How to create characters you love to hate
Every story has them. Here's how to make them even better.
3/29/20261 min read
The buttheads. The total losers, the jerks. Here are just a few words to describe my FAVORITE characters to make come to life.
In my most recent novel, The One Without Flame, the reviews startled me. Even worried me. They were all about Tess. But wait a minute--she wasn't even the real protagonist.
People said they couldn't stand her. Said she was crass, a *itch, and they despised how she held a grudge. Her attitude toward life was just SOUR.
It took me a while to realize . . . that was exactly what I was going for! I wanted her to be hated. I designed her to be especially *itchy, and hate life.
So these reviews and comments, while essentially negative, showed me that Tess was truly the favorite character in my novel. Shew as the one who provoked a reaction in people.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what I was going for.
Characters. The ones that get under your skin, bite your head off, and make you literally roll your eyes as you flip pages.
In my opinion, the most essential part of any novel is the characters. It is how people connect to your story, how they have a reaction.
Dig deeper. Ask these characters questions about their past. Their spouse. The worst day of their life. The best thing that ever happened to them. Will all these answers make it into your book? No, probably not.
That only means they will spark something deeper.
Happy Writing!
Michelle
