Writing Better Main Characters

By Matthew Dewey

At the core of every great story is a great character. The only problem is, there are so many elements necessary to make a character interesting and impactful, unfortunately making it easier to write a boring, mediocre character.

 

Yet, this book has the solution!

 

There are several steps to writing a great character, but in this book, the writing instructor and author, Matthew Dewey, breaks each step down with examples and methods you can use to build a great character with ease. From backstory to motivation, from character design to character growth, every element of a memorable character is made simple and easy to create.

 

Whether you are a beginner writer or simply need a refresher, Writing Better Main Characters will help you turn a one-dimensional nobody into an in-depth, relatable and enjoyable main character!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Dewey
• Release date: May 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201028589

Book preview

Writing Better

Main Characters

by Matthew Dewey

Copyright © 2021 Matthew Dewey

All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

Introduction

The Role of the Main Character

Character Backstory

Character Motivation

Character Naming

Character Design

Character Growth

Writing Style

What Next?

Introduction

Writing has been a passion of mine for a long time.

It only really took off one day, when I had no internet or other distractions. I had a laptop with a lousy writing program barely better than Notepad. When you combine that with plenty of free time, something is bound to happen. A week later I had the first draft for my first book.

Many writers have a similar beginning. Some say the planets aligned, some say it just happened and some have been meaning to take up writing and simply had the time and inclination. Whatever their reasons are, it doesn’t matter.

What matters is you started writing.

An idea hit you, or inspiration did, or a bit of both. You started a new document or you picked up a pen, and you started writing. What matters most to you now is finishing your work and finishing it well.

The series I have created, How to Write Anything, has all that you need. In this book, I will be covering how to write a better main character. For many writers, this is essential. Character-driven stories need great characters, but one needs to have a combination of practical thinking and imagination to make it work well.

There’s no time to waste. You are eager to write and you want to be confident on this subject. You have the contents page, if there is anything that particularly interests you, feel free to skip to that section, but I do recommend reading the book from beginning to end.

It’s a brief, information-packed guide on everything you need to know about writing the main character and make them memorable.

Oh, if you want to see some of my work, from books to courses, short stories to articles, you can find it all on my website, http://www.thepennedsleuth.com/

Happy writing,

Matthew Dewey, Writer

The Role of the Main Character

The role of the main character is simple enough to establish in theory, but in practice, it can be a real pain. First, the role of the main character isn’t simply to stop the villain/hero or find happiness. The main character represents some aspect of your story.

In other words, if the main character you seek to improve is the antagonist, the antagonist represents the side of evil. The antagonist should show this in their actions, their dialogue, sometimes their design. Their role is clear and should be made clear to the reader. (Of course, this is assuming you want it to be clear. Some antagonists work in the dark, or are hidden amongst your protagonists.)

There are many elements to work on to establish their role in your novel, but the main is their purpose. What is the reason for your main character?

Finding the Reason

Often, the reason for the main character is pretty clear. Your antagonist is there to incite conflict, to have a certain effect on characters, and perhaps the world as well. Side characters are also simple, as many are created to be the comedic break, the love interest and so