Creating characters

Can you visualise your characters? Of course you can. So what do they carry in their pockets? How do they dance to their favourite song when nobody else is looking? What's their most treasured item of clothing? What kind of expression do they pull when faced with something that terrifies them?
Not so sure now? Whether you are writing poetry, prose or drama you must be able to visualise your characters clearly (not like that fuzzy memory of Aunt Mildred that hovers in the dusty corner of your mind). You need a portrait of a lady ... or a gentleman, or a child, or a retired traffic warden, or any character that will appear in your writing. These portraits are what make literature sink or swim. If readers can't see a realistic person within a character they won't engage with her. And for those of you who want to get stuck into stream of consciousness or fantastical narratives remember that you need to learn how to create realistic characters before you can bend the rules. Even Picasso was a master of the life drawing before he embarked on cubism.

Creating characters with a realistic depth of feeling and a believable, three-dimensional existence on the page is extremely difficult. It's like playing God. We conjure these 'people' from nothing and give them life, tell them what to wear, how to act. But like any good deity we also have to give them free will, otherwise they can appear staged, or lifeless. But there are tricks to making this complicated process much easier.

When you start to create a character keep the phrase 'you are what you own' to the forefront of your mind. Of course we are all more than the sum of our possessions, but the items that people wear or carry with them can reveal a great deal about who they are, and can be used to subtly convey information about them in your writing. Think about somebody dear to you; picture him or her in your mind. What does he carry in his pockets (or her handbag) at all times? An inhaler, a lucky rubber band, a photograph of a child, a pocket watch, a knife, the ear of an enemy killed in battle (unlikely, but you may have some odd friends)?

When we remember people we don't always recall snippets of information like this, but these tiny details are vital for creating a character that leaps off the page into the reader's consciousness. A character's possessions and clothes are an extension of their personality; by paying close attention to which of these details you reveal you can control how readers see and engage with your characters.

A person's items can reveal an element of their personality that is not directly evident: maybe an old lady is carrying the knife. They might give insights into a character's hidden emotional depths, for example, a young man who gives no clues as to how he is feeling could panic at the thought of losing a pocket watch given to him by his father. Or they can create a sense of mystery or surprise that adds to a character's depth. Take the photograph of the child: is she still alive; was she kidnapped/killed/abducted by aliens? Even when the details aren't directly relevant to the plot, being able to fine-tune the image of your characters on the page will allow them to emerge as individuals, not merely clusters of words.

If you're having trouble visualising a new character try this great trick. Write a list of twenty objects she might carry or wear. Don't think too deeply about this, just write down whatever comes to mind. Next, write a series of short sketches describing exactly how your character came by these items. Try to describe what the item means to her, and how she would feel if she lost it. You may never use these character sketches, but we guarantee they will give you (and your reader) a clearer sense of who your character is.