Developing characters is one of those things where everyone has their own method (which is totally fine). But it also often takes a writer multiple tries to find that perfect process that works for you. No matter what you might read out there, there’s no right or wrong way to do it.Some folks love to interview their characters, others make lists of key traits, some fill out pre-designed forms with a variety of details, and even find photos online of what they look like (I find this photo bit particularly useful).

One friend of mine creates collages that represent that character, letting her mind find images that feel right to her, then thinks about the kind of person who’d create that collage. Another friend dives deep into the emotional states of the characters and needs to understand how they tick before she can do much with them. And me? I only know the bare bones going in.

I’ve often joked that I outline my plots, but pants my characters. I know a few key things about them as I start a novel, but it’s usually a few background facts and some general emotional or personality traits. I like to know generally who they are and what they want, since this drives all their actions, but I learn about who they are during my first draft. I put them into trouble and see how they respond when their beliefs and morals are tested. It isn’t until I write them that they become real to me.For example: for my character, Nya, I knew she had a magical ability that allowed her to shift pain between people, she was an orphan, had a little sister she looked after and would do anything to keep safe, that she struggled every day to survive, was smart, and a good person at heart. She was also practical, impulsive, and had faith that things would get better. I discovered the rest as I wrote her.

Everyone is different, but knowing too much about a character before I write stifles my creativity. I end up trying to make the plot fit the character sheet and not letting the character develop organically to the story. I have learned that knowing the emotional aspects works far better for me than knowing the physical, as does knowing some critical moments in their past that have shaped who that character is.