Potter, every fantasy book ever written). This motivates the hero to fix the great evil in the world that wounded them so deeply. Of course, as they heal others, they find healing themselves.

Neville Longbottom: The Every Man Hero

Every Man heroes are not as difficult as Classic Heroes. After Deathly Hallows, Part II, my wife reposted a picture on Facebook that showed Neville holding the Sword of Gryffindor and said, "Neville got hot."

The Every Man Hero doesn't have any exemplary qualities on his own. He or she is not particularly intelligent, athletic, or brave. They are normal like the rest of us. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Of course, that's exactly what makes these Every Man (or Woman) Heroes so amazing. They become our representatives to the land of heroic deeds. They do the things we always wonder if we could do if we were put in extraordinary circumstances. They are us, and who wouldn't want to watch themselves be the hero? That's why everyone cheered louder in the theater when Neville cut the head off that scary snake than they did when Harry finally finally killed Voldemort. They were really cheering for themselves.

Severus Snape: The Anti-Hero

However, the most important story in all of Harry Potter is not Harry's or Neville's, it's Snape's. Even now, months after seeing the movie, I still get choked up when I think about Snape and his doe patronus.

The real question at the heart of Harry Potter is, Can love win? And it's answered in Snape, the second cruelest person in the world, next to Voldemort, who is somehow transformed by love.

Snape, like all Anti-Heroes, represents what society detests: cruelty, cowardice, self-interest, and dishonesty. He is the opposite of the hero, a villain, and yet somehow he's a villain on the good guys' side. Because of this, anti-heroes are almost always our favorite character. Han Solo, Ryan Gosling's character in Crazy, Stupid Love , and Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield in literature are all examples of Anti-Heroes. We like them because they have the widest character arc, the most room to grow, and because sometimes it's just fun to root for the bad guy. "

Here's the link to the full post:

http://thewritepractice.com/harry-potter-and-the-three-types-of-heroes/#disqusthread

WHAT MAKES A CHARACTER INTERESTING?

You're going to hear this a lot (and maybe already have if you've been surfing different writing blogs), but the best characters are what's called three-dimensional. Three-dimensional characters are not only more realistic and easier to empathize with, but they're interesting enough to make readers want to keep reading. There are 5 things a character needs to be three-dimensional. Look for them in Pixar movies and best-selling novels.

1) Weaknesses.

No one likes to read about a perfectly perfect character who is loved by all and never makes mistakes, because that doesn't happen in the real world. I would sneer at a main character who's the most popular girl in class, has 100 boyfriends, and gets along nicely with her parents. But, it would be wonderful to see a twist--that this "angel" is really a psychotic serial killer hiding her tracks. Characters don't always have to be quite that extreme, but you get the idea. Remember that readers love reflections of themselves.

2) A Goal.

Characters in a story should exist because they want something. A goal is the main thing driving your novel's plot. The protagonist should want something throughout each and every scene--anything from a glass of water to world domination--and the plot comes when they come against opposition. The protagonist's goal can change over time, but make sure that whatever goal he/she has at the moment affects his/her decisions. Now, keep in mind that I'm talking about an 'outer' goal, which isn't exactly the character's inner conflict. Their 'inner' goals do have a lot to do with their 'outer' goals, though, often unknowingly.

3) Inner Want and Need.

This is where things get interesting. The most vital ingredient to a three-dimensional character is having inner wants and needs that make them who they are and make them do what they do. For example, the main character could be a woman stubbornly looking for love. She won't settle for anything but "the right man", but is somehow very withdrawn and unfriendly towards every man she dates. The woman doesn't know it, but this is because she is still trying to heal from her husband's sudden death and wants to be happy again. She doesn't want to be alone, but at the same time she can't bring herself to love another man. Her journey will be about allowing herself to grieve and move on in life independently until she is truly ready for love.

4) Ghosts.

No, I don't mean the kind of ghosts that go bump in the night. Ghosts are events in a protagonist's life that are the cause of their weaknesses and strengths, and often what's holding them back from their goal--or fueling the pursuit of a goal. In other words, your character's backstory. Backstory makes a character vulnerable and relatable. Something happened that changed and scarred the protagonist forever. It could be the death of a loved one or the reveal of a staggering truth. Whatever it is, hold it close to you when writing the book, and share it with the readers bit by bit to make them care. The worst mistake you can make is introducing your protagonist with their backstory! I'll explain this and other fatal mistakes in another post.

5) Characterization.

Now that we've gone over all the deep stuff, it's time to form your character's personality. This is what's on the surface--the way they talk and act around other people. Are they a whiny brat, or a natural leader? Don't be afraid to give your character strengths, hobbies, and charm. Maybe they love to pull pranks, or maybe they'd rather read a book. Sometimes it helps to model your protagonist a bit after yourself or someone you know. I'll be discussing below how you can match their looks with their personality. And keep your eyes peeled for a post on how to get to know your character better!

HOW GENRE AND PLOT SETTINGS AFFECT YOUR CHARACTER

Believe it or not, in the fictional world, there are stereotypes. Or rather, repetitions. They're not repetitions like cliches, which are bad--but realistic repetitions that follow the laws of fictional physics in a way. If the same settings or upbringings are seen in different books, you will find the same results.

