To be in my life is to be roped into odd things now and again. Like the time I invited my in-laws over for dinner the Sunday before Halloween.
“Would you like for me to bring anything?” Gail asked.
“No, but I’m going to need your help in making a cupcake costume for my Thriller flash mob tomorrow.”
This weekend’s friend-and-family request didn’t involve a glue gun, poster board, quilt batting, and sparkly pom-poms. I kept it simple for my NaNoWriMo poll with just one question: What makes for a good character?
Texted to Brenda Homan – friend and budding entrepreneur of a wine leadership training course
Me: What makes for a good character?
Brenda: All good characters drink wine.
Me: And?
Brenda: Good characters stay true to themselves. I like the character who can’t do what others do because that isn’t them. They do the things they do because that’s what they do. Their trials in life come from being themselves.
Anyone else feel like she’s talking about you instead of fictional characters at this point?
Asked to friends Anne Lynn and Brian Minick over Sunday dinner
Me: What makes for a good character?
Anne Lynn: Someone who is not perfect – who is likeable but has flaws, too. Someone you can relate to.
Me: Brian?
Brian: Relatable.
Me: Your wife just said that.
Brian: Oh, come on!
Me: You come on.
Brian: Full of adventure. Indiana Jones-ish.
Asked to friend, Leah Hricko
Me: What makes for a good character?
Leah: Any criteria?
Me: Just what comes to mind.
Leah: A good character is one that convinces me based on the information given and keeps me engaged both by what I know and don’t know about them. Much like getting to know an actual person. I see aspects of people I know in them and aspects like no one I know.
Asked to creativity professor, David Eyman (whose mind hangs out on earth only half the time, which is why he comes up with the best ideas)
Me: What makes for a good character?
David: Ooooh! I like that.
[10 seconds of silence]
Me: So will you answer the question?
David: Answer what?
Me: What makes for a good character.
David: The character flaws that establish them as a unique individual. For example, there are characters who do dumb things – like make bad dad jokes – but you can rely on them to do that dumb thing. It helps you understand them and be more endeared to them.
Texted to my 13-year-old niece, Juliana, and my sister, Jeni
Me: What makes for a good character?
Juliana: I think that what makes a good character is a good introduction. The introduction means everything because it shows us who the character is, their struggles, and who they aspire to be. If, for instance, a character’s struggles weren’t introduced, then the story wouldn’t have a meaning or purpose, and the readers won’t feel attached. A good character is someone that the readers can relate to and that they don’t have to question. That will help the readers feel more attached and emotional about what will happen to them. Additionally, readers won’t be able to put down the book in anticipation of what might happen next.
I text her answer to Jeni: How old is your daughter?
Jeni: Now that she’s completely one-upped me, I’ll give you something from the one-word department: believable.
Me: We need the one-liners to mix with the expository.
Jeni: Glad I serve a purpose.
Asked to my boss, Jim Friedman (winner of many an Emmy – no joke)
Me: What makes for a good character?
Jim: A lack of truth telling.
Me: What does that mean?
Jim: There’s an air of mystery. There’s secret, there’s depth. A good character requires something of me. I have to work to understand them.
Texted to my friend, Amber
Me: What makes for a good character?
Amber: Other good characters. So many of the characters I love in books or shows are brilliant because of the juxtaposition of them against another. The also have to be relatable – even if I can’t stand them.
Which explains why she’s put up with me since my Muncie, Indiana days!
Asked to Matt before bedtime
Me: What makes for a good character, baby?
Matt: Superpowers.
Me: Like a ring of power?
Matt: That’s a totally different genre.
Me: Which do you think is cooler?
Matt: Obviously Lord of the Rings is cooler than Marvel, but a ring of power is inherently evil, so there’s that.
I go quiet, hoping the man forgets we started this convo.
And you …
Et tu, Brute? What makes for a good character? Answer in the comments below by Friday at noon to win a $10 STARBUCKS GIFT CARD. It’ll get you like half a latte, but your answers are priceless in helping me with Lu2.
I will jump on the “relatable” bandwagon. But in an effort to actually add something to the conversation, I will say I have to LIKE the character. Yes, there can be others in the mix whom I don’t care for, but if I don’t like the main character, I also don’t care what happens to him/her, and I’ve been known to stop reading books for that. They don’t have to be perfect – I’m open to watching them grow and change – but there still has to be a core of “likeability” for me to stick around.
Authenticity and intrigue…keep the reader wanting for more.
Somone who makes you set down the book in awe and say “I think this person is like xxx in my life” or “This is me.” Like many people have said, the character is relatable. When a character makes me smile while I am reading, I know that it is a great character. You don’t want to stop reading because this character is a friend.