Hi Reader,
Earlier this week I was combing through some of my old grad school files. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just a snapshot of who I was at that time as a writer and as a student of writing. (I don’t think we ever cease to be students of writing, but that’s another thought for another day.) And I found some interesting—and helpful!—things.
As part of my grad program, I was required to write “craft annotations,” in which we focused on a particular element of the writing craft and analyze how an author is effectively (or ineffectively) using that craft element. So among my files, I found essays on pacing, close 3rd person POV, fantasy world-building, and many more. But there was one in particular that I wanted to re-read to see how well it held up against everything I’ve learned since grad school: methods of presenting a character. Turns out, that even though I’d studied character back then, I forgot what I learned.
Or rather, I failed to remember that there was a simple list of ways to get your character on the page.
I talk a lot about this in my upcoming small-group workshop, Revision Confidence, but I also wanted to give you a quick glimpse, or reminder, if you need it, of these simple ways to get your character on the page. The seven possible methods to portray a character to the reader, per Janet Burroway’s craft textbook, Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft are: through desire, image, voice, action, thought, conflict, and the author’s presentation.
Let’s get to it!
1. Desire
Easily the most important of all these seven methods, one of the best ways to show character is to give reader a clear idea of what they desperately want. Both externally and internally. What is their immediate goal that they’re pursuing in the story (saving their dilapidated bookshop; winning a competition; uncovering a perpetrator; landing a big sales deal, etc.)? And, more importantly, why. Why do they want it so badly? Why will this thing be the answer to their heart’s desire? Or, why will it prevent their life from spiraling out of control? (Will it mean validation? Earn them love and affection? Give them security? Save their career or family?)
If you have a character who doesn’t really want anything, then not only is there zero story, but there’s no reason the reader wants to read. There’s nothing keeping them interested in this character—even if you’ve created a charismatic, likeable person. Without a desire, your character will not come alive or be knowable to the reader.
2. Image
I’ll admit, this is my second-least favorite of all the methods Burroway presents, but many readers rely on this one. It’s not my favorite because I think that new writers rely on it too heavily, ignoring the better methods of characterization. Nevertheless it is an important tool to show your characters. As a writer, it is your job to paint pictures in your readers’ minds. That goes for your characters too. What do they look like? Do they have dark skin? Red hair? Straight teeth? Do they wear baggy, motheaten clothes? Do they have polished nails?
When your character gets dressed in the morning, they make choices about what to wear, as we all do, and what we look like gives folks around us clues about who we are.
For example, right now, I’m writing this from a coffee shop. To my right is a woman wearing dark slacks, patent black flats, a white turtleneck sweater, and tortoiseshell glasses. Her blonde hair is cropped into a neat bob, and she’s sitting upright, her polished hands in her lap, resting on a notebook. In front of her is a laptop. She’s sitting with two other women who are casually dressed. Of course I could make some guesses about her by her appearance. She’s presenting herself to the world in a certain way, as your character should too.
3. Voice
I love voice! Voice is such a big way of showing who your character is. It’s their speech and thought patterns (depending on how close a POV you’re writing). It’s their grammar and syntax and the way that they relate to the world. It’s a way of showing their unique way of communicating.
Consider, for example, the way you feel like you have a clear understanding of Monty’s worldview in this quick excerpt from the extraordinarily voicey YA novel, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee:
Above us, the baby kicks up his crying—the floorboards aren’t near enough to stifle it—followed by the sound of the nursemaid’s heels as she dashes to his call, a clack like horses’ hooves on cobbles.
Percy and I both flick our eyes to the ceiling.
“The Goblin’s awake,” I say lightly. Muted as it is, his wailing stokes the ache pulsing in my head.
“Try not to sound too happy about his existence.”
