How to Create & Develop Great Children’s Book Characters

 
 
All good fiction starts with characters. Characters are the central focus of your story; they control the plot, causing its twists and turns and ultimate resolution.

A mistake many writers make is conceiving the plot first and then plugging one-dimensional characters into the storyline, simply moving them from point A to point B.

This often results in a flat story without emotional impact. Even the most thrilling adventure won’t appeal to readers if they don’t care about the people involved.

Though the idea for a story—its theme or message—or the events that make up the plot may be the first things that spring to mind, take time to develop your characters before you begin writing.

If you’re still shaping the core idea for your story, you may want to start with our guide for writers who have an idea but aren’t sure where to begin:
https://writeforkids.online/i-have-an-idea/

 

Build a Character Profile

 
Many authors create a detailed character sketch or biography before writing the story.

This can include both physical and personality traits.

Examples include:

Physical details

• Appearance
• Gestures
• Facial expressions
• Body language

Personality traits

• Habits
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Values

Dig deep into your character’s inner life:

• What is this character’s greatest fear?
• What is their worst nightmare?
• What is their proudest achievement?

This kind of background work is important for every type of character—even talking animals.

Avoid stereotypes or ready-made characters that readers have seen before.

 
 

Character Creates Conflict

 
Once your character is clearly established in your mind, place them into conflict.

The way that conflict is resolved depends on who the character is, which is why the background work is so important.

The resolution must come from the character’s unique strengths and weaknesses.

This illustrates the basic structure of plot:

Character → Conflict → Resolution

Underlying all of this is the story’s theme, or message.

You never state the theme directly to your reader. Instead, it becomes clear through what your main character learns—or how they change—during the story.

If you’re struggling with how your character should react to the story problem, our page for writers who feel stuck in the middle of their story can help:
https://writeforkids.online/im-stuck/

 
 

Strong Characters Create Original Stories

 
There are only a handful of universal themes in storytelling.

What makes your story stand out is how your particular character handles the conflict.

If your characters are original, your plot will feel original as well.

This kind of character development is also important for secondary characters.

Though you won’t reveal as many details about them as you do with your main character, readers should still see glimpses of the traits that make them unique.

These traits can appear through:

• Dialogue
• Actions
• Reactions to events

This keeps supporting characters from blending together in the background.

 
 

Character Depth Depends on Book Type

 
Different types of children’s books explore character in different ways.

Short stories, picture books, and easy readers

The plot usually focuses on one or two aspects of the main character’s personality, such as:

• Fear of the dark
• Jealousy of a sibling
• Learning to share

Chapter books, middle grade, and young adult novels

These stories tend to have:

• More complicated plots
• Deeper character development
• Subplots that reveal additional conflicts

If you already have a manuscript in progress and want to strengthen the characters, visit:
https://writeforkids.online/i-have-a-draft/

 
 

Matching Characters to Young Readers

 
In novels, the main character is often about the same age as the reader or slightly older.

Picture books are more flexible. Characters can be children, adults, or animals, as long as:

• The conflict matters to children ages 4–8
• The story reflects a childlike point of view

 
 

Let Your Characters Drive the Story

 
Your characters must behave consistently with the personality you have given them.

They should resolve conflicts in ways that are true to who they are, not simply in ways that are convenient to the plot.

For example, a character shouldn’t suddenly use knowledge or skills they realistically wouldn’t have.

When characters behave authentically, something interesting happens: they begin to drive the story themselves.

Once your characters take on a life of their own, your story may head in directions you never anticipated.

Let it.

If your characters are believable, they may take you places you never dreamed possible.

And when your story is finished, you can learn the next steps for turning that manuscript into a published book here:
https://writeforkids.online/im-ready-to-publish/
 
 

Related topics

 
Learn more with these free guides:

• Master the Five Types of Children’s Book Plots
• Show, Don’t Tell
• Choose the Correct Point of View