Give Your Character a Bold Voice

Penmancy posted under Writing Tips on 2020-06-14

There's a magic formula to make readers care about your stories. Whether you want to write a page-turner, or just stories that engage readers emotions, this is how you do it... The formula is very simple:

1) Create a character readers will care about.

2) Give the character a problem s/he desperately wants to solve.

Readers will be anxious to find out if this character they care so much about will succeed in solving his or her problem. The first part of the formula is key. If readers dont care about the character, they wont care about what happens to him or her. You can have the most exciting plot idea in the world, and it will leave readers cold unless they care about the character.

On the other hand, if readers care enough about the character, then any problem facing that character will seem interesting. If it matters to the character, it will matter to the readers, the same way you care about the problems of people close to you.

So how do you create a character readers will care about?

1) Make the character feel like a real three-dimensional person. Readers will have trouble caring about a character they dont believe in.

2) Help readers get to know the character. We care more about people we know intimately, versus strangers and casual acquaintances.

Hope these handy tips help. Happy Writing!