Inspiration for creating characters Archives

If you create a backstory for this character, which direction would you go? Would he be a villain or a hero? A main character or minor one? Would the setting be part of the backstory?

I think settings are the most underused technique writers have. So I would use the setting to help build my backstory. Maybe he’s standing in a long-lost library, a trove of information, and then loses access to it. How would that affect him? Or this library is in his home. He acquired all these wise books and wants to pass on the information but the younger generations aren’t interested. That would definitely build a backstory for him. Or maybe he’s the antagonist. The protagonist and his buddies want in the library, and the old man prevents them. His backstory would have to explain why.

For more prompts about creating characters, click here.

What backstory would you create for this character?

Backstories are critical for a character. First, it helps the author understand him or her, and second, it helps the reader to understand the character as along as the author only shares the parts of the backstory that are needs for a particular story. So what’s the backstory for this character? Even nonhuman ones need a backstory.

So is the cat a him or a her? Is he fearful or just alert? If he’s fearful, what happened in his past to make him this? Asking yourselves these kind questions will kickstart the backstory.

Put your inspiration in the comments and click here for more character prompts.

I’m a character writer. I can’t start a story until I have a good grasp of most of my major characters. I usually start with a face that catches my attention for some reason, but there are so many other ways for finding characters. If you need inspiration for creating characters, try the suggestions below.

Yearbooks–especially if you are writing historical fiction
Paintings
Crowds–for finding faces and for overhearing passing conversations. The way somebody talks or a comment about someone can spark a character.
Old movies–and I mean old. Look at movies from the ’30’s, 40’s and 50’s. You might be surprised at the casting choices of old Hollywood.
Songs--I’ve always thought “Lyin’ Eyes” by the Eagles would make a perfect noir, as long as one of the three characters described in the lyrics is killed. Click here for more on songs as writing inspiration.
Poems
Bible—Click here for my post on the Bible as writing inspiration.
Friends and relatives–although use them with caution. I never take a someone I know and dump them into a story as a whole character. They may not care for the character I choose for them.
Free image sites--I use Pixabay. I use the search term “portrait” or “faces” and see what comes up. Below are the portraits that have turned into characters.

Her name is Coral. She’s twelve. She loves working outdoors on the family farm with her father and grandfather. She also loves animals, both domestic and wild, and hates everything about school.

Her name is Egypt. She’s twenty-two. Her grandfather calls her Gyp. She fights with him but is very loyal to him and has an explosive temper.

Now it’s your turn. Where do you find inspiration for creating characters?

Since we’re talking about writing inspiration this month, I wondered how much of you is in your characters? I put an awful lot of me in my teen detective Rae Riley. Like me, she’s quiet, works in a library, likes to figure people out, and worries too much about what people think of her. Of course, Rae is a lot braver at nineteen than I ever was. I also sprinkle a bit of my personality into other characters, like Rae’s aunt, who is a writer.

Some of my characters are people I would like to be. Rae’s grandmother is a very laid-back person, which I am definitely not. It takes something cataclysmic to make Gram worry and I love writing about someone who isn’t like me at all.

Want more character inspiration? Click here. For more on finding inspiration for our stories, check out this article on The Write Conversation.

I’d love to hear how much of you is in your characters.

I think it’s hard for adults to write from a child’s perspective. But that’s the challenge of today’s prompt. Who are these characters? My point of view character is the little boy.

“Give me big smiles.”

Sarah is really nice. Just as nice as Daddy said she was. I grin big as me and Tina sit on the front steps. But Tina doesn’t smile.

“Sarah said to give her big smiles,” I tell her.

Tina doesn’t listen. She just keeps staring at Daddy’s girlfriend. Tina isn’t friendly. I don’t know why.

Sarah puts down her camera and searches for something in her backpack. “I left my best lens in my car. Tina, here are my car keys. Would you get it for me? It’s in another backpack that looks almost like this one. “

Tina doesn’t move. She just stares. Then she turns around and runs into our house.

Sarah makes a funny noise and looks like she’s gonna cry.

I jump off the step and pat her hand. “Tina doesn’t like people. She likes cats, thought. She’d like you better if you were a cat.”

For more character prompts, click here.

Tag: Inspiration for creating characters

Create a Backstory for this Character

What’s the Backstory for this Character?

Inspiration for Creating Characters

How Much of You is in Your Characters?

Who Are These Characters?

JPC Allen Writes

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