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Q&A What should I do if I can't properly formulate the personality of one of my characters in my novel?

Since you are writing a group, consider what character traits are missing in the group without the character you're struggling to write. Does your group have a comic-relief? A moral compass? A quie...

posted 6y ago by Galastel‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T21:57:26Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/38476
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T09:40:57Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/38476
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T09:40:57Z (almost 5 years ago)
Since you are writing a group, consider what character traits are missing in the group without the character you're struggling to write. Does your group have a comic-relief? A moral compass? A quiet steady person? Etc.

Remember also that opposing traits make each character stand out: like Spock and McCoy in Star Trek bouncing off each other. So, once you have a "moral compass" character, get a character who is comfortable with a "means justify the end" attitude. Once you have someone light-hearted, get someone serious, uptight, and intent on the goal. Once you have someone quiet and steady, get someone impulsive.

Each of your characters needs to have their unique place in the group, need to be taking actions that cannot be taken by any other character. Otherwise, they're not necessary, they're replaceable by the characters already there. Therefore, look at what's missing in your team, and construct your character off that.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-08-24T08:03:28Z (about 6 years ago)
Original score: 1