It’s not the big,
flashy moments that make characters unforgettable—it’s the subtle differences
and distinctions.
One of my favorite writing quotes is: “Readers come for the
plot, but they stay for the characters.” It’s a good reminder that stories are
ultimately about people and their problems, and no matter how interesting that
problem might be, flat, dull characters won’t keep the reader engaged. I’ve
flipped to the end of a few “great plot, bad characters” books because I wanted
to know the ending, but I didn’t want to slog through the story to get there.
What could have saved those books from such a horrible fate
was stronger characters. What could have made those books unforgettable was nuanced characters.
Nuanced characters feel like they exist beyond the story and
live lives of their own when we aren’t there. They react in surprising ways and
make choices that challenge the reader’s assumptions.
Nuance isn’t about piling on quirks—it’s about revealing layers your readers never expected.
Some characters are just too basic and obvious, and readers
can predict exactly what they’ll do in any given situation. Maybe they’re
clichéd, or a stereotype, or even just someone you didn’t spend a lot of time
developing when you threw them into the story. Sure, they fill a role—love
interest, best friend, antagonist—but they don’t have anything deeper driving
their actions. They serve the plot like actors on a stage, but they don’t feel
like real people.
If you want characters who feel real and complicated, dig
deeper into who they are and how they got that way. Ask the hard questions and
force them to answer. Look for the contradictions and where the character acts
against type—then ask why.
The most interesting people are the ones who surprise even
themselves, and make the reader perk up and think, “Whoa, I didn’t see that coming.”
Let’s look at five
ways you can add nuance to your characters.
The difference between acceptable
and unforgettable is often just one
unexpected choice—the quiet betrayal, the impulsive act of kindness, the moment
someone freezes instead of fights. Those are the moments that stick with
readers long after the book is done.
1. Intelligence: Are They Clever or Smart?
Intelligence covers a range of abilities, and your character
might have an Ivy-League education or street-smart resourcefulness. They could
be gifted in running a TV sports show and hopeless in relationships. Maybe they
have a knack for solving crimes but somehow always wears two different shoes.
Where their intelligence comes from also gives you a variety
of options for how they’d act and react in a scene. Clever characters might
find unexpected solutions and think on their feet, while book-smart characters
may be logical, yet lack improvisation skills.
Show where your character’s intelligence shines and where it fails. Extra points if you
don’t do the obvious, such as give a college education to a CEO, or have the
farmhand be a high school dropout. What might happen if your CEO was the dropout and the farmhand had a
PhD in organic chemistry?
(Here’s more with 5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Character’s Career)
2. Emotion: Do They Manipulate People?
Manipulative characters aren’t always villains, and even the
sweetest characters can tug emotional strings to get what they want. They play
on someone’s guilt, or use tears as a shield. A so-called villain might care
deeply for their evil minions, while someone who shows no emotion at all might
be repressing trauma they can’t yet face or admit to.
Let readers wonder if a character crying because they’re
heartbroken, or because they want the detective off their trail. Is a character
genuinely angry, or is it a distraction from what they’re really afraid of? Maybe your protagonist learned early on that
vulnerability gets results, and now it’s second nature to them. Or maybe
they’re emotionally guarded and can’t stand being seen as weak, even when
they’re hurting.
Emotional contradictions not only make characters feel more
human, they can create moral ambiguity that fuels your plot. It drives
behavior, but it also reveals intent,
so go wild and play with different combinations and see which ones would work
best in your story.
(Here’s more with 3 Ways Moral Dilemmas Can Strengthen Your Novel)
3. Trust: Do They Believe People at Face Value or Doubt Them?
Trust issues are at the core of so many character arcs for a reason—a lack of trust creates a ton
of conflict, and helps build tension and mystery. Someone who doubts everyone
around them might be protecting themselves, or hiding secrets they don’t want
getting out. A character might pretend to trust as a strategy, while secretly
verifying every word, while another is so gullible they fall for obvious con
artists.
How your character navigates trust says a lot about their
past. If they trust easily and assume others are good, they probably led a
sheltered life or had few betrayals. But if they expect betrayal at every turn, odds are good something awful
happened to them or someone they care about.
