The Art Of Introducing A Character

In this post, we look at the art of introducing a character in fiction.

The Art Of Introducing A Character

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and described yourself to yourself? Never. You may think, ‘Gosh, that’s a new wrinkle.’ Or ‘Better find a hat, because today is going to be a bad hair day.’ But you don’t think, ‘I have golden hair the colour wheat ripening in the field, eyes so green they remind you of leaves in the forest, and a face that will haunt men’s dreams,’ do you? No. Neither should your characters.

So, how do you introduce a character? Here are four suggestions.

4 Suggestions On How To Introduce A Character

A unique voice

If every character sounds exactly the same readers will find it hard to differentiate between them. Yes, you could use dialogue tags to tell the reader who is speaking but used too often in one conversation it soon becomes monotonous to read. One of the best examples of unique voices are the characters in the Jeeves and Wooster series by P G Wodehouse. The stories centre around Bertie Wooster, a youngish, upper-class Edwardian man of wealth and his ever so correct valet, Jeeves. You would never confuse the two.

Bertie: ‘As I sat in the bath-tub, soaping a meditative foot and singing, if I remember correctly, ‘Pale Hands I Loved Beside The Shalimar’, it would be deceiving my public to say that I was feeling boomps-a-daisy. The evening that lay before me promised to be one of those sticky evenings, no good to man or beast.

Jeeves: ‘There is much in what you say, sir, but it appears to be not so much a loan as an investment that the gentleman is seeking. He wishes to give you the opportunity of contributing money to the production of his dramatization of Lady Florence Craye’s novel, ‘Spindrift’.’

Writing Tip: Ensure that every character sounds different. Take into account the character’s backstory. Their social status, relationship to the other characters, education, era in which the book is set, their perception of the world, their place within it, and their age.

2. Describe a few revealing physical aspects in as few words as possible – and make them count

A description of a character will, in all likelihood include some physical attributes, but they should also include other information about the character. In this description of Hercule Poirot by Captain Hastings tells you very succinctly all you need to know about him. The first line of the short story, The Affair At The Victory Ball, by Agatha Christie, tells us he is Belgian and the former Chief of the Belgian force.

A little later, on the same page we read, ‘My little friend, neat and dapper as ever, his egg-shaped head tilted on one side, was delicately applying a new pomade to his moustache. A certain harmless vanity was a characteristic of Poirot’s and fell into line with his general love of order and method.’ We not only have a physical description – he is short and egg shaped – but, more importantly, an insight into his character – he is vain, careful, and methodical.

In Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen, we are introduced to Darcy with what seems the traditional ‘tall, dark, and handsome’ motif. But this is Austen, so we are told a lot more. In the space of one rather long sentence Darcy goes from tall, dark, and handsome to having a disagreeable countenance all because of the character he displays.

“…Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.’

Writing Tip: Ensure that you use your introductions to tell readers more about your character than their looks. You can drop information on their looks through out the book as seen by other characters.

‘…(Darcy) began to find that (Elizabeth’s face) was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes…he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing…he was caught by (the) easy playfulness (of her manners).’

3. Build your world at the same time you introduce your character

It’s a great way to throw your reader deep into your book. It also saves time and words. We first meet one of literature’s favourite law enforcement officers in the book, Guards, Guards, by Sir Terry Pratchett while also learning about the city he protects.

‘…it was early morning in Ankh-Morpork, oldest and greatest and grubbiest of cities. A thin drizzle dripped from the grey sky and punctuated the river mist that coiled among the streets. Rats of various species went about their nocturnal occasions. Under night’s damp cloak assassins assassinated, thieves thieved, hussies hustled. And so on. And drunken Captain Vimes of the Night Watch, staggered slowly down the street, folded gently into the gutter outside the Watch House and lay there while, above him, strange letters sizzled in the damp and changed colour…’

Writing Tip: Ensure that your character is not a separate entity to the landscape in which you put him or her. Dr Who is always a part of whatever landscape, planet, or era he finds himself, thanks to the TARDIS – his own personal, portable location.

4. Make your characters quirks do double the work

‘To those who hadn’t been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied her hair up in a ribbon to keep it out of her eyes, it meant that the gears and levers of her inventing brain were whirring at top speed.’

This quote from Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events not only introduces a unique quirk to the character but is also a way of making her action do the storytelling. We only need to be told this once. Throughout the rest of the story, every time Violet ties up her hair, we know that a plot change is about to take place. In a way, it’s a cliffhanger. We want to find out what Violet is going to come up with to save the day!

Writing Tip: Ensure every aspect of your character’s personality, even quirks, are necessary to and drive the plot.

The Last Word

If you would like to learn how to write powerful stories, sign up for a course with Writers Write. It’s the perfect place to learn.

by Elaine Dodge. Elaine is the author of The Harcourts of Canada series and The Device Hunter, Elaine trained as a graphic designer, then worked in design, advertising, and broadcast television. She now creates content, mostly in written form, for clients across the globe, but would much rather be drafting her books and short stories.

The Art Of Introducing A Character