The Soul of a Character

Many fiction writers can attest to the difficulties of creating a good character.  Though the word “good” is hard to truly put into definable terms, writers usually know when one of their characters is or isn’t well thought out.  But just a well thought out character doesn’t make it good.  Plot twists, eccentric notions, engaging personalities, do these things make an individual that readers treasure?  Or is it something else?

The issue is what most writers cannot fully grasp, but more feel in their minds, and even on an emotional level.  A character, be it protagonist or villain, needs to be more than just engaging.  A good character needs to be engrossing.  It needs to have a soul.  It would be strange to impress upon yourself the notion that a created, fictional being that exists only in our imaginations could have such an aspect.  Yet, the more you think about it the more it becomes apparent.  Those books we have read that stuck with us the most are the ones whose characters became real.  Not tangible, but things in our minds that latch on and become a part of us.

Now, for the hardest part.  If you asked a fiction writer how they can impart such a quality to their creations, how do you think they could answer?  Would it be well thought out, concise, easy?  Or, more likely, the hand behind the neck and scattered thoughts often seasoned with “ums.”  The mystery remains, how exactly can you or I really impart such deep being, such defining nature to imaginative figments of our own minds?

Is there an ask forum, an easily accessed tutorial?  Perhaps a book?  Well, I am sure such things exist.  The issue is how that individual, or small group, sees the way.  Is writing a science, where there is only one true definitive method of solution past the theoretical stages?  Or, is writing a path we travel down to discover our own unique talents?  The best question to ask yourself is “how do I impart a little bit of myself into this?”

Reading and understanding how other authors, writers, and creative minds have brought about their works is a good way to be inspired, to build upon your path.  To take their steps promotes the natural talents of a writer, budding or otherwise, but does not define them.  It serves as a guide, and using it properly is helpful, but copying it only detracts from the growing process.

It would be rather deep, perhaps overly philosophical to state that the path of a writer is one of self-discovery, but for some it truly is.  We learn much about how we think, the things we enjoy, creating microcosms of our own lives in a fantasy.  That all leads to the creations we place within these worlds of imagination.

Can a well thought out and plot-centric character go through the ropes as outlined and made available, leading to what many would describe as good writing, fundamentally fail in the end?  Could a character designed perfectly not connect with readers?  Of course, and the question holds, “what is he or she missing?”  Have you felt yourself asking this after finishing a book?  Oftentimes not, but occasionally that question can arise.

So what is it, this magical thing that characters have we can connect to so deeply?  A soul?  Can fictional beings have this?  My answer is yes, they most certainly can.  Pouring your heart and soul into the creation of a character is building something that lasts years.  Some creative minds, writers, artists, etc… they throw a few characteristics together, give a design, and go hoping that in the end something good and exciting will happen to give this creation meaning.  This is the birth of cliché, because “exciting” and “awesome” are words to describe momentary emotional highs, while true depth lies in the times between where we feel bonded to the things we read.

You can feel charged by a cliché, but in the end the connection falters and we are left pining for new excitement.  A true connection lies in those readers who finish a book, and look forward to reading it again.  Characters that do not woo us with sparkling excitement, but sit by us and live with us.

So, what gives the character a soul?  What drives a writer to stick with something through thick and thin, ignoring the draw of momentary excitement?  Because, there is no greater bond than between a writer and his or her creations.  A writer that pours into a character all they can, the good and the bad, creates something real.  Real not just for themselves, but for those who see it, read it, and grow up with it.

In conclusion, the path of a writer is not one built by others for you to follow, but one you pave yourself and stand back to tell others, “hey, see what I can do when I put my mind to it?”  From universes, to worlds, to single individuals, writers have such an amazing gift to build and to create; and with patience and perseverance that gift can be honed into something that lives on long after.

So, the real question is, “can a fictional character have a soul?”  The answer is yes, and it is a small part of the creator that gave it.  So keep writing, press on, and discover not only yourself in the lives of those you create, but the worlds in which they exist.