Tag: novel

10 tips creating interesting protagonists

If you are a writer who wants to craft engaging stories with memorable characters, you might be wondering how to create interesting protagonists that readers will care about. Protagonists are the main characters of your novel, the ones who drive the plot and face the main conflict. They are the ones who readers will root for, empathise with, and relate to. But how do you make them interesting and realistic? Here are 10 tips to help you create compelling protagonists for your novel.

1. Give them a clear goal and motivation. Your protagonist should have a clear and specific goal that they want to achieve by the end of the novel, and a strong reason why they want it. This will help you create a clear arc for your character and make them proactive and driven. For example, Harry Potter wants to defeat Voldemort because he killed his parents and threatens the wizarding world. Katniss Everdeen wants to survive the Hunger Games because she loves her sister and wants to protect her district.

2. Give them flaws and weaknesses. No one is perfect, and neither should your protagonist be. Giving your protagonist flaws and weaknesses will make them more human and relatable, and also create more challenges and conflicts for them to overcome. Flaws can be personality traits, habits, beliefs, or fears that hinder your protagonist from achieving their goal or make them act in ways that are not ideal. For example, Frodo Baggins is brave and loyal, but he is also naive and susceptible to the corrupting power of the Ring.

3. Give them strengths and skills. While your protagonist should have flaws and weaknesses, they should also have strengths and skills that help them overcome obstacles and achieve their goal. Strengths can be personality traits, talents, abilities, or values that make your protagonist admirable and likable, and also give them an edge in certain situations. For example, Hermione Granger is intelligent and knowledgeable, but she is also courageous and loyal.

4. Give them a backstory and a character arc. Your protagonist should have a history that shapes who they are and why they act the way they do. A backstory can include their family, friends, culture, education, experiences, traumas, or secrets that influence their personality, motivation, goal, and worldview. A character arc is the change that your protagonist undergoes throughout the novel as they face challenges, learn lessons, grow as a person, or achieve their goal. For example, Elizabeth Bennet starts out as a proud and prejudiced young woman who dislikes Mr. Darcy, but gradually learns to see beyond his outward appearance and manners and falls in love with him.

5. Give them a voice and a point of view. Your protagonist should have a distinctive voice and a point of view that reflects their personality, background, education, age, gender, culture, etc. A voice is the way your protagonist speaks or narrates the story, which can include their word choice, tone, style, humour, etc. A point of view is the perspective from which your protagonist sees and experiences the story, which can include their thoughts, feelings, opinions, biases, etc. For example, Holden Caulfield has a cynical and sarcastic voice and a rebellious and disillusioned point of view.

6. Give them relationships and interactions with other characters. Your protagonist should not exist in a vacuum; they should have relationships and interactions with other characters that affect their story and development. These can include allies, enemies, friends, family members, love interests, mentors, rivals, etc. These relationships and interactions can reveal more about your protagonist’s personality, motivation, goal, conflict, growth, etc. For example, Bilbo Baggins has relationships and interactions with Gandalf, the dwarves, Gollum, Smaug, that challenge and change him as a character.

7. Give them challenges and conflicts to overcome. Your protagonist should face challenges and conflicts that test their abilities, values, beliefs, and emotions. These can be external or internal, physical or psychological, personal or societal, etc. These challenges and conflicts should create tension, suspense, and stakes for your protagonist and your story. They should also force your protagonist to make choices and take actions that have consequences and implications for themselves and others. For example, Luke Skywalker faces challenges and conflicts with Darth Vader, the Empire, the Force, his family, his destiny.

8. Give them emotions and reactions to events. Your protagonist should have emotions and reactions to the events that happen in your story. These can be positive or negative, intense or subtle, expected or unexpected, etc. These emotions and reactions should show how your protagonist feels about themselves, others, and their situation. They should also affect their choices and actions. For example, Anne Shirley has emotions and reactions to her adoption, her new home, her schoolmates, her adventures.

9. Give them quirks and hobbies that make them unique. Your protagonist should have quirks and hobbies that make them stand out from other characters and add some flavour to your story. These can be physical traits, mannerisms, speech patterns, interests, passions, or hobbies that show your protagonist’s individuality and personality. They can also provide some comic relief, contrast, or insight into your protagonist’s character. For example, Sherlock Holmes has quirks such as his violin playing, his pipe smoking, his deductive reasoning, his eccentric behaviour.

