PART 2: Starting your novel by selling your main character

If you are able to describe unique details about your character, it already allows the reader to picture the character, allowing your reader to relate, and even be attracted to your character in one way or the other.

Picture yourself reading a novel and you have no idea how the characters look. You will understand what is happening in the story, but you cannot connect with any of the characters. You don’t always need to go into detail with all the characters, but important aspects can mean a lot to a reader. In one of my novels, I described one character as a girl who loved wearing her pyjamas. Even though my readers had no idea how she looked yet, they were able to picture a girl wearing her snuggly pyjamas. The readers can decide whether they can relate to her love for wearing pyjamas, or whether they totally dislike her, as it might go against what they believe pyjamas is meant for.

Although you don’t need to describe all your characters in detail, your readers will appreciate it if you describe your main character in detail. This is the character who they will be following throughout the book. Imagine if a social media influencer never tells his/her followers anything about their private life. Most followers will think he/she is pretentious and that they cannot relate.

If you describe your character’s flaws, it also creates a realistic and relatable sense. For example, if your character has a scar on the face, but you don’t explain how they got the scar, then your reader will wonder about it until you explain. If your reader has a flaw in their personality, like being rebellious, has a temper, or shy, then it creates relatability too. Their personality can be shown in their actions or interaction with other characters or even animals. If you mention that your character’s face lit up when she saw the dog walker walking with ten different dogs on the sidewalk, it will give the reader insight to what makes the character smile. If your reader loves dogs, he/she will instantly love the character that loves dogs too.

Now, you cannot cater for all your readers, and all your readers might not even like your main character, just like it is in real life. However, starting your book off with a good description of your main character gives the reader the opportunity to meet him/her. It allows your reader to see the face of your main character. Your reader can now picture the dark wavy hair, the dark thick eyebrows, broad smile, and two deep dimples that show when your character smiles.

Look up a list of good adjectives that will allow you to be very descriptive of your main character’s features. Do not describe the personality too much, as your reader will see that throughout the book; just describe the physical features very expressively. Don’t just say he had dark eyes. Say that he had dark eyes, that complimented his dark eyebrows and lashes, and they glistened in the moonlight. On the other hand you could say that your character had only one eye, and the other eye was damaged and no longer there. This would definitely make your reader wonder what happened. Either way, describing your main character introduces your reader to him/her. You could do this each time you introduce a new character.

In the next blog, we will discuss how to start your book by describing the setting. For now, I have an activity for you.

Draw a mind map about how you would like your main character to look. Give your character a name in the middle, and around it, and use some adjectives, like tall, short, slender, chubby, dark brown eyes, green eyes, thin or full lips etc.

Once you have completed your mind map, write a paragraph or two, and use those adjectives in sentences, catching the attention of your reader with at least one unique or interesting detail about your character, like a scar in the face, an interesting frown or grin, front teeth out, damaged eye, or even that your character’s face is so perfect, it seems angelic or vampirish. Your character might even have acne, or woke up with chicken pox all over their body. Just write one or two great paragraphs, giving your reader a good introduction to who your character is.

Until next time…