"A writer should create living people; people, not characters. A character is a caricature." -Ernest Hemingway


This article is for any writer who wants resources for creating dynamic, believable characters.

Creating original characters is no longer a scary!



My Tutorials:
Creating Dynamic Characters
The Story of Your Character
Why I Hate the Letter Y


Tutorials on Deviantart:
by ~Xancsia
by =mayshing
by ~miss-ribbit32
Murdering Mary Sue by ~Cei-Ellem


Outside of dA:

General
The Mary Sue Litmus Test
Characters on Fiction Factor
Character Development Drives Conflict
From Inside to Outside,Outside to Inside:Character Development in Fiction

Resources for Names:
Popular Given Names US, 1801-1999
Characters on Fiction Factor
The Baby Name Wizard: The Name Experts
US Census List of Surnames


Free Reads on Google books:
Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger
Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain
Characters and viewpoint by Orson Scott Card


Other advice:
Read books with characters you like.
Study history. There are so many "characters" from the past.
Watch classic movies.
Make an effort to observe people in real life and see how they really move, talk, and live.
Get to know people on deep levels to know their fears and motivations.
Study acting. You never know what you might learn when you become someone else.
Create characters with whom you can empathize.
Enjoy the minute details of what you write.
Never get discouraged!

In the end, characters come from inside you. You are a creative, unique individual, and they will be, too.