The most efficient way to develop your characters is to make their actions count. Everything they say and do and think will reveal something that the reader should apply to their interpretation of them as a part of the story. Never underestimate how important a character’s choices will be to the reader’s impression of them, as certain actions will stick out as defining moments as you round them out over the course of the plot.
Actions Based on Motivation Push Forward The Plot
There’s a reason why a character’s individual motivation is such an imperative detail when mapping them out from the start. Everything they do should push the plot forward and reflect their ultimate goal. You need to know exactly why your character does what they do and why they are the way they are. This is the key to developing the plot and developing the characters all at once.
Setting Shapes The Plot & Challenges
The plot should not only be driven by the actions of the characters, but their constant adaptation to the environment they’re in. This includes political world building, physical features of their setting, and how they travel geographically. This will impact the timeline and the progression of events.
World Creates The Character’s Motivations
Characters are usually motivated by the need to change what is currently out of their control. This seems to manifest as a result of where they are or who they are, and these things are both shaped by the world itself and its foundations. Politics, geography, social norms, etc. These motivations are born out of conflict, whether internal or external, and the world you build within your story will provoke these conflicts.
Character’s Motivations Mirror The Theme
The theme of your story, whether you wish to show it explicitly or portray it between the lines, should be explored through the character’s journey through the plot and the conflict that shapes it. The conflict should be a series of questions that are answered as your character makes their way through it and grows from the reflection it provokes.
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