Where this gets really
fun is when a character’s expectations are wrong. The con artist who never
lies turns out to be the only one who is willing to help the protagonist with
no strings attached. The best friend turns out to only care about what they get out of the relationship. The
protagonist who trusted someone they shouldn't have, and now has to face the
fallout.
Explore what happens when a character’s instinct is wrong, and see how that affects your
story.
(Here’s more with What Makes Your Characters Uncomfortable?)
4. Reactions: Do They Act or Freeze Under Pressure?
Our characters might hope they’d step up and be the hero in
a crisis, but that’s not always how it plays out. Sometimes the character who
talks a big game shuts down when bullets start flying, and a quiet, reserved
librarian steps up and saves the day. You never know how someone will behave
until the, um, stuff, hits the fan and it all goes sideways.
Characters reacting unexpectedly under pressure can surprise
readers and kick all their assumptions to the curb. It’s in those pivotal
moments that we see a character’s cracks—their flaws, insecurities, and those
pesky instincts they can’t control. Maybe the brave soul isn’t as fearless as
they seem. The cold, analytical thug might panic when someone they love is in danger.
Or maybe the goofball who’s been fumbling through the story gets laser-focused
when everything’s on the line.
Putting your characters into situations that force them to
show who they really are exposes
their hidden talents and their secrets.
So let their instincts override their intentions. Let fear, love, guilt, or
regret hijack their plans in the most inconvenient ways possible. You’ll not
only find more compelling scenes, but you’ll add character depth and nuance
readers will appreciate.
(Here’s more with Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn: How We Respond to Threats)
5. Compassion: Do They Show Mercy or Exact Justice?
One of the most telling traits is how a person treats
someone powerless. When your character has the upper hand, what do they do with
it? Do they show mercy, even if it risks further harm? Do they deliver justice,
even if it costs them something emotionally?
How a character treats others is a powerful window into
their personal values, and you can create a lot of tension and nuance by
showing how those values conflict with the situation. You might have a vengeful
character who hesitates when their enemy begs for their child’s life. Or a
merciful character who snaps when pushed too far and does something they’ll
regret the rest of their life.
Don’t just ask what your character does—ask why they do it, and what it costs them.
(Here’s more with Why You Should Have Judgmental Characters)
It’s those small, surprising details that elevate a character from “fine” to “fantastic.”
Nuanced characters bring a story to life. They’re the ones
who stick with readers long after the book is over, not because they were
perfect, but because they felt real.
They made mistakes. They surprised us. They revealed truths about themselves in
ways that felt both inevitable and completely unexpected.
When you dig past the surface roles—hero, best friend,
villain—you’ll find characters with histories, contradictions, and emotions
just waiting to be explored.
EXERCISE FOR YOU: Take
five minutes and list one unexpected way your protagonist might show
intelligence, emotion, trust, an unusual reaction, and compassion. Then look
for places in your novel where each would enhance one of your scenes.
Which of these traits are you most excited to explore with your characters?
Find out more about characters, internalization, and point of view in my book, Fixing Your Character & Point-of-View Problems.
Go step-by-step through revising character and character-related issues, such as two-dimensional characters, inconsistent points of view, too-much backstory, stale dialogue, didactic internalization, and lack of voice. Learn how to analyze your draft, spot any problems or weak areas, and fix those problems.
With clear and easy-to-understand examples, Fixing Your Character & Point-of-View Problems offers five self-guided workshops that target the common issues that make readers stop reading. It will help you:
- Determine the best point(s) of view and how to use them to your advantage
- Eliminate empty dialogue and rambling internalization
- Develop character voices and craft unique, individual characters
Fixing Your Character & Point-of-View Problems starts every workshop with an analysis to pinpoint problem areas and offers multiple revision options in each area. You choose the options that best fit your writing process. It's an easy-to-follow guide to crafting compelling characters, solid points of view, and strong character voices readers will love.
Available in paperback and ebook formats.
Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, including The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book.She also writes the Grace Harper urban fantasy series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.
When she's not writing novels, she's teaching other writers how to improve their craft. She's the founder of Fiction University and has written multiple books on writing.
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