In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Becca Puglisi says that understanding what our characters are hiding is as important as what we describe on the surface. “We hide the goals we know are wrong for us, opinions that may turn others against us, or feelings and desires that make us feel vulnerable—basically anything with the potential for rejection or shame,” Puglisi writes. “When characters are cagey out of a need to protect themselves from emotional harm, readers understand that. It makes the characters more authentic and can pique your readers’ interest as they try to figure out the secret or worry over what will happen when it comes to light.”
She suggests a few things your character might be hiding:
- Desires. Of course, your protagonist’s desires drive your story, but sometimes these wants aren’t obvious. “Forbidden or dangerous desires can add an element of risk, upping the stakes for the character and making things more interesting for readers,” Puglisi says.
- Fears. We all have rational fears, but what irrational fears might your character be hiding? He might be afraid of heights or cats, or she might be hiding a phobia that makes her feel ashamed, like a fear of a certain kind of person.
- Negative Past Events. Is your character hiding trauma, failure, or humiliation?
- Flaws and Insecurities. “For characters, these flaws often manifest as insecurities or negative traits (such as being weak-willed, unintelligent, or vain),” Puglisi writes. “Whether these weaknesses are real or only perceived, characters will try to downplay them.” Importantly, however, your character’s journey means they will have to face these flaws.
- Unhealthy Behaviors. Does your hero smoke, drink too much, overeat, or have an unhealthy relationship with sex and intimacy? “Revealing these behaviors to readers, while hiding them from other characters, is a great way to remain true to the human experience while also building reader interest,” Puglisi says.
- Uncomfortable Emotions. Certain emotions may be embarrassing for your protagonist or make them worry about being judged. They might hide their true emotion with something else; for example, they might lash out in anger when they are afraid.
- Opinions and Ideas. “If an opinion isn’t popular, your characters may keep it to themselves,” Puglisi notes. “If they have good ideas others won’t appreciate, they won’t share them—or they’ll get the ideas out there in a way that allows them to avoid taking ownership. Peer acceptance is important to everyone; that need, and the secrets that accompany it, is something that every reader will be able to relate to.”
