Character Building Part II

Last post I discussed my methods for getting to now my characters and the importance of choosing the right name. If you missed it, click here. This time I'm going to discuss the techniques for making that character come alive for your reader.

There are two methods to reveal your characters and their traits - Direct and Indirect.

The differences between the two boil down to your basic show vs tell mantra of fiction writing.

Here are two samples.

Direct - A fat car salesman in his late fifties, Frank Barrett, spent most of his free time paying mandolin and banjo in a western swing band.

Indirect - Rex left when I didn't respond, but not five minutes later, J.J. Reyna and Frank Barrett walked in together. Frank stood there for a minute toying with the pearl snaps on his outdated western shirt. I had to give it to those snaps. Holding back Frank's gut was no easy chore, and as much as he jacked with the things, always twisting and turning them with his sausage-like fingers, it was a wonder the buttons didn't pop off all together.

Frank Barret is one of the characters in my novel, Plundered Booty and that second passage comes directly from my manuscript.

The second is full of details and paints a more vivid picture, but to do so I had to use a lot more words. And I still didn't reveal all of his characters. The reader doesn't know from this that Frank plays in a band, or his exact age. However, in a novel where you have lots of time and can develop the character in layers, it is still much better to show the reader who and what the character is rather than tell them. Same goes for a short story, though words and time are much more limited there. And the direct method is often a good way to pass on relevant info on bit characters that may only be on one or two scenes.


Narrative isn't the only way to reveal character. Moreover, it's not even the best way. So next time, I'll give y'all my take and building characterizations via dialogue and action.