7 Essential Steps for Character Development Tools for Fantasy Writers in 2024

My journey as a writer started without a plan. I had to learn by trial and error and constant feedback from readers. Here are my seven character creation and development steps so you don't have to.

1 - Character Archetypes: Building Blocks of Great Stories

Have you ever felt like you've met a character before, even in a brand-new book? That's the magic of archetypes at work. These familiar patterns help readers connect with your characters right from the start.

I'll give you examples so quick start your memory:

The Mentor/Wise Guide

A character is created to guide or teach the hero. They often sacrifice themselves for the hero's journey (the author's way of increasing the emotional impact).

• Gandalf from "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

• Dumbledore from "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling.

• Obi-Wan Kenobi from "Star Wars" by George Lucas.

The Reluctant Hero

Someone ordinary, forced into extraordinary circumstances. Initially, resisting their call to adventure.

• Bilbo Baggins from "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

• Katniss Everdeen from "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

• Anakin Skywalker from "Star Wars" by George Lucas.

The Trickster/Rogue

The charming troublemaker breaks the rules but often helps the hero unconventionally. These are characters that overcome situations with wit rather than power.

• Tyrion Lannister from "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin

• Locke Lamora from "The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch

• Mat Cauthon from "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan

Understanding Character Archetypes

Think of archetypes as recipe starters – they give you the basics, but the final flavor is all yours. The beginning points are the wise mentor, the reluctant hero, and the charming rogue. Your job is to make them fresh and exciting.

Tools to Get You Started

Character generators can spark great ideas. Need a quick starting point? Try online tools like Fantasy Character Generator, Seventh Sanctum, Chat GPT and Claude. They're like creative jump-starters for your imagination.

Making Archetypes Your Own

There will be hundreds of examples of each archetype. The outstanding ones can differentiate themselves. Here's where the real fun begins.

Take that wise mentor archetype and give them a gambling problem.

Make your noble hero afraid of heights.

Let your villain love gardening and rescue stray cats.

What happens when your warrior princess is also a bookworm? Or your dark lord is terrible at being evil because they're too nice? The most exciting characters often break the mold in surprising ways.

Beyond the Basics

Remember: archetypes are starting points, not final destinations. Think about your favorite characters from books. They began as basic types but grew into something more. Your characters can do the same.

The best characters feel both familiar and fresh at the same time. That's your sweet spot.

2 - Adding Spice to Your Characters: The Power of Personality Traits

Ever wonder why some book characters feel like real friends? It's all in the details! Let's explore how to give your characters personalities that pop off the page.

Starting with Personality Traits

Every person you know has quirks that make them unique. Maybe your best friend snorts when they laugh, or your cousin collects bottle caps. Your characters need these little details, too. They're like secret ingredients that make your story taste just right.

It can be challenging at first, and that is where technology can help.

Tools to Spark Ideas

Character trait generators can be your brainstorming buddies. Sites like CharacterGenerator.com toss out combinations of traits that might surprise you. It's like rolling dice for personality traits – you never know what fun mix you'll get!

Making Traits Work Together and the Power of Contradictions

Here's where it gets exciting. Take those random traits and play with them. A fierce warrior who's scared of butterflies? Perfect! A wise old wizard who loves silly jokes? Even better! These unexpected mixes make readers smile and remember your characters.

Think about real people you know. Nobody's just one thing. Your grumpy neighbor might secretly feed stray cats. Your severe teacher might do stand-up comedy on weekends. Give your characters these kinds of surprises.

Bringing It All Together

Start with a few basic traits, then add the weird and wonderful. Mix brave with clumsy, intelligent with superstitious, kind with grumpy. Let your characters be complicated – just like real people.

Remember: The best characters aren't perfect. They're perfectly imperfect, just like us. That's what makes readers fall in love with them.

Pro Tip: Keep a small list of your character's traits handy while writing. It helps you stay consistent and gives you fun details to sprinkle through your story.

3 - Character Backstories: The Hidden Fuel That Drive Your Heroes

Think of your character's backstory like their secret diary. It's packed with all the juicy details that made them who they are today. Let's explore how to create histories that make your characters jump off the page!

Why Backstories Matter

Every scar has a story. Every fear comes from somewhere. Your character's past shapes how they act today, just like your own experiences shape you. Maybe they're afraid of water because they almost drowned as a kid. Or they trust too easily because they grew up in a loving family.

