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Action. A character is what he does. If you're at a party and you see the
same guy spill a drink, talk too loudly, and make inappropriate remarks,
those actions will lead you to judge him.
People become, in our minds, what we see them do. This is the strongest, most
irresistible, and easiest form of characterization. If a reader "sees"
a character steal something, then the reader knows he's a thief. If the
character hits his girlfriend when he catches her with another guy, we know
he's violent and jealous.
Motive. But would you judge the loud clumsy guy at the party the same
way if you knew he was deliberately trying to attract attention to keep
people from noticing something else in the room? Readers can come to greater
understanding of a character when they know what motivates him. A character
is what he does—but moreover he is what he means to do.
History. Knowing a person's past also informs our understanding of who
he is. Say you met the loud clumsy guy at the party for the first time—all
you would know about him would be based on what he said and did there.
But what if, before you met him, a friend told you that this man had been a
prisoner of war for seven years, and only recently made his way to safety by
escaping and crossing 300 miles of enemy-controlled territory? People are not
only what they do and mean to do, but are also shaped by what they've lived
through. When you transfer someone to paper, telling something of his past
will help your readers understand who he is at the time of the story.
Reputation. Everyone has a reputation. When stories (or rumors) are
told, they shape people's judgment. As a writer, you can use such
stories—from gossip, conversations, or other accounts—to build a character.
Fortunately or unfortunately, a person's identity is built in part on what
others say about him.
Habits and Patterns. A person's habits and behavior can give us even
more information about who he is:
"He always insists on saying Grace, loudly, in restaurants."
"She carries a can of Mace with her wherever she goes."
"He always washes a dish or glass as soon as he's through using
it."
Every one of these descriptions of habits or patterns implies things about a
personality. Describing habits and behaviors can bring a character on paper
to life.
Other common aspects of character include talents and abilities, tastes
and preferences (like hobbies, likes, fears, or prejudices), and physical
qualities. These descriptions can be helpful when they reveal something
of relevance about a character—like a doctor's prejudice against lower caste
people. However, small details, like eye color or an irrelevant fear of
spiders, may just be trivial if they have no bearing on the story at hand.
By employing all or some of the elements of characterization you can breathe
life into your characters and give your story the depth and verisimilitude
that will keep your readers interested and engaged.
Checklist:
1. What does a character do (action)?
2. What motivates him or her (motives)?
3. What has he lived through (history)?
4. What do people say about him (reputation)?
5. What are his habits and patterns? Talents and abilities? Likes and
dislikes?
6. And, if it matters, what does he look like?
Adapted from Orson Scott Card's Characters and Viewpoint
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