Mastering Character Development through Inner and Outer Journeys

Mastering character development is vital for anyone who wants to write a compelling story because the characters in your story are the driving force behind your narrative. They are the ones who connect with your readers and keep them engaged throughout the journey. Crafting unforgettable characters takes time, effort, and a deep understanding of the human psyche, but as with anything, the more we study it, the better we get at it.

What is it and why is it important?

Character development refers to the process of creating dynamic, multidimensional characters that evolve throughout the story. It involves developing the character’s backstory, personality traits, motivations, and goals. The goal of character development is to create a character that is relatable, engaging, and memorable.

The importance of character development in storytelling cannot be overstated. Characters are the heart of any story, and without them, your narrative will fall flat. A well-developed character can evoke emotions, create tension, and keep readers invested in the story. In contrast, a poorly developed character will leave readers feeling disconnected and uninterested.

Inner and Outer Journeys in Character Development

When developing a character, it’s important to consider both their inner and outer journeys. The journey is also known the character arc. The inner journey refers to the character’s emotional and psychological growth throughout the story, their emotional/psychological arc. It involves exploring the character’s beliefs, values, and fears and how they change over time. The outer journey, on the other hand, refers to the character’s physical journey throughout the story. It involves exploring the challenges and obstacles the character faces and how they overcome them.

Developing the inner journey of a character is crucial to creating a well-rounded and relatable character. To develop the inner journey, you need to ask yourself questions such as: What motivates the character? What are their fears and insecurities? What are their strengths and weaknesses? By answering these questions, you can create a character that is multidimensional and relatable.

Developing the outer journey of a character is equally important. The outer journey provides the plot of the story and creates tension and conflict. To develop the outer journey, you need to consider the character’s goals and the challenges they face. You also need to consider the setting and how it affects the character’s journey. By creating a well-developed outer journey, you can create a compelling and engaging story.

Character Development Questions to Ask Yourself

Developing a character is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of the character’s motivations, beliefs, and fears. To help you develop your characters, here are some character development questions to ask yourself:

What is the character’s backstory?
What motivates the character?
What are the character’s fears and insecurities?
What are the character’s strengths and weaknesses?
What is the character’s goal?
What are the obstacles the character faces in achieving their goal?
How does the character change throughout the story?
What is the character’s relationship with other characters in the story?
How does the setting affect the character’s journey?

By asking yourself these questions, you can create a character that is multidimensional, relatable, and engaging.

Tips for Crafting Unforgettable Characters

Crafting unforgettable characters takes time, effort, and an understanding of the human psyche. Here are some tips for developing unforgettable characters:

Create characters that are multidimensional and relatable
Develop the character’s backstory, beliefs, and motivations
Consider both the character’s inner and outer journeys
Create obstacles and challenges for the character to overcome
Allow the character to grow and change throughout the story
Write dialogue that is true to the character’s personality
Show, don’t tell, the character’s emotions and thoughts
Consider the character’s relationships with other characters in the story
Use sensory details to bring the character to life

By following these tips, you can create characters that are engaging, memorable, and unforgettable.

Watch the videos below for more detail

Watch Part 2 on the subject below.

Overwhelmed?

Sometimes we can follow all the tips and still not know if we’ve developed our characters well enough, and we will never know until someone else takes a look at our work because we simply get so close to ut that we can no longer see it clearly. That’s why authors will always need editors (human editors!) The best first step in the editorial process you can take for your novel is to have a professional manuscript appraisal. Contact me today for some kind but honest feedback.