Crafting Multi-Layered Characters

by Martina Boone

If you’re a writer, it’s pretty much a given that you love
to read. But when’s the last time you really sat down and observed an influential
character in one of your favorite books? I mean really went through the book and took notes on the many facets of
your character that the author intentionally
crafted. If you’re like me, that would be never. It’s been a whirlwind starting
the first week of my M.F.A. in Children’s Literature, but doing this very
exercise was revealing and well worth it.

Using a popular middle grade novel, I combed through the
pages looking for five methods of characterization that, when put together,
made the characters memorable and realistic. You may be saying, I don’t have
time for that or, “I’ve read it and I can tick off things I know about the
character.” But consider this a crucial task in developing as a writer so that
your characters don’t fall flat.

So what exactly can we observe about memorable characters to
demystify why they work? It breaks down to the following five items:

· Physical descriptions: These are usually scant
and easy to start with because good writing includes a somewhat limited idea of
what a character actually looks like.
But memorable writing hooks the reader with at least one thing they can hold
onto for each character.

· Actions: How does your character move? Do they
have a physical hobby or a way of moving when interacting with someone else?
What they do reveals a lot about your character by showing, not telling.

· Dialogue: This is a two-step process. Not only
are you looking for what a character directly says, but delve deeper into that
speech. Is there something they’re really
saying but not coming right out with it? Is there something they’re not saying? Read between the lines, so
to speak.

· Effects on others: Take a close look at how
characters are responding to the character in question. Are they influenced by
the way your character is behaving or speaking? Does your character compel
others to act or speak like them? Unlike them?

· Beliefs or thoughts: Good writing is likely not
going to come right out and tell you about your character’s belief system or
values. You will have to read between the lines again, maybe using some of the
features listed above to draw your own conclusions. Are they optimistic,
fearful, conservative, liberal, faithless? This is hard to pin down, but will
pay out in dividends because as you write your own characters, you’ll be able
to anticipate their reaction to an event you craft.

The idea is that in closely studying why you fell in love with
(or blatantly despised) a character from another book, you’ll be better
equipped to craft your own memorable characters. You’ll be amazed at how much
double-duty your writing is doing to reveal character while moving your plot
forward.

We’d love to know what you think. Can you recall a memorable
character from a favorite read that you can hold onto through one of these
methods of characterization? Have you studied these facets of the characters
you’re currently writing? Please share to comments.

Happy Character-Crafting,

Marissa

Martina Boone

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of the romantic southern gothic Heirs of Watson Island series, starting with COMPULSION from Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse and the Celtic Legends Collection of novels set in Scotland, Cornwall, and Ireland beginning with LAKE OF DESTINY. She’s passionate about improving lives through literacy and the love of books, and she runs the Compulsion For Reading program to distribute books to underserved schools and libraries.

She lives with her husband, children, Shetland Sheepdog Phinney, and Zoey the lopsided cat, and she enjoys writing contemporary romantic fiction with a hint of magic set in small towns and beautiful places. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Post © Martina Boone and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Jun 26, 2012

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags:

Welcome to Transmedia Mutts

Yellow origami dog on a teal background

Unleash your creative bark!

Shout out to AYAP!

Logo for Adventures in YA Publishing

Thank you to the women who started Adventures in YA Publishing and ran it for years. AYAP and TMM have merged to form Adventures in PUPlishing, and the legacy AYAP posts are now part of TMM. Click here to learn more about the earlier AYAP team.

Click to Join our Facebook Group

Share advice, practice pitching, celebrate successes, and support each other through writing and publishing adventures.

← Previous: 1st 5 Pages June Workshop - Poston 3rd Revision Next: WOW Wednesday: Only You Can Write It by Lynne Kelly →

The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

Dog holding a sign that says Pupdates!

Sign up for our newsletter for pupdates and publishing advice