Tag: How do your create a character for a novel

First Impression: Protagonist or Sidekick?

How to write a novel

I’m back again to get your first impression: protagonist or sidekick? Sidekicks and secondary characters add so much to a novel. I’ve had so much fun developing them for my Rae Riley Mysteries series. And the fun thing about writing a series is that a minor character in one novel can become a major character in another. I’ve also discovered that my protagonist, Rae Riley, can have different sidekicks depending on the mystery she’s solving. Her cousin Amber is her sidekick in my third novel, A Riddle in the Lonesome October, but she doesn’t play a role in the current novel I’m writing.

Let me know in the comments if he’s a protagonist or sidekick.

Here are more writing prompts for creating characters.

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First Impression: Protagonist or Antagonist?

How to write a novel

I often start building a character by seeing a face that captures my attention. I try to pay attention to my first impression. When I see that character, what do I think first? Major villain? Kindly grandmother? A hero? Or the hero’s best friend. So when you look at this portrait, what’s your first impression: protagonist or antagonist?

I won’t prejudice you by giving my first impression; I’ll put my initial reaction in the comments.

Here are more tips and prompts for writing characters.

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Where Do You Find Characters for Your Novels?

I’m always interested in how other writers, and even other artists, work and find and develop inspiration. So where do you find characters for your novels? Do you pull mostly from people you know? Are you inspired by characters in books or movies? Do you scroll online for inspiration?

Inspiration for my characters fall into two broad categories–inspiration for their physical features and inspiration for their personalities. When I see a face that catches my attention, whether I see it in person or online, it usually suggests a personality to me. For me, the face and personality have to work well together or the character will fail. If I decide this character will be a major one, I explore their personality based on my experience of human nature. So while the character’s physical appearance is inspired by a 1940’s movies star, her personality is based on a mom I know from my kids’ school.

One of my favorite places to find faces is old movies. Eighty years ago, producers cast roles differently from the way they do now, so you’ll see actors who can look different from the ones working now.

Let me know in the comment where you find characters for your novels.

Here are more tips for creating characters.

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