What makes a good character?

Hello. My name is Brittany Washington and I introduced myself in the welcome forum as an aspiring author, journalist and college student from Elon University. For my class blog, I have to reach out to authors and ask a question related to my topic, which is writing. So my question is what makes a good character? Is it his or her personality? How they react to situations? Their life stories? What makes people fall in love with characters? With your permission, I will be quoting you and putting you on my blog. Everyone feel free to respond, but I will contact you before I take any quote and put it in my blog. If you have any questions or want more information private message me. Thanks for your time.

I was going to add my blog address and email, but as a new member, I'm not allowed to for 7 days and of course the story is due in less than 7 days.

Well-written characters are believable and have recognisable traits. They do not behave "out-of-character"; flawed characters remain flawed and reliable characters do not let anyone down or run off with their best friend's wife. Good characterisations are based on the characters' actions, appearance and dialogue.

I agree with Shelagh, Brittany, but I might ask, how do you define "good"? If you mean "well-defined," then a character that you have shown to lack integrity, might actually,in a literal sense, and in the course of your story, "run away with his best friend's wife."

But only if you have prepared us (your readers) for the possibility.

"Good" characters remain true to themselves.

The best way, IMVHO, to create good characters, is to explore them as thoroughly as possible. Know, before you begin writing a scene, just how that individual would react, what tone of speech s/he would use, and what words s/he might say to put hi/r point across.

A good character is well known by the writer.

Ann

Dear Brittany,
I am by no means an expert, but I think that all characters come out of the the experiences of the writer. The character may be a small animal or any other grand personage, but for the character to be believed the author must step out of themselves and be that character while they are writing. In the beginning of the writing the words may come out in a gush that needs editing and fine tuning, but the essence of the story has to be blurted out.
My opinion.
Love,
Betty

What Betty said.

Ann

The character(s) must be believeable. Credibility with characters give credibility to the story unless you're writing science fiction.

I agree with Abe, with the exception of, even if you're writing science fiction, the characters still have to lend credibility to the story.

"My wife ran off with my best friend, and I miss him."

Well-written characters define themselves to readers more by their actions and what they say (and by other characters' reactions) and less by your description of them. Let the reader get to know them. Make each character behave differently from the others, and thus reveal the unique qualities that define characters.

Al Stevens wrote:

"My wife ran off with my best friend, and I miss him."

He phoned to say that he was sorry that he'd run off with my wife.
I told him, "I would be sorry, too!"

Thanks for all the responses. I will be getting in touch with some of you very soon. These are all great responses.

Thanks again for all the responses. Here's the story: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And if you would like to help me out another project, please take this short quiz.
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Hi Brittany!

I just read your blog. Well done. I very much enjoyed it.

I hope you have a great semester.

ps - took the survey too.

Thanks!

For me a great character leaps off the page and becomes a part of me. When a reader becomes the character then the writer has done a very good job of characterization ... in my opinion. Louis L'Amour, who wrote mostly westerns, was very good with characterization.