How to Create Believable Characters

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Have a notebook for keeping track of your ideas.

   Not only for characters, but also for plots, settings and anything else you can think of.
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   Step 2: Watch people everywhere.

   At the playground, the office, the grocery store, etc.
   
   Listen to how they speak, how they act, watch their body language and how they look.
   
   If you find any interesting ideas, write them down before you forget. , Sometimes just a name can spark an idea for a character.
   
   At the same time, try to find memorable names, ones that are easy to remember.
   
   If you have a really long name, at least try to create a nickname.
   
   This makes it easier on your readers/viewers, and for you.
   
   You can look at the credits of a movie for good ideas. , Keep track of their name, age, personality, likes and dislikes, and everything in between. , How they talk, walk, their actions and how they might react to different characters. , If (s)he is a "bad guy," for every good trait, write two bad traits.
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   Step 3: Keep track of names you find appealing.

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   Step 4: Make profiles for your characters.

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   Step 5: Put your character in a few different situations and write about how they would react.

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   Step 6: List your character's good traits

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   Step 7: but here's the catch: if (s)he is a "good guy

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   Step 8: " for every two good traits

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   Step 9: write a bad trait.

Detailed Guide

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