10. Give them a name that suits them. Your protagonist should have a name that suits their personality, background, culture, age, gender, etc. A name can convey a lot of information about your character and create a first impression for your readers. You can choose a name that is common or uncommon, simple or complex, short or long, meaningful or random, etc. You can also use nicknames, aliases, titles, or initials to add some variety or mystery to your character’s name. For example, Jane Eyre has a name that is plain, simple, short, and common, which reflects her modest, practical, humble, and ordinary character.

10 writing tips

Writing a novel is not an easy task, but it can be rewarding and fulfilling if you follow some tips and techniques. Here are 10 tips that can help you in creating interesting stories for novel writers.

1. Start with a strong premise. A premise is the core idea or concept of your story, the main question or problem that drives the plot. A strong premise will intrigue your readers and make them want to know more. For example, what if a boy discovers he is a wizard and has to go to a school of magic? What if a girl falls in love with a vampire who wants to kill her? What if a detective has to solve a murder that he committed?

2. Develop your characters. Characters are the heart and soul of your story, the ones who make your readers care and empathize. To create interesting characters, you need to give them personality, motivation, goals, flaws, strengths, and conflicts. You also need to make them dynamic, meaning they change and grow throughout the story as a result of their experiences.

3. Create a plot outline. A plot outline is a roadmap of your story, the sequence of events that happen from the beginning to the end. A plot outline will help you organize your ideas, avoid plot holes, and maintain consistency and coherence. You can use different methods to create a plot outline, such as the three-act structure, the hero’s journey, or the snowflake method.

4. Write scenes that move the story forward. Scenes are the building blocks of your story, the units of action and dialogue that show what happens to your characters and how they react. To write effective scenes, you need to have a clear purpose for each scene, such as introducing a character, advancing the plot, revealing information, creating tension, or resolving a conflict. You also need to use sensory details, vivid descriptions, and realistic dialogue to immerse your readers in your story world.

5. Show, don’t tell. Showing means using specific details and examples to illustrate your point, while telling means using general statements and summaries to explain your point. Showing is more engaging and convincing than telling because it allows your readers to experience your story through their own senses and emotions. For example, instead of telling your readers that a character is angry, show them how they act, speak, and look when they are angry.

6. Use different types of conflict. Conflict is the engine of your story, the source of drama and suspense that keeps your readers interested and invested. Conflict can be external or internal, meaning it can come from outside forces or from within your characters. External conflict can be physical, such as fighting an enemy or escaping a danger; social, such as competing with a rival or opposing a group; or situational, such as facing a natural disaster or a moral dilemma. Internal conflict can be emotional, such as dealing with fear or guilt; psychological, such as struggling with an addiction or a mental illness; or moral, such as choosing between right and wrong.

7. Vary your sentence structure and word choice. Sentence structure and word choice are important elements of your writing style, the way you express yourself and convey your voice. To create interesting stories for novel writers, you need to vary your sentence structure and word choice to avoid monotony and repetition. You can use different types of sentences, such as simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex; different lengths of sentences, such as short, medium, or long; and different types of words, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, synonyms, antonyms, or figurative language.

8. Use dialogue to reveal character and advance plot. Dialogue is the spoken words between your characters, the way they communicate and interact with each other. Dialogue can reveal character by showing their personality traits, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and motivations. Dialogue can also advance plot by moving the action forward, providing information, creating tension, or resolving conflict. To write effective dialogue, you need to make it realistic, consistent, distinctive, and concise.

9. Revise and edit your draft. Revising and editing are essential steps in creating interesting stories for novel writers. Revising means improving the content, structure, and style of your draft, while editing means correcting the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting of your draft. To revise and edit your draft, you need to read it multiple times, get feedback from others, and use tools such as dictionaries, thesauruses, or grammar checkers.

10. Publish or share your story. Publishing or sharing your story is the final step in creating interesting stories for novel writers. Publishing means making your story available to the public, while sharing means giving your story to specific people or groups. You can publish or share your story in different ways, such as submitting it to a publisher, agent, or magazine; self-publishing it online or in print; or posting it on a blog, website, or social media platform. Publishing or sharing your story will help you reach an audience, get feedback, and improve your skills as a writer.