Let me give you an example to help you understand. Have you read any books or seen any movies with an orphan as the main character? Well, in most cases, the orphan is bothered by either their lack of identity or by the fact that their parents abandoned them, even if that's not the main plot. They may even suffer teasing or isolation. Orphans are a favourite of writers because of this identity crisis just waiting to happen. You'll find this repetition in every fictional story about an orphan, hidden somewhere in the character's inner wants and needs if not painfully obvious. If writers didn't include that, then why make the main character an orphan as all? The protagonist's identity must affect the plot in some way, otherwise the identity must be changed. The same goes for setting. I discussed the importance of setting in Part 1--that it can completely change a character's personality. If they grew up in the mountains, they're going to be a nature lover. If they grew up in a mansion surrounded by riches, chances are they're going to be spoiled and ungrateful.

And finally, there is something more indirect: genre. That's right, even the genre of a novel can make a difference in the main character's personality. Action movies always star brave, strong people, even if they don't start out that way. Romances love loneliness and insecurity in characters. Fantasy novels will always have those characters having less power than everyone else, or, on the other hand, something special about them.

Despite the patterns that can be easily seen once looked for, these stereotypes will never be overused. The truth is, there really are certain traits that work better with certain genres.

APPEARANCES

Let's face it--looks do matter. I don't mean that they matter when it comes to self-worth (be tru to yu <3), I mean it matters when it comes to how others perceive you. Don't give me that look. Everyone is guilty of judging books by their covers, both literally and figuratively. If you saw a man walking around barefoot, with rags hanging from his shoulders, wouldn't you assume he was a hobo? And if you met a student wearing a revealing shirt, toddler-sized shorts and a provocative smirk, wouldn't you assume she was a bit of a flirt? In both cases, you'd probably be right. The same applies to the fictional world. Professional writers take advantage of the human capacity to judge a person based off their looks. There are smart people wearing glasses, flirts wearing provocative clothing, disorganized or careless people with messy hair, and sport-lovers with gigantic muscles. If you described any characters like that, the readers would be able to draw conclusions, and likely correct conclusions at that, without having to be told what that character does. But it goes even deeper. The mood or behavior behind a person can even be assumed based off hair or eye colour! I have described a character as having "deep emerald green eyes" to pass the idea of that character being thoughtful, and "slick black hair" to tell you this character is neat.

Make every description count and seem to 'match' with that character's personality, and don't forget the power of suggestion.

THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

Supporting characters are the other people in the protagonist's life--the people they interact with most. That could be a best friend, a family member, a co-worker, or a jail mate. These people should have an impact on the main character's life, and sometimes their decisions. They're called "supporting characters" for a reason. You should describe them, giving them their own appearances and personalities. The less important ones should be described with less detail, because the most important (or the 'main' supporting characters) are the ones you want your readers to remember. The best supporting characters help balance out--or challenge--the protagonist's strengths and weaknesses. If the main character is a rowdy and irresponsible guy, make his girlfriend the only buffer between him and death by being sensible and polite. You don't have to make supporting characters so different from the main character. They should always be exactly the same in at least one way, whether it be a hobby, like an obsession with NFL games, or a situation, like both being stranded on an island.

The biggest problem newer writers face is unintentionally making their supporting characters too bland, simply because, well, they're not the main character.

The best advice on avoiding this is found in a quote:

"Your supporting characters are the main characters in their own world."

THE ANTAGONIST (OR 3RD ARCHETYPE)

The antagonist should be the exact opposite of the protagonist. Remember that, because it's very important. The "bad guy" doesn't necessarily have to be evil. All you need is for him to be the opposite of the character your readers are rooting for. You can make things even juicier by making them have different ideals or opinions. If the protagonist is an introvert and a tree-hugger who believes that the right friends will come to her, make the antagonist loud, outgoing, and disrespectful of Mother Earth. It doesn't always have to be the classic 'good guy vs. bad guy' fight, although those can be cool. Remember, the antagonist is really the third archetype, there to oppose the main character's goals. Which means, he/she is a character too, and needs to be just as three-dimensional as the protagonist. Above all, keep in mind that the villian is always the protagonist in their own world, and the best fictional bad guys in history are able to draw reluctant empathy from the readers (think of Loki from Marvel, Voldemort from Harry Potter...).

Go here for more details:

http://thewritepractice.com/how-to-create-better-villains/

YOUR CHARACTER AND CONFLICT

The relationship between your main character and the conflict-stuffed plot is what can make or break a novel. After three-dimensionalism in every character, the next lifeline of any story is a character arc. The character arc is the foundation, the layout, of the whole plot. The purpose of every scene and all opposition is to develop the protagonist while they chase after their outer goal. they are met with opposition (or the antagonist), and fighting back helps them discover their inner wants and needs. Near the climax, the main character is forced to face their ghost. And when they do, they come out completely new. See how it all connects? The purpose of your story, and the reason readers keep reading--it's all to see your main character find their happy ending. Remember what we discussed in Part 1, about the resolution? That's what this is. That's what a novel is. The protagonist's journey into a better life.

If you follow these rules, and others coming soon, your readers will put down your book feeling like they've said goodbye to a good friend.

Stay tuned for Part 3, where I will run through a few other important tips and tricks to making your novel amazing. I'll be addressing the best ways to begin a novel, why writing background can be tricky, how to find a name for your character, and how to pick the right genre.