Creating memorable characters that help immerse the reader into the story is the heart of a great children's story. Whether it's a mischievous rabbit, a curious child, or a brave middle-grader, understanding your characters and knowing them inside and out will make them relatable and engaging.
Here are six tips to help you get to know them better:
1. Create a Character Profile Start with the basics: name, age, and appearance. Then delve deeper into their personality, likes, and dislikes.
For example, what’s their favorite color? Do they prefer exploring or staying safe at home? A character profile grounds your creation and ensures consistency throughout your story.
Example: Let’s say your character is Luna, an eight-year-old girl who dreams of being an astronaut. She loves stargazing, has a telescope she calls Stella, and wears mismatched socks because she believes it’s her lucky charm.
2. Understand Their Motivation Children's stories often revolve around simple yet profound goals.
Ask yourself: What does your character want, and why? Understanding their motivation makes their actions purposeful and relatable.
Example: A character, Wang, wants to find the mystical Eternals because he believes if he can become an apprentice, he can learn enough magic to become rich and powerful. His determination leads him on an adventure that teaches him about friendship, perseverance, and helping others.
3. Interview Your Character Have a one-on-one "conversation" with your character. Ask them open-ended questions like:
-What are you afraid of? -Who is your best friend? -What makes you happiest? -What’s your biggest challenge? -What is your goal?
Write down the answers as if they’re talking to you. This exercise can reveal unexpected traits and quirks that enrich their personality.
4. Place Them in Everyday Scenarios Imagine your character in various situations to see how they react.
-How do they handle getting lost in the woods? -How do they handle having to work hard to get what they want? -What do they do when they lose a game? -What do they do when confronted with a bully? -What do they do when a classmate or friend is confronted with a bully? -What do they do if they find a $20 bill on the cafeteria floor?
These scenarios help you understand their strengths, weaknesses, and emotional responses.
Example: After a year of hard work being an apprentice for the Eternals, Wang still hasn’t learned any magic. He gets frustrated and even angry and leaves. This shows his character.
5. Explore Their Relationships Characters don’t exist in isolation. Think about their relationships with family, friends, and even pets.
-Who do they trust? -Who challenges them? -Who would they go out of their way to help? -Who do they like being around?
These connections make your character more dynamic.
Example: After leaving his apprenticeship, Wang is deeply troubled. He seeks the wisdom and knowledge of someone he trusts, his village elder.
6. Give Them a Secret A little mystery can make your character intriguing. Perhaps your character has a hidden talent, a secret fear, or a dream they haven’t shared. Secrets add depth and gives you opportunities for plot twists.
Example: Sixth-grader Lucas is afraid of public speaking but hasn’t told anyone. When his class nominates him to run for class president, he’s forced to face this fear.
Getting to Know Your Characters by the Seat-Of-Your-Pants
Most of the above advice is based on creating an intricate character profile. But there are some authors who prefer the seat-of-your-pants method of writing. In this writing strategy, the characters unveil themselves right before the authors’ eyes.
The seat-of-the-pants is an interesting method of writing. Your character introduces himself, gradually reveals bits and pieces, and blossoms as the story moves along.
You do need to be careful with this method, though. You may lose track of all the bits and pieces that make up the character. To keep track of your character’s quirks, expressions, behaviors, and physical features, note them on a page or card as they’re unveiled. You wouldn’t want your character to have brown eyes in one chapter and blue eyes in another—unless, of course, it’s a science fiction or paranormal and part of the storyline.
Summing It Up Getting to know your characters is an interesting process that breathes life into your story. Whether mapping out their motivations, relationships, and unique quirks or seeing them unveiled as you go along, you’ll create characters that resonate with young readers.
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, rewriter, editor, and coach. I can help turn your story into a book you’ll be proud to be the author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.