Finding the Right Stories

Need help getting started? Tools like Seventh Sanctum's Character Background Generator can spark great ideas. But, once again, don't just take what you get and run with it. Dig deeper. Ask questions:

• Why did this event matter so much?

• How did it change them?

• Who else was involved?

• What lessons did they learn?

Sharing Secrets Slowly

Here's a common mistake: dumping all the backstory at once. Please don't do it!

Think of the backstory like chocolate chips in cookies. Sprinkle them throughout your story; don't dump the whole bag in one spot.

How many times in movies or books we have small flashbacks of the deciding moments that led to the epic showdown about to happen? The hardships and relations that allow our hero to push through and get up once more to fight?

Natural Ways to Share History

Let backstory slip out naturally:

• Through casual conversations

• In reaction to events

• During quiet moments

• Via small habits or fears

• Through meaningful objects they keep

Making History Matter

The best backstories aren't just attractive – they affect the present. A character who lost their family might struggle to make close friends. Someone who grew up poor might obsess over saving money.

Remember: Your character's past should feel like real memories. They are not cool facts about them. Let their history shape who they are and what they do.

Pro Tip: Write down your character's three most important life events. These are your golden nuggets to sprinkle through your story when the moment feels right.

4 - Bringing Characters to Life: The Power of Visual Design

Ever tried to describe someone you can actually see? And someone you're just imagining? Big difference, right? We live in an age where tools can help you transform ideas and outlines into drawings!

Why Visuals Matter

Words paint pictures, but sometimes, you need to see your character first. What do they wear on lazy days? How do they stand when they're nervous? These little visual details make your writing richer and more natural.

Tools to See Your Characters

Tools like HeroForge are like digital dress-up dolls for writers. Sure, they're made for gaming, but don't let that stop you! Play around with:

• Face shapes and expressions

• Clothing styles and colors

• Weapons and accessories

• Poses and attitudes

Learning from What You See

Each visual choice tells a story:

• A slouched posture might show a lack of confidence

• Patched clothes could hint at a humble background

• Battle scars tell tales of past fights

• A hidden weapon suggests distrust or caution

Beyond Just Looks

Visual designs spark questions that deepen your character:

• Why did they choose those colors?

• What's the story behind that scar?

• Who taught them to use that weapon?

• Why do they always stand guard at doorways?

Making It Work in Words

Once you see your character, describing them gets easier. Instead of listing features, you can focus on the details that matter most to who they are.

Remember: Your visual reference is like a character's photo. It helps you keep their description consistent and meaningful throughout your story.

Pro Tip: Make a simple sketch or find a reference image for each main character. Even stick figures can help you remember important details like height differences or signature poses!

5 - Character Relationships: Weaving the Web of Connections

Ever noticed how the best stories feel like a dance of relationships?

Why Relationships Matter

What creates the urge for a reader to keep turning the page are not perfect individual character. But how such character interact with others and situations, causing them to progress some how. Think about your favorite books. Chances are, it's the relationships between two characters that stuck with you. Or the unlikely friendships, the bitter rivalries, the complicated family ties.

Mapping Your Story's Heart

No person has a perfect memory, nor should you. Tools like Notion, Obsidian, and Scapple can help us create databases or wikis to keep us authors sane. You can use them to track:

• Who loves whom

• Who hates whom

• Who's loyal to whom

• Who betrayed whom

• Who needs whom

Finding Hidden Gems

As you draw these connection lines, magic happens. You might discover:

• The villain and hero share a secret past

• Two side characters could become unexpected allies

• A mentor figure has conflicting loyalties

• Family ties complicate political alliances

Making Connections Count

In the previous post, we explored promises and payoffs. Every relationship should add something to your story:

• Create tension

• Offer support

• Cause complications

• Force difficult choices

• Reveal character depths

Otherwise, the reader might create expectations for why you, as the author, put that on the page. How many books forgot to close a loop that frustrated us?

Bringing It All Together

Think of your character's relationship web like a spider's web. Touch one strand, and the whole thing shivers. When your hero makes a choice, how does it affect their best friend? Their rival? Their secret admirer?

Remember: The richest stories have relationships that change and grow. Yesterday's enemy might be tomorrow's ally. Trust can break, and broken bonds can heal.

