Create An Amazing Character

Rose Stewart

This is from a workshop I presented to children but actually applies to anyone wanting to create an interesting character in a story.

There are many things you have to consider, when creating character.                                                                         For instance, when I created Rose in my Erie Canal Cousins Series, I had to write down many things about her before I actually wrote the story. The more you put down on paper about the character, the more real he/she/or it will appear in your story.

You can start with a picture of your character, either you can draw one, or just write a detailed description of him/her/it. I actually drew Rose after I figured out all the information about her.

I started with her name: Rose Stewart.                                                                Since my story took place in 1840, I had to think of an old fashioned name…Rose, and… Stewart was an old last name in my husband’s family.

Then I had to choose her age.             
I started out thinking it would be 12 but changed it to 13 later.

Describe her/his looks
tall    big boned   coal black hair     fair skin       blue eyes strong    5’4”tall

Personality:
shy     introvert      fearful        curious        logical         sensitive       joiner     likes solitude         helpful    blushes easily

 A little bit about her:       
Born in Albany NY          lives in a house     good relations with her family  can’t swim

 Interests:                                                                                                                     Reading,   writing,  history,   loves school &learning,   reads well,   morning person,  likes to cook,   lady-like

Family:                                                                                                                         Father—John Stewart,     Mother—Darcy Finnegan Stewart,   Married in 1825  Siblings:  Cassie Stewart age 11    Robert Stewart age 9    Caleb Stewart age 4    (Big families at that time)

After I figured all that our, then I could begin the story.

Bridget Finnegan

Bridget her cousin is exactly her opposite.
Small,   red hair in braids,   thin,   green eyes, aggressive,   jealous,      extrovert,   wants own way,  risk taker,   irritates others, optimist,  hates cooking,  leader,  tomboy.    Lives on the boat with her family 
Poor reader due to little schooling
—winter only, some on the boat
Sloppy
Bold body language                        
Checker champ

To make a character interesting add something special to her/his biography.

To make  Bridget interesting I added that she is a checker champ. With Rose, her unusual fears are her big thing.

I hope this will be helpful to those interested in developing a character(s).