A memorable novel needs to have an excellent range of characters to keep the reader engrossed in the story. That is the reason you ought to invest energy in creating good, strong characters. When you begin your novel, you have to consider the characters that will make up the backbone of the book. There are certain criteria a character requires to become a three-dimensional, believable person. These rules apply to principle characters, bad guys, supporting characters and even minor characters.

An Objective and an Obstacle

There must be something tangible that the character wants to achieve; the objective must be able to be measured by a result. Becoming a better person is not specific and it cannot be measured. However, tracking down a drug lord and bringing him to justice can be measured. In other words, you can see when it has been achieved. The objective must be difficult to get and there also has to be opposition and obstacles before that goal can be realised. You must also include a person or force trying to inhibit the success, making the character jump through hoops before they get there. On the way, it is also a good idea to make the character face and overcome a personal and emotional fear.

Motivation

After you have decided on an objective for your character, you must then question why they want to achieve the goal. There are many motives to choose from, but the more personal to them, the better. If the goal is personal, the reader will get an insight into the character's inner personality and thoughts. The reader will then care about the character and will want them to succeed.

The Character's Backstory

You may have heard of the term backstory before, and it basically means everything that the character has gone through before the novel begins. The more detailed you can make the main character's backstory, the easier it will be to write your novel because you will know how they are going to react to any given event or person as the story moves forward. Like real life, a person's prior history makes them behave in a certain way; their personal baggage has formed their outlook on life. It is a good idea to reveal the character's inner thought processes through their actions, and how they communicate with the other characters. For example, if a character has been hurt by a past relationship, he may find it difficult to show emotion. Remember, actions speak louder than words.

No-one is Perfect

If you create a character who has no flaws, then they will become two-dimensional. There is no such thing as a perfect person, everyone has fears or a life history that makes them react in a certain way. If your character has everything and needs nothing to complete their life, then the story has no growing room. The story has to change the character in some way, for better or for worse. The character's flaws can also be used as an obstacle they must overcome, whether it be a phobia or fear. For example, the character is trying to rescue her sister who is trapped in a deserted house. The character has a fear of rats and before she enters the house, she can hear the rats scuttling around inside.

One Character Does Not Make a Story

So you have created a realistic protagonist to your story, now what? Who are they going to interact with? If you do not have at least four good, strong characters in your novel, then the main character will have no depth. Make your other characters as rich and detailed, with their own backstory and their own flaws and aspirations. Each character must have their own unique place in the story to move it forward. Whether they are there to help the main character or cause chaos, you are the writer, so you must decide.