Article

June 3, 2008

© Marta Stephens, 2008 all rights reserved

Characterization is one aspect of writing that most authors struggle with at one time or another. So where do you start? Let's say you've determined who your character is, what he/she looks like. The writer needs to take it a step further -- find a way to make the character as real for the reader as the person standing next to them.

The writer will use description, action and dialogue as the base methods to build characterization. Through description, the writer tells something about the character such as height, eye/hair color, and disposition.

Example 1:  

Mary, the slender brunette sitting on the third seat of the bus, looked distraught.

Hmmm. Okay. A better way to describe a character, however, is through their actions and through dialogue. Both of these methods will give the reader a more vivid image of the character than description alone. Add description to action and dialogue and the character has the potential to jump off the page.

Example 2: 

Mary raised a slender, shaky finger to her eyes. Tears moistened the strand of dark hair that fell onto her face. She leaned her head against the bus window and stared at nothing. The world was passing her by as quickly as the ramshackle buildings that blurred by - no one knew her pain, no one cared.

"You okay back there?" The driver asked.

She didn't look up or answer. What was the point? In less than an hour's time, it would all be over.

Now we can see a minute into Mary's state of mind. We see her crying, something is weighing heavily on her mind, she feels alone, and whatever is going through her thoughts will be resolved one way or another in less than an hour. Is this enough to make the reader care and turn the page? A story may have a killer plot, but the manner in which a character is portrayed will have a greater impact on readers' reaction than anything else. If a character is weak, will anyone care if he drives his car off the cliff?

How often have we read reviews that indicated the reader couldn't "fall in love" with the character? Is it necessary to fall in love with Mary's character to sympathize with her? For me, the word "love" is a bit strong when used to describe a character. However, I do want to care what happens to her, why it happened, and hopefully see her resolve her problems in a positive, uplifting manner.  Maybe a better word is "connect." The goal of any writer should be to draw the reader in and get him/her to connect emotionally with the character(s) and the story. And so the choice between describing a character and allowing the reader to see, hear, and feel the character is the same difference that separates "show" from "tell." When we "tell" we involve the reader intellectually (they have to think about what is being communicated). When we "show" we involve the reader emotionally - that's the key.

In other words, the character has to hit a nerve with the reader on a very basic level --touch the reader emotionally so the reader can connect with them and that usually includes letting the reader see the character's flaws. What's more important though is that the reader has to be able to see the character grow and overcomes those problems.

Maybe what that reviewer, editor or agent means by needing to "fall in love with the character" is the desire to see a small part of him- or herself in a particular character. First they have to know the character thoroughly and next be able to identify with him/her. When the reader is able to identify with a character's plight, problem, weaknesses, strengths, etc., he/she will find themselves sympathizing with them and cheering them on to a successful finish. It will also give the reader a reason to follow a character through the rest of the book.

Description, action and dialogue are the tools of the trade, but how a writer uses and combines them is a matter of style.