FROM TIM
I am writing to you sir, because I have a writing problem and I was kinda hoping you could help. I am a wannabe writer. I am not a Novice or anything of that nature. I am just a plain wannabe writer, meaning that I really wish I was a writer, plain and simple. I have never written anything nor do I have any pen names. Now on to the e-mail. Well sir, its like this, I am wanting to write this story, but I have a heck of a time with coming up with just the right now, so that my character will be memorable. The genre I am writing in is Western. I know that its a dead genre. Its more like Action-Adventure/Western. Anyway, I am getting off the subject. Any tips on how to make memorable characters? I have recently joined http://www.writers.net/ Hopefully by being on that site, it will be able to attract some people that might be able to help me. Well, sir, thank you for allowing me to write to you. Write when you can.
RESPONSE
Well, first and most important, start writing. Stop the wannabe and start to be a writer. Get to it.
How about we pick a memorable literary character and then examine how the author created that character? Sherlock Holmes is a pretty memorable character, wouldn't you agree? How did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle create him?
ACD himself said that Sherlock Holmes was based on a beloved teacher, Joseph Bell. He said he inculcated those characteristics he admired about Mr. Bell into Sherlock Holmes and “erected a man”. It was the same with Dr. Watson. ACD based him on a good personal friend. And he based Professor Moriarty on yet another person he knew.
If you do a little research, I think you'll find that most memorable literary characters were created in this way, from real people that the authors knew personally. It is not unlike an artist painting a portrait of a person. Just as people recognize the person in a painting, many people recognized Joseph Bell in Sherlock Holmes and guessed he was ACD's inspiration for the character.
So...you may not know it, but one of the most memorable characters you create is most likely someone you know already. Isn't that an interesting thought? I hope it spurs you to observe people more carefully. The heroes and villains in your stories could be the people you really admire and dislike right now.
But it was not just other people he knew. By all accounts, ACD himself was not unlike Sherlock Holmes. He possessed extraordinary powers of observation and encyclopedic knowledge, and even helped solve a few crimes. We could say that Sherlock was also somewhat of a literary projection of the author. ACD was also a medical doctor – I'm sure there was more than a little of himself in Dr. Watson. And we all harbor our own secret sins, hatreds, and prejudices, and I'm sure some of ACD's went into Professor Moriarty.
Sometimes, an author will infuse his characters with traits he admires, but lacks himself. For example, I've never been a physically intimidating person, but I admire people who have physical strength or agility, so often, my heroes are physically strong or agile. I'm sure you could name some traits you lack, but nonetheless admire. Well, here's your chance to enjoy them vicariously through a character you create! Sometimes, you may enjoy it so much, you can't wait until you can write some more!
That's my two cents. Now take it and run with it!
And by the way, no genre is ever dead. Plenty of people love westerns, me included. Read a bunch of westerns. Louis L'Amore is a good western author. Read all about the Sacketts. Nothing inspires good writing better than reading and examining the good writing of a successful author.