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Whether you're just beginning to write your novel or you already have a novel in the works, you might want to think about your characters first before you sit down at that keyboard. The characters will be the main focus in your story, so you need to make sure they are not only believable, but also compelling. Too often, writers will skip over the process of developing their characters in favor of working on the plot or on long pieces of narrative – but this is a mistake. Here's what you need to do to start developing your characters.

Who are Your Characters?

While some writers can sit down, write a story, and their characters develop themselves, this isn't actually the best way to begin. Instead, you want to start by writing out the names of your characters and as many background details as you can about their lives. Think about where they grew up, where they went to school, who their families include, what hard times they might have experienced, etc. Even if many of these details do not make it into your book, you will have a better understanding of who your characters are and what this means to your story as a whole. If you just want to make a list of their unique characteristics, this is fine too. Once you have these lists, you can keep them at your side as you write in order to maintain character consistency.

What Do They Look Like?

Having a visual image in your head of your characters will also allow you to use them more effectively in a story. You can find these images by looking online at pictures of people or turn to famous people for images that will create the character for the reader. Again, you might not mention every single detail of the character's appearance, but if it should become important to the story, you can have an understanding of what your characters might look like. For example, if your character is overweight, you can make sure they don't run around too much or that they don’t slip through a narrow escape tunnel.

What Do They Like and Dislike?

Again, you might want to make a list of the things your characters like and dislike. This will help you to ensure their actions during the story make sense and that they are being consistent in actions they take. For example, if a character hates strawberries, they probably aren't going to grow them in their garden. And if they do, you might want to explain this inconsistency to the reader. Characters are truly the glue that holds your story together. When you develop your characters, you will develop the plot as well as the realism of the story itself. These are people the reader might like, might dislike, or might hate with a passion. In any case, a character who is completely believable and textured is the one that will keep them from putting your book down.