It is amazing what authors can do with their books, particularly when it comes to character development. If I were to pick out my favorite books, it would have a lot to do with the people inside them—or more specifically, my connection to them. Vin from Mistborn, Logen Ninefingers from The First Law, Durzo Blint from the Night Angel series, or even Arlen from The Demon Cycle.
All these characters resonated with me in a way that felt real. Finishing those books felt like losing a friend. Once that last page is read and the book closed, you know you won’t see that person again. It leaves a hollow, bittersweet feeling that really, at least for me, separates those great books from the rest.
This is, of course, very subjective. A character that resonates with me at this moment in time might not resonate with someone else. They might not even resonate with me in a few years or decades.
The Approach to Character Development
I hope in my latest book, Whispers from the Machine, I have achieved a smidgen of what these great authors have inspired in me. I talked in my last few blogs about drafting and revisions, and a main part of that was tweaks to the characters.
Feedback regarding the protagonist in the first drafts suggested she was missing the intended mark, with many readers simply not connecting with her. She has since undergone a full re-write which has been received much better. The new version leans more into her personal vulnerabilities and the emotional baggage we all build up over our lives. Sometimes, life leaves us as a fragile, over-chiseled statue rather than the rough block of granite we started as.
Struggling with Side Characters and Villains
I found creating individual characters one of the hardest elements of writing. Character development isn’t just about the hero; I wanted everyone to have their own voice and personality, rather than just serving as vehicles for the plot.
This was especially difficult with creating villains, giving them depth and purpose, and the “fun companion” characters. One early catch by my editor was the struggle I was having with the “pet” character (which my editor noted is usually the easiest for readers to connect with!). Again, this took a re-write and a re-think, not to remove the character, but to strengthen their intended personality and style.
When Romance Changes the Plot
It is not just about each individual character, but how they interact with one another. No more so than with romance. In my first draft, I intended a romance to occur between two characters, but the more the story grew, the more unrealistic it felt.
As I got to know those characters better, I realized they wouldn’t fit together that way. So, I changed direction, adapting the outline as I went. The change worked, but it did require wider revisions to the story to make it stick.
Organic Writing vs. Outlining
Then there are the surprise characters, surprises to me and the readers. I had one, Douglas, who grew into a solid, likable, stoic leader. Both I and my beta readers were surprised to find him becoming a favorite. Sometimes you just land a character development arc right; other times, it takes a lot more thought.
I really need to continue working on this element. I took a more organic approach to my character development, inspired again by the wise words of Brandon Sanderson. I let my characters grow with me and the story, as opposed to outlining them in detail.
I still think this method works for me, but I will explore more focused outlining and character archetypes in the future to try and minimize revisions. It just feels hard to do, how can I define a character before I know them?
As always, it has been a huge journey to get to where I am with Whispers from the Machine. The characters finally feel fleshed out and deep. But that is not for me to judge, I guess, that is for the readers. Let’s see. I’m sure I’m a long way from the masters that inspired me, but we all need to start somewhere.
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