There are multiple schools of thought about where fiction characters come from. Some writers consider them made-up puppets who can be moved and made to speak at the whim or the writer. Other fiction writers consider their characters to be vivid figments of their imagination, while still others accept them as fully functioning beings in their own right.
Wherever the fiction character comes from, it is important to make them as realistic as possible. People want to get to know the characters in a novel or short story. They want to identify with them, sympathize with them, or grow to hate them.
In order to create this type of real life fiction characters for your readers to enjoy, you have to take into account the following five tips.
One: Create a History for Your Fiction Character
Some fiction writers create an entire history for their fiction character in either story or character sheet form. Whichever way you like will work best for you. On this character sheet, you should include information about where they were born, into what sort of family, what type of education they have, and what their job or career is.
You can also include such information as past loves, failed romances, any trauma or accidents, and other meaningful events. These all help to shape a person, or a fiction character.
Two: Create Motivations for Your Fiction Character
Every person on the earth has reasons for doing what they do. If your character comes across an abandoned puppy, it is not enough to know that the character either took it home and took care of it, or kicked it. To create a real life fiction character, you should know why your character acted like that. The more like real people you make the character, the more real life the character will be.
Three: Get to Know Their Family and Home Life
A human being has attachments. So should your fiction character. Since you want your reader to identify and sympathize with your fiction character, you should give them understandable attachments. A mother will act differently than a single young man, and a widower will act differently still. It is important for you to know where your character is coming from.
Four: Give Your Fiction Character a Flaw
Some fiction writers make the mistake of making perfect characters. They create people that they would love to be: the perfect job, the perfect spouse, and the perfect look. Fiction readers can spot this type of fakery a mile away. No one is perfect in real life, and your character should not be perfect either.
Five: Give Your Fiction Character a Dream
Last of all, you should give your fiction character a dream. Even more than their past experiences, this will fuel their actions. Even if your reader never finds out that Bob, your fiction character, really wants to be an artist, that fact will add a layer to Bob's personality.
Essentially, the more similar you make your fiction characters to real life people, the more your readers will believe in them.
