Fiction writing's biggest challenge is to produce characters that readers can relate to and feel something (from love to loathe and everything in between)about. A great majority of writers focus so much on plot development and "twists", that their characters often fall short in compelling to the reader. When writing a novel, there are certain things a writer must take in to consideration concerning his/her cast of characters.

1.) Can the reader find some common ground to share with my character? Fiction readers want to ecape the real world by submersing themselves into a good story. It is difficult to hold their attention if the characters aren't believable to some degree. If a reader can relate to the character or their situation, interest tends to build.

2.) What is my character's overbearing trait? This is important to the character's reactions to situations and the course of the story. Consistancy is the key here, unless the character (and the reader) is forced to make a change of heart to their circumstances. When dealing with characters (as with people) you must be willing to change under the right conditions.

3.)What do I want my readers to feel about my character? As a writer, it is your duty to "lead" the reader to their opinion. Just like a magician, this is all slight of hand. Maybe you want the reader to like the character in the beginning, so that when the ending arrives, they'll be shocked to learn that the character they liked all along is an evil person.

4.)How will each character affect one another? This takes careful planning and constant adjustments, but crucial to the success of your story. Just like life, people are constantly interacting with others and reacting. To make your story believable, your characters must stay true to this rule as well.

Incorporating these few key elements will help you on your way to creating characters with real character. The more work you put into your characters, the better your writing will become.

If you would like more information on character development, visit my website at www.writerbookie.com