Tips For Writing a Compelling Character

Foundational Academy
Feb 15, 2023
6 min read

Updated: Jul 11, 2023

Welcome to Weekly Articles. This week we will explore the screenwriting space and particularly the character space.

Martin Scorsese once said that the films I constantly revisit have held up for me over the years not because of the plot but because of the character. Whereas some writers like David Mamet believe there is no such thing as character. It's the story and situation that create a character. Let me know in the comments below what you think about the character and their co-relation to the story.

Let's get back to the topic of the article.

Tips For Creating a Compelling Character.

Give your characters a unique backstory

Creating an interesting backstory can help them feel more real, natural, and relatable. Think about their upbringing, experiences, and relationships that have shaped who they are today.

Every person is shaped by their experiences, and your character should be no different. When you create a backstory for your character, you're giving them a history that explains why they are the way they are. A well-crafted backstory can make your character feel more real and relatable, and it can help you as the writer understand their motivations and goals.

To create a unique backstory, think about your character's family, upbringing, and key life events. What challenges have they faced, and how have they overcome them? What relationships have they had, and how have those relationships shaped them? What are their fears, hopes, and dreams?

As you answer these questions, you'll start to develop a deeper understanding of who your character is and what drives them. You can then use this information to inform the character's actions and dialogue throughout the story.

Remember that a backstory doesn't need to be fully explained within the script. It's just something that you, as the writer, need to know to create a well-rounded character. You can use small details to hint at the character's backstory, such as a certain piece of clothing or a specific location that has meaning to the character. These details can help to flesh out the character and make them feel more real to the audience.

For example, In Inglorious Basterds, we see a burn around Aldo Raine's (Brad Pitt) neck. The reason for this is not revealed in the film. This was for the actor to have a better understanding of the character as well as the writer for making the character whole. You can see the burn around Aldo Raine's neck in the image below.

In summary, a unique backstory is an important aspect of creating compelling characters. By giving your characters a history that explains their motivations and goals, you can create characters that feel more real and relatable, and that will engage your audience.

Create well-defined goals and motivations

In order for your characters to feel like real people, they need to have goals and motivations that drive their actions throughout the story. Goals should be specific, tangible, and achievable, and they should be rooted in the character's backstory and desires.

When creating goals for your characters, it's important to consider their desires and the things that matter most to them. These goals can be related to a wide range of topics, such as relationships, careers, personal fulfillment, or even survival.

In addition to goals, your characters also need clear motivations that drive their actions. Motivations are the underlying reasons why characters pursue their goals, and they should be rooted in the character's backstory and desires. For example, a character who is seeking revenge might be motivated by a desire for justice or a need for closure.

Well-defined goals and motivations can help to create a clear character arc, or journey, for your characters. This journey should take the character from a starting point (often a place of conflict or struggle) to a point of resolution, where the character has either achieved their goal or come to a new understanding of themselves and the world around them.

It's also important to keep in mind that goals and motivations can change throughout the story. As your character encounters obstacles and experiences personal growth, their goals and motivations may shift, and they may need to reassess what's truly important to them.

Make your characters flawed

Flaws can make your characters more relatable, interesting, and human. A character who is too perfect can be boring and unrelatable, but a flawed character is more interesting because they have internal conflicts that create tension and drama in the story. These flaws can also create an opportunity for character growth, as they work to overcome these flaws or learn to accept them.

When thinking about flaws for your characters, consider what their weaknesses or vices might be. Perhaps your character struggles with anger, or they are overly critical of themselves or others. Maybe they have a tendency to be impulsive or make poor decisions. Whatever their flaws may be, it's important to make sure they are realistic and that they have a reason for existing. Flaws should be tied to the character's backstory, motivations, and goals.

Flaws can also create conflict within the story, as the character's flaws may cause them to clash with other characters or create obstacles that must be overcome. This conflict can help to drive the story forward and create tension and suspense.

It's also important to note that flaws don't have to be negative traits. Positive traits can also be used as flaws if they are taken to an extreme. For example, a character who is fiercely loyal may become blinded by that loyalty and make poor decisions as a result.

Giving your character's distinct personalities.

Distinct personalities can make your characters more memorable, interesting, and unique. A character's personality is the combination of their traits, behaviors, and attitudes that make them who they are. By creating characters with distinct personalities, you can create a diverse cast of characters that will engage your audience and make your story more dynamic.

To create distinct personalities, start by considering the character's traits. Traits are the innate qualities that make up a person's character. They can be positive, negative, or a mix of both. For example, a character might be honest, courageous, and confident, but also stubborn and impulsive.

In addition to traits, consider how your characters behave and interact with others. How do they talk, move, and react to different situations? Do they have any quirks or habits that set them apart? These behaviors can help to make your characters feel more realistic and unique.

Finally, consider your character's attitude. Attitude is a way of thinking or feeling about something, and it can be shaped by a character's backstory and experiences. A character's attitude can affect how they approach problems, how they interact with others, and how they view the world around them.

By combining traits, behaviors, and attitudes, you can create characters with distinct personalities that will stand out to your audience. These personalities can also create conflict and tension within the story, as characters with different personalities may clash or have different goals and motivations.

It's important to note that not every character needs to have a completely unique personality. In fact, some characters may share similar traits or behaviors, but still have distinct personalities because of their different attitudes and experiences.

Reveal character through dialogue

Dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing character in your screenplay. Through the words your characters speak, you can convey their personalities, motivations, and feelings. Effective dialogue not only advances the plot but also deepens our understanding of the characters and their relationships.

One way to reveal character through dialogue is by considering the character's background and experiences. How might their upbringing, education, or profession affect the way they speak? For example, a character who grew up in a wealthy family might have a more formal way of speaking, while a character who grew up on the streets might use more slang and colloquialisms. A character who is a lawyer might speak in a more argumentative and persuasive tone, while a character who is a musician might speak more poetically.

Another way to reveal character through dialogue is by considering the character's emotions and motivations. How might they express themselves when they are angry, sad, or happy? What do they care about most, and how do they talk about it? Do they hide their true feelings, or are they more open and expressive? These emotional and motivational aspects of a character can help you craft dialogue that is not only realistic but also reveals important aspects of their personality.

It's also important to consider the relationships between your characters when crafting dialogue. How do they speak to each other, and what does this say about their relationship? Do they have a history that is revealed through their words? Do they have a power dynamic that is reflected in the way they speak to each other?

Additionally, consider the subtext in your dialogue. What is left unsaid can be just as important as what is spoken. Hidden motives, desires, and conflicts can all be revealed through the subtext of a conversation.

By using dialogue effectively, you can create characters that feel real and engaging. Dialogue can reveal character traits, motivations, and emotions, as well as the relationships between characters. As you write your screenplay, keep in mind that every word your characters speak can be an opportunity to deepen our understanding of who they are.

The best example I can give for this is Quentin Tarantino. His films have unique dialogue for each character, with just the text you can identify the character talking. I highly recommend reading Quentin Tarantino's film scripts. You will get to learn a lot about dialogues, and characters, making characters distinct from each other.