How to Write a Rounded Character
Be it hero or villain every character needs to have some substance.
Every story has two types of base characters.
You’ll have your broad-chested hero running around in tight spandex and you’ll have your villain with his twirly mustache and long flowing cape. Unfortunately, most beginning (and some professional) writers portray these characters as flat as the paper they are being printed on.
So how can you make sure your character, be it the dashing hero or the debonair villain connects with your reader as a full and well-rounded character?
Substance. Personality. Likability.
Hero Characters
Let's begin with our heroes since they’re typically the ones your reader is rooting for so let’s make sure they're worth the crowd and cheers.
What's the number one thing I can do to have a relatable hero?
Give them a flaw.
Now don’t confuse flaw for weakness.
Superman is great and all, but it’s not his Kryptonite I mean.
A weakness is something that makes your character less effective in their abilities.
A flaw is any sort of bias, personal limitation, or vice, that personally affects your character.
Where would Batman be without his vengeful arrogance and trust issues? Would readers care about him so much if he were Butterflyman? A superhero who is always joyful and out fighting crime on bright sunny days and flashy costume colors?
Probably not.
I don’t think my brother would have begged Santa for his accessory belt and cape if that was the case.
Humans aren’t perfect and just because a human has some special ability that makes them able to fly or walk through solid objects doesn’t mean they are now perfect either.
Give them:
Arrogance
Cowardice
Dishonesty
Greed
Rage
Selfishness
These are all character flaws your readers can relate to and your hero can overcome on their personal journey while they’re saving their princess from the high tower.
Maybe they have a fear of heights.
Villain Characters
We love to hate them, but they give more to the story than just a means to a happy end.
Think of Loki, The Terminator, Snape, and The Joker, what do they all have in common besides the slicked-back greasy hair.
They’re not all bad. (Though I will argue that Snape doesn’t deserve redemption with my dying breath. An unrequited schoolboy crush does not make someone a good man )
These guys aren’t bad just for the sake of being bad, they all have some positive traits about them.
(Except Snape)
A villain who goes around and just causes mayhem for no reason isn’t a character your reader will care about. Sure we want the bad guy to get caught, but without substance, the action in your story will be one-sided.
Having a hero go against a villain, shouldn't be, the bad guy wants to blow up City Hall because boom, and the hero wants to stop him just because he’s a hero.
It should be morals against morals.
The bad guy has a personal vendetta against City Hall for not fixing the pothole that flipped his wife's car, hero was saved from starvation by a city-run food program out of the same building.
Readers need to be able to see what each side is fighting for so they have an invested interest in the stakes.
Don’t make your hero a perfect example of a prime human or your villain a bad guy just because he wants to be bad. All characters are based on humans and humans have reasons for their misdeeds and nobody is perfect.
By making both characters someone your reader can connect with it will be easier for them to relate to the story and become immersed in the world you are building.
Keep writing,
You’re doing a great job.
With love,
B.K. xo
If you’d like to have my stories sent directly to your inbox you can subscribe to me here for free or consider supporting me with a $7 a month subscription
Read every story from Barbara King (and thousands of other writers on Medium).
https://barbara-king-writes.medium.com/membership
Your membership fee directly supports Barbara King and other writers you read. You’ll also get full access to every story on Medium.
Other Places to Find Barbara King