{"id":1946,"date":"2026-11-03T12:13:24","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T12:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goquibble.com\/blog\/?p=1946"},"modified":"2026-11-03T16:44:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:44:31","slug":"character-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goquibble.com\/blog\/character-building\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Character Worth Following?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA character can be brave, witty, mysterious and ridiculously good-looking, and still be about as interesting as a wet sock. That\u2019s where character building comes in. It\u2019s the process of creating believable, memorable characters by developing their personalities, motivations, backgrounds and relationships.

So what makes some fictional characters stick with us long after we\u2019ve finished a book? That\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in this article. Creating the sort of characters who make questionable decisions and occasionally contradict themselves.

It\u2019s Claire again, by the way. The Quibble team liked my first article, so they\u2019ve decided to let me loose on another one. Last time, I got into the wonderfully complicated world of magic systems<\/u><\/strong><\/a>.

Want to write too? Pitch your guest post at editorial@goquibble.com<\/a>. \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tCharacter Building: Don\u2019t Start With a List of Personality Traits\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOne of the easiest traps in character building is starting with a list of traits. Your protagonist is brave, intelligent and sarcastic. Your antagonist is manipulative and ruthless. Your sidekick is funny and loyal.

Ok, the traits will come in handy eventually. But the labels don\u2019t tell us much about who these people are.

Take two characters who are both brave. One grew up protecting younger siblings in an unstable household. The other was mocked for being a coward and now refuses to back down from anything. Same trait, but very different reasons, and very different behaviour when trouble arrives.

If you\u2019re wondering how to build a character, start by understanding what shaped them, rather than deciding what personality traits they should have.

If you insist on starting with personality traits, you need to at least ask yourself: \u201cWhat made them this way?\u201d Start with a few experiences that shaped how your character sees the world, then work backwards to how those experiences influence their choices.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tHow to Create a Character: Give Them Something to Want\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA compelling character wants something. It might be revenge, freedom, recognition or survival. It might be something smaller: earning a parent\u2019s respect or feeling wanted.

The interesting part is often the gap between what a character wants and what they need. For example, a knight might dream of becoming the kingdom\u2019s most celebrated warrior, when what he really craves is his father\u2019s approval.

When making a character, or figuring out how to make characters who feel genuinely believable, pin down three things:

1. External desire:<\/strong> What are they actively trying to achieve?
2. Internal need:<\/strong> What do they need to understand, accept or change?
3. Obstacle:<\/strong> What fear or belief keeps getting in their way?

For the ambitious knight, the obstacle might be his belief that admiration and love are the same thing. He could win every tournament and still feel unwanted. Better yet, when forced to choose between glory and helping someone who needs him, his decision reveals what matters more to him.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tGive Your Characters Contradictions\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReal people are bundles of contradictions (I\u2019m a morning person who hates getting out of bed, for starters). Fictional characters should be, too. It\u2019s one of the most interesting aspects of character building.

Think of the fastidious host who secretly resents having guests or the brilliant but mercurial strategist who keeps sabotaging their relationships. Contradictions make characters unpredictable without making them inconsistent.

A contradictory character behaves differently because different situations bring out different sides of them. Much like someone who insists they hate drama but somehow knows everyone\u2019s business (we all have that friend). 

Pay attention to the gap between what your character says and what they actually do. Someone who claims to value honesty but lies to protect their reputation has a built-in source of tension. Hypocrisy, after all, is hardly a fictional invention.

Let readers spot a few contradictions for themselves. Give them something to chew on. In my experience, they will actually enjoy spotting them more than you enjoy writing them.

EDIT: Romance is practically built on contradictions, so I\u2019ll write a dedicated article exploring how contradictions create romantic tension and chemistry.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tBackstory: How Much is Too Much? \n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBackstory matters. A lot. Personally, I love adding little details about my characters\u2019 lives. Their childhood memories, peculiar habits, family dramas, that one embarrassing thing that happened twelve years ago\u2026 You get the idea. But I\u2019ve learned that not every detail needs to make it into the main story. Sometimes less really is more.

Here\u2019s something I\u2019m particularly excited about: Quibble is working on \u201cside stories,\u201d which will give writers room to explore their characters\u2019 histories, relationships and little adventures without cramming everything into the main narrative. So, if you\u2019re someone who could happily write another 20 pages about your protagonist\u2019s childhood, there will finally be a place for all that material (without forcing everyone to read it first).\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tMake Them Visually Distinct\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYes, the physical description matters. Absolutely. But, there\u2019s something satisfying about eventually figuring out what someone looks like, from their slightly crooked nose to a ridiculous coat they insist on wearing everywhere. A particular hairstyle or outfit is precisely what makes a character stick in your head.