I’ve seen very little of my little baby brother since he arrived three months previous, just enough to marvel at, firstly, how strange and shriveled he looks, like a tomato that’s been left out in the sun for the summer, and secondly, how someone so tiny has such huge potential to ruin my entire bloody life.” (p. 8-9)
Another character might have a different view on a new sibling, or might use different words to convey their distaste. But Lee, shows us Percy’s unique way of speaking and thinking.
How does your character relate to the world? What are their opinions? Their personality? Are they crass like Monty, or timid? Are they polished and refined or were they raised in a blue-collar working family? Consider how you can show who they are by the types of language they use.
4. Action
I just might argue that action is the second most important method of presenting a character to your reader. We need to know how characters think and feel, but showing us how they behave is what alters the course of the story. A character who makes choices and takes action based on their thoughts and feelings is a character who readers can know and understand. And care about. You must have a character who is moving the story forward with their choices.
What if Katniss Everdeen spent the whole novel hiding and never chose to team up with Peeta or Rue? What if Harry Potter never went looking for the sorcerer’s stone, and just let others around him take action. Chances are, both stories would be entirely different stories.
I also want to mention here that you can also think about this in a narrower sense as well. Think of the mini actions your character might take during a conversation or as they move through the world. Do they stomp their feet when they’re mad? Do they clench their jaws or crack their knuckles? Do they throw furniture? Do they sit up straight or flop on sofas taking up all the space? How do they behave?
5. Thought
You might know this one as “interiority,” which I feel like I’m talking about all the time (and for good reason!). We can’t intimately know characters unless we know what they are thinking. As we, humans, move through the world, we are always thinking and feeling. We are making judgements, creating meaning out of events and interactions, planning and analyzing. All. The. Time.
And how much of that time are we sharing our thoughts with others? Maybe some of it, maybe when we are comfortable or close to someone. But as readers, we only know what a character tells us or shows us. They are the lens through which we are viewing the world. If they don’t share their thoughts with us, we don’t really know what meaning they make of the events of the story. And we may not fully understand the resulting choices they make.
Thought, according to Burroway, is “the process by which (a character) works backward to decide what to do in the immediate situation that presents itself” (Burroway 89). It’s the “locus of action and the dwelling place of desire,” (Burroway 90). In other words, we understand and can relate to characters as we learn their thoughts. So, if you feel like something is missing with your characterization, more often than not, it’s their thoughts and feelings.
6. Conflict
Burroway, identifies this idea of using conflicting character elements as a way of making your character more complex. For example, if you have a small, weak-appearing character and she’s feisty, feral, or fiery, this adds intrigue. Or if you have a conflict between a character’s desire and their actions. What if they desperately want a gift that’s being offered to them but they refuse it? Each of these instances would give the reader a unique perspective of the character.
It's been a long time since I looked at this textbook, but I’d also take it a step further and remind you that forcing your character into situations of conflict—making them choose between two bad choices as they seek their object of desire—also tells the reader a lot about who they are. How will they handle these conflicts? How will they overcome obstacles that they face along their journey?
Conflict is a great way to really show readers who your character is.
7. Author’s Presentation
Another way of thinking about this one is “narrative summary.” Author’s presentation is where the author simply describes the character—maybe in terms of their personality or family background, etc.—to show the reader who they are. As writers we’re often cautioned to “show don’t tell,” but occasionally there are times when it’s necessary or important.
One way of doing this might also be to have another character reflect to the POV character how they see them. “You are better than anyone I know at coding computers, you’re the only person who can crack this code,” for example. Or you sometimes see this in romance novels, where the love interest helps the protagonist see themselves through their loving eyes. “Don’t say that! You’re not selfish at all…what about that time you risked your neck to grab that kitten who almost got sucked down the sewer drain. You’re thoughtful and kind.”
Each of these methods is important for creating a character that jumps off the page. But, I want to stress two things here: First, that the number one most important method of showing character is through desire; and second that it’s not enough to focus on just one of these methods. Use them all. They’re all tools in your toolbox! And together they create a rich tapestry of character.
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Happy Writing!
Karyn
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