A common criticism of fiction — be it in film, television, or novels — is often laid against characters seen as “flat” or “two-dimensional.”

Modern audiences know when a protagonist or supporting character isn’t interesting, based on their own lack of emotional investment in that character’s journey.

Rightfully fearing this criticism, a lot of new authors are compelled to ensure that their protagonist is a dynamic character.

However, as many editors will attest (and as some authors will admit), there is often confusion between “well-written characters” and “dynamic characters” — which are not always one and the same.

In this article, we will take a look at what dynamic characters are, how they differ from static characters, what forms their narratives can take, and how authors can write them into their books.