Building A Three Dimensional Character

What is it about those characters in the books we always go back to and read over and over again. We love them. Right? Now, I know a lot of people will say things like, "Well of course I do! Jaime Frasier is like totally sexy!" But is that really it? Is it really about the sex appeal or the great lines?

Absolutely not.

It is all about the fact that the author has created a completely three dimensional character.

Too often, when I read submissions, authors are giving me very little to work with. Sure, they have a plot and sure they are telling me things about what the characters are doing and what they look like, but 

that is all they are doing. They are just telling me. They remind me of that wonderful character of Flat Stanley! (OK, I love Flat Stanley but you get the idea). These characters are two-dimensional. 

When I teach creative writing, one of the first fun activities I do is to have someone describe someone in the classroom. It is really fun if I am working with people they already know. What do they do? It is all about their physical traits - what they are wearing, their hair color and so forth? But is that all? Do I need to reference Romeo and Juliet here? (II, ii 40-43) "What's a Montague? It is not hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet?" 

There are a lot of workshops out there teaching about character building and all are starting in the right direction. We often start with talking about their GMC, or their Goals Motivations and Conflicts. In simple terms, what are their goals in the story? What motivates them to achieve the goal, and what are their conflicts that are standing in their way? While this is great, you should see something about the way I have written this. The emphasis is often on THE STORY and THE PLOT! While this does indeed give us a bit more about who the character is, the questions is, do we have enough? Time to quote Shakespeare again. Hamlet III, iii, 87 "NO!" (I love that quote)

To really build a character is to take some time, on your own, outside of the novel and think about your character. This is something one of my directors had us do with each of our characters we performed. He had us tell us everything about our character, and I mean everything. I know this might sound weird but consider answering these questions:

• What value meal would your character order at McDonalds?
• Is your character left or right handed?
• Who did your character first kiss when he or she was a little kid?
• What would your character's play list be on Spotify?

I am talking about really mundane things. Because, if you think about it, what is it that makes you, you? It is all of those everyday things? We have to know what motivates your character to do those everyday things? 

Knowing this will also prevent you from adding in weird backstory dumps to create a "reason" for the character to do something in your story. If your Regency hero is almost ODC organized about everything, instead of coming up with something about his uncle raising him in this abusive structured home, maybe it was because, as a kid, he had a ton of Lego bricks and he had to keep them organized to build that massive Lego Death Star.

OK, maybe Lord Bibbington didn't have a Lego collection but he had toy soldiers. Still it is the idea behind the thought. 

So, your project this weekend is to think about your characters. Go beyond that Pinterest board you created with just pictures of your character. Think about the small stuff. Take your character to McDonalds and have her order something and see what she gets! It might be fun!!!!!