Monthly Archives: June 2010

Photo/Fire Dance for Mother Earth by H. Kopp Delaney on Flickr

So much has been said about creating memorable characters on the web, and there is no end to the different strategies to do that. Strong characters drive a strong plot and give the readers someone to connect with, positively or negatively.

Yet, even with all the worksheets, formulas, and psychological advice, a writer may still end up with a cardboard character. Why is that?

You can write all you want about your character’s outward appearance, family history, favorite foods, etcetera, but all that gives you is words on a paper. One of the best ways to learn how to breathe life into a character is to go back to basics. Way back to ancient basics.

Archetypes are Enduring Character Types

Character archetypes such as the Warrior, the Seductress, the Free Spirit, and the Adventurer, have endured years of literary use because they have deeply rooted qualities that anchor who they are.

The Warrior must fight to protect his honor, his family, and his land at all costs. Readers resonate with his loyalty and strength and follow him on his quests. The Seductress gains her power from manipulating others. Readers admire her beauty and as she uses her wiles, they may literally squirm with apprehension.

Character Archetypes Evoke Emotion

The reason these archetypes  work so well in fiction, and why they continue to endure from ancient epics to modern literature, is because they evoke strong emotions in the character. Studying these archetypes helps writers also learn how to evoke that same kind of emotion with their characters.

Here is a simple exercise to use with writing students or to do on your own.

Create a new character using one of the archetypes listed below. Once you’ve created a new character, put him or her into one of these situations.

1. An armed man tries to rob the bank while your character is standing in line.
2. An older woman falls and breaks her leg in the park where your character is jogging.
3. The power inexplicably goes out in the office building where your character works.
4. Your character runs into a person he thought he killed two months ago.

Have fun with the exercise. The results may lead to a new story.

Classic Character Archetypes and Their Qualities

This is a list of a few of the more well known and recognized archetypes. They are linked to articles describing their qualities and giving examples of how they have been used in fiction and movies.

• The Bad Boy
• The Warrior
• The Waif
• The Professor
• The Swashbuckler
• The Seductress
• The Librarian
• The Nurturer
• The Free Spirit
• The Boss

Happy writing!