Another writer messaged me today to ask how they could make their characters more realistic and three dimensional. I believe this takes time and many hours of people watching. For example, the type of clothes a person wears, or the way they speak, can say a lot about their personality. The more detail you have about a character, the easier it is to write them into all manner of situations. The fun begins when you have a rich tapestry of characters and then allow them to interact with each other.

However, there are certain characters that you will find in most good novels. They are the foundations on which a good story can be built. Once you are aware of the different character types, you can then use these components in your own novels. Each of these characters will have their own unique role within the story.

Protagonist

Every novel needs a main character; sometimes the protagonist can also be the narrator of the story. The majority of novels have only one protagonist. Although it is possible to have two, it is extremely hard to write a novel around two main characters. They will become too weak and the story will struggle as a result, and I speak from personal experience. When you have written several novels and you are quite accustomed to structuring a storyline, then you can write a novel with a complicated plot with two main characters.

Sidekick

A sidekick is the second-in-command to your protagonist. The most famous sidekicks in literature are Friday in Robinson Crusoe, Horatio in Hamlet or Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter novels. This character has an important role to play, even though the storyline doesn’t revolve around them. The protagonist may rely on their help to overcome an obstacle or call on their advice to resolve a problem. The secondary plot usually revolves around the sidekick.

Antagonist

An antagonist is the villain in the novel. They will be responsible for causing obstacles and problems for the protagonist to overcome to achieve their objective. The antagonist doesn’t have to be a person, it can be an internal conflict such as a phobia or mental illness. The opposing force can be absolutely anything. For example, Winston Smith versus Big Brother in 1984 and who can forget the whale in Moby Dick?

Love interest

This character is self-explanatory. They can be the sidekick and they are the character that the protagonist ineviatably falls in love with or not; this is something you can play with as you write the novel. You can take them on some twists and turns throughout the novel, placing obstacles in their way. My only advice on this character would be not to draw out the conclusion to this love story for too long or it could cause the reader to become frustrated and lose interest in the story

Tertiary character

These characters are neither main characters or sidekicks, but they do play an important role within the plot. They will play a crucial role in the journey of the main character. For example, teachers at Hogwarts, such as Snape.

Flat character

These characters are not there to move the story along, and they appear only briefly. Their purpose is to help the main character with something. Flat characters can be anything from a policeman to a bartender. Even though they are seen briefly, this doesn’t mean they cannot have a memorable personality. So you could give them a certain way of speaking or moving, or even a noticeable facial feature like a large scar.

The more aware you are about the different characters and their roles in the story, the better informed you will be when you are choosing your characters and giving them a place in your novel.