Characters are the life force that drive our stories forward, they are maybe the most important part of your script. And yes, I, personally, think good characters trump plot any day. I have read scripts where the plot was so-so, been there done that, but the writer had such engaging characters that I couldn’t put it down.
Now, how do we write memorable characters? I’ve got some tips for you that I use in my writing to really help form full fledged, dynamic characters. Let’s get started!
1. AVOID THE MARY SUES AND GARY STUS
This is number one because this drives me absolutely crazy. I do a lot of script coverage in my day to day life, and I guarantee you at least half the stories I read will feature a Mary Sue or Gary Stu. What does this term mean? Well, I touched on it a bit in my article on writing protagonists, but I’ll elaborate more here, because it is a plague that is affecting writers all over the world.
A Mary Sue or Gary Stu is a character who is boring. They do everything by the book, they are level headed, they are reasonable, and they are without flaw. They’re unrealistic. Most of the time I see this with protagonists, but I’ve also noticed it a ton with ‘love interest’ characters as well. So, be on the lookout for that in your own writing.
We are human beings, we have flaws. We have things that are annoying about ourselves, things that people cannot stand. We have fears, we have internal struggles, we are NOT perfect. If you want your characters to be memorable and true to life, you have to give them some sort of weakness.
Okay, so that’s easier said than done, so let me give you a tip on how to break your character out of this ‘Mr./Mrs. Perfection’ mold. Build up a backstory. Where did they grow up? What was their relationship with their parents like? Did they get bullied in school? Ask all these questions and a million more. Now, of course most of this won’t end up in your script, but it will help you fully realize the humanity of your character, which will in turn make them not boring. Just try it out, I promise it’s a game changer.
Let me give you an example of a character that could have easily been a Gary Stu, but instead is still captivating to watch. In the critically acclaimed comedy ‘Arrested Development’, we follow Michael Bluth as he tries to dig his family out of financial ruin. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know that the entire Bluth family is extremely quirky, out there, each one more strange than the last. However, Michael isn’t.
So why isn’t he a Gary Stu? While it’s incredibly easy to make your ‘voice of reason’ character boring, the writers of this show subvert our expectations by giving Michael some key character flaws that end up making him much more than just ‘the one normal guy in the bunch.’
Michael is condescending, he is a know it all, he doesn’t listen to others, he’s willing to go behind people’s backs. These are the things that elevate the character from someone who is just there to play off the funnier characters, into someone we actually enjoy watching.
So, I will reiterate my point one last time, perfect characters does not equal a perfect script.
2. USE INSPIRATION FROM REAL LIFE
Now that I’ve finished my lecture on crafting imperfect characters, why don’t we focus on where we can actually find inspiration for them. The answer is simple, your real life. This is a method writers have been using since the dawn of time, and we continue to use it today because it works!
Think about it, in the X amount of years you’ve been on this planet you have encountered a plethora of characters, you just didn’t know it! Do you have an aunt that ruins every holiday? Or a coworker who has idiosyncratic behaviors? Use them. You can even craft some Frankenstein-esque character, by pulling traits from multiple people you know. Perhaps I want to write a character who’s a CPA, based on my cousin who works in accounting. Now, I may sprinkle in some traits that my sister has that I think would really make this guy’s life as an accountant more interesting to read about. Maybe he’s an accountant who is absolutely terrible at budgeting in his personal life. Boom, right there we have something to work with and to grow off of.
Why does this work? Because it’s real. These are real sources you’re pulling inspiration from, and chances are whoever is reading your script will know someone just like your character and become that much more engaged with them.
My favorite part is that you can even use yourself! You’ve probably heard of the phrase ‘self insert’ where writers create a character that is essentially a representation of themselves and plug them into the story. Because no one can write a character based on you better than yourself, you’ll find that the character will naturally be full of life, have their own quirks, and well? Be memorable!
I do this sometimes when I’m stuck. Now, I don’t name my character Tyler Christiansen, and only write about how he ghostwrites scripts all day. What I do is borrow from parts of my life that are appropriate for the story. Say I have a character who is a young man working in an office. Well, I actually did work in an office for quite some time, I was an assistant! I can reflect back on that time, what did I feel, what did I dislike, what did I want, etc. And use my own experiences to help build a base for that character.
Make your job easier! Steal from real life! My only disclaimer is that if you do this, and the person you based a character off of recognizes themselves…be prepared for whatever reaction they may have.
3. THE BUS FIRE TEST
Now, is the fun part! So, you have a cast of characters, each one unique in their own way, some based on your friends and family, some from your own imagination, great! Ready to find out if they’re really that memorable? Do this exercise!
Your characters come across a school bus that is on fire! Oh no! What is THE VERY FIRST THING they decide to do?
You should be able to come up with an answer off the top of your head. For example, my office worker character from earlier (based on 19 year old Tyler) would probably panic, yell out a string of profanities, then scramble for his phone, nervously dropping it in the process, causing it to smash to bits.
Michael Bluth would probably try to be a hero and go in the bus himself to rescue the kids, against the advice of the professionals. In doing so, he’d immediately realize he bit off more than he could chew and probably end up injuring himself in the process.
A memorable cast of characters should all have some different type of reaction. And if you say “My character would go in, rescue the kids, and then alert the authorities, all without a scratch on them.” You have a Mary Sue. Back to the drawing board!
When reading a script we want a dynamic group of characters, too many of the same archetype can really bog down the story. So, if you’re unsure, use this exercise! It’s a life saver!
That’s all I have for you today, I hope you learned something new and are able to really elevate your characters! Good luck, and happy writing!