I find it fun to experiment with character art. Seeing someone you\u2019ve been writing about suddenly take visual shape can reveal details you hadn\u2019t thought of before. Maybe they look a little different from what you imagined, or perhaps you discover that your supposedly intimidating villain has the face of someone\u2019s favourite uncle. Awkward.

If you fancy exploring that side of character creation, we\u2019ve written about \u2060<\/strong>character art for books<\/u><\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> And if you\u2019re wondering when to let readers actually see those characters, rather than leaving everything to their imagination, have a look at our article on \u2060visual storytelling in fiction<\/u><\/strong><\/a>.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tCharacter Building Through Conflict\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYou can tell readers that someone is courageous, compassionate or loyal. But those qualities become meaningful only when there\u2019s something at stake.

A character who believes family always comes first is easy to understand, until their family asks them to do something unforgivable. Do they comply, refuse or look for a way around it? Each choice reveals something.

One of the most effective methods of character development is putting pressure on your character\u2019s beliefs. Test a generous person\u2019s willingness to give when they have little left. Make an obdurate character reconsider without enough information.

Conflict doesn\u2019t have to turn someone into a better person. They can become more selfish, cynical or fearful, or sweep an ugly truth under the rug. Sometimes the most compelling character story is watching someone become the person they once claimed to despise (funny how quickly we become our own worst examples).\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tCharacter Development Doesn\u2019t Always Mean Change\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThere\u2019s a popular assumption that knowing how to write a good character means giving them a dramatic transformation. I wouldn\u2019t treat that as a rule. Imagine a protagonist who\u2019s fiercely protective of their younger sister. Over the course of the story, they learn to trust her independence. Their love hasn\u2019t changed; their understanding of what that love requires has.

That\u2019s development, too. Choose the arc that suits your story. Don\u2019t force a personality transplant. A small shift, earned through difficult choices, can carry more weight.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tLet Relationships Reveal Different Sides\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeople let different sides of themselves slip out depending on who\u2019s in the room. That subtle shift is where character development really comes into its own. A protagonist might be decisive in battle, yet awkward around their romantic interest and downright childish when arguing with an older sibling. 

Sometimes the person who understands your protagonist best is also the person who knows exactly how to hurt them. Remember that. \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tLet Readers Help Develop Your Characters\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s what I love about publishing chapter by chapter. Sometimes your readers will notice things you\u2019ve completely overlooked or interpret a character in a way you hadn\u2019t anticipated.

You don\u2019t have to follow every suggestion, of course. It\u2019s still your story! But those conversations can give you fresh ideas and help you see your characters through someone else\u2019s eyes.

That\u2019s one of the things I enjoy about Quibble. There\u2019s plenty of character talk happening in the \u2060Discord community<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, too. Come join us!\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tCharacter Building: A Quick Exercise\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis simple character building exercise can help you figure out what makes them tick. No elaborate character sheets required.

- What do they desperately want, and what\u2019s stopping them?
- What\u2019s their biggest fear? And no, \u201cspiders\u201d doesn\u2019t count unless it\u2019s somehow relevant to the plot.
- What do they believe about themselves that might be completely wrong?
- What two contradictory qualities make them interesting?
- What would finally push them to betray their own principles?
- What could happen that would genuinely change their perspective?

Don\u2019t overthink your answers. \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\n\t\t\tSometimes Your Characters Have Other Plans\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOne of my favourite (and occasionally most inconvenient) things about writing fiction is when a character refuses to \u201ccooperate.\u201d You had a perfectly reasonable plan for them, a nice little arc and perhaps even a dramatic ending. Then, halfway through writing, they do something unexpected. They just have to do it. This one scene ends up being central to the story.

Maybe they refuse to fall in love with the person you picked for them. Maybe the supposedly insignificant side character turns out to be far more interesting than your protagonist. Or perhaps your villain makes one unexpectedly decent decision and ruins your carefully planned reputation for them.

I\u2019ve learned not to fight these moments too quickly. They often lead somewhere far more interesting than anything I\u2019d planned. That\u2019s part of character building, too: allowing your characters to surprise you rather than forcing them to follow a carefully planned path.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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