Pro Tip: Draw your relationship map early, but keep it flexible. Let it grow and change as your story develops. Sometimes, the most interesting connections surprise even you!

6 - Watching Characters Grow: Tracking Your Hero's Journey

Think of your characters like seeds. They grow, bend with the wind, and sometimes break branches before growing stronger. The journey and progress of your characters are the reason behind a reader's page turns.

Why Characters Need to Change

Static characters are like photos – frozen in time. But real people change, learn, and grow. Every challenge your character faces should leave a mark, just like every experience in your life shapes who you are today.

Tools for Tracking Growth

Digital gardeners need good tools! Platforms like Notion, Airtable, Obsidian, and Scrivener are perfect for tracking:

• New skills learned

• Fears overcome

• Relationships changed

• Beliefs challenged

• Victories and defeats

• Emotional scars and healing

Mapping the Journey

Create growth markers like:

• Chapter 1: Afraid of magic

• Chapter 5: First successful spell

• Chapter 10: Teaching others magic

• Chapter 15: Mastering their unique style

Keeping It Real

People don't change overnight. Track small steps:

• Tiny victories

• Minor setbacks

• Gradual realizations

• Slow-building courage

Remember: Growth isn't always forward. Sometimes, characters take two steps forward and one step back!

Pro Tip: After each major story event, take a moment to update your character's "growth chart." What did they learn? How did it change them? These notes are gold when you're writing later chapters!

7 - Finding Your Character's Voice: Making Dialogue Sing

Have you ever noticed how you can tell who's talking on the phone just by how they say "hello"? That's voice – and your characters need voices just as unique as your friends and family!

The Magic of Unique Voices

Everyone talks differently. Your best friend uses slang that would make your grandmother blush. Your teacher has catchphrases you could repeat in your sleep. Give your characters these kinds of special touches too.

Tools to Get You Started

While ChatGPT and other AI tools can spark ideas, think of them as conversation starters, not final scripts. The real magic happens when you add your spice:

• Change the words

• Add personality quirks

• Mix in character history

• Sprinkle in special sayings

Building Speech Patterns

Think about how different characters might say the same thing:

• Noble Elf: "I find myself rather displeased with this situation."

• Gruff Dwarf: "Don't like it. Not one bit."

• Street Thief: "This mess? Yeah, no thanks."

• Scholarly Wizard: "The current circumstances are... problematic."

And so on. 

Remember: whenever your character speaks, your reader will visualize the scene. If a character in your book had no formal education, could he speak the way you wrote this dialogue? Ask yourself these questions in every dialogue until it becomes second nature.

My worst mistake in the first book I wrote was here. All characters spoke with the same speech pattern, my own!

Give each character their speaking style:

• Favorite words

• Special curses

• Cultural references

• Speech rhythms

• Education level

Bringing Dialogue to Life

Remember these golden rules:

• People rarely say exactly what they mean

• Background affects vocabulary

• Emotions change speaking patterns

• Stress brings out old speech habits

Remember: Good dialogue feels like eavesdropping on real people – except more interesting!

Pro Tip: Read your dialogue out loud. If you stumble while saying it, your readers will stumble while reading it. Keep it natural and flowing, and make each character's words unique.

Your Characters Are Waiting: Time to Bring Them to Life!

We've explored my seven steps for creating unforgettable characters. Each step is like a different color on your writer's palette, ready to help you paint vivid characters that leap off the page.

Your Character Creation Toolkit

Let's recap what you've learned:

• Start with familiar archetypes, then make them your own

• Add personality quirks that make characters feel real

• Build rich backstories that shape who they are

• Use visual tools to see them clearly

• Weave relationship webs that drive your story

• Track growth that feels natural and earned

• Give each character a unique voice

Taking action!

Starting is the most important thing you can do. You don't need to use every tool at once. Pick one that excites you and start there. Maybe begin with a simple character sketch, or play with different voices. As long as this article helped you write your first word, I'm happy.

Remember the Magic

Creating characters is like making new friends – it takes time, attention, and care. But when you get it right, these paper people become so real that your readers will miss them when the story ends.

So, what are you waiting for? Your characters are out there, waiting for you to discover them. Open that blank page. Start that new file. Let your imagination run wild.

After all, every great story started precisely where you are now – with a writer ready to bring new characters to life.