There's no doubt, at least in my mind, that novels tank or soar in large part due to well developed characters. I don't know how most authors tackle the task, but I've talked to many fellow authors about their techniques, some of which I've found helpful. In the interest of possibly giving my readers insights into this aspect (some would say torment) of the writing life, I'll share how I go about developing my characters.
The Start
The first thing I do is outline the novel itself. I need structure within which I can move, add, and delete to the story arc. All the while I'm mainly thinking of my protagonist, of course. I add characters as needed and insert them into my outline as they appear.
I don't actually start writing until I have all the chapters outlined. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the writing process for me, but I know that once completed my writing usually flows. As you can imagine, the characters begin to vaguely emerge as I write the outline.
The Characters
I start with my protagonist and write a rough character description. As I develop the plot, his/her character will evolve, so I find myself adding or modifying certain characteristics. Then I flesh out other characters, beginning with the antagonist and adding others that are central to the plot. Peripheral characters usually appear when I start the actual writing process. At that point I have to take a break from the narrative while I flesh out the new additions and how they affect the overall story.
Before I begin writing in earnest I need to visualize the primary characters; how they look, their physical characteristics, what their mannerisms are, their vulnerabilities and strengths. I also need to know how they will handle the inevitable crises they will face. That’s arguably how their character is truly defined.
Here’s where I find the Internet helpful. If I'm having difficulty envisioning characters, I'll do an image search for certain phenotypes. I print out those images, live with them for a while, then keep my final choice posted near my work areas. I'll often break from writing a passage to look at a character, communing with him or her over what s/he will bring to the scene. That also gives me a strong visual reference that I use as I modify my character descriptions.
Next Steps
My next step is to deepen the characters with annoying habits, vulnerabilities that open them to manipulation by others, or strengths, whether known to them or a surprise, that they will use during conflicts.
Since I often write historical fiction I do a lot of research on what is known about the actual characters I'm writing about so that I don't misrepresent what is already known about them. But, as with any fiction, there are inevitable gaps in knowledge just waiting for us to fill.
Oddly enough, I find character development for my general fiction (and here) more difficult since we are all immersed in modern-day relationships. Readers tend to have a more visceral reaction to certain characters based on their personal experiences, so characters have to be more finely tuned and “real” by modern standards.
Another tool I find helpful are current events and personalities. Need a villain? How about researching Putin? Does your narrative call for the massacre of innocents? How about the Gazan atrocity aginst innocent Israeli non-combatant citizens, or Israel's subsequent bombardment of Gaza? The media are full of rich ideas for you to flesh out. The underlying human motivations do not change; just modify to suit your time period.
How do you handle character construction? Please share with our writing community.