Your Characters’ Voices are as Important as Your Own

In a new post, Janice Hardy writes about finding the right voice for your characters. “You need multiple character voices in every book you write,” she says. “That means knowing the personalities, hopes and dreams, fears and worries, of multiple people, as well as knowing what they’d say or think in any given situation. That’s a lot to figure out.”

She advises asking the following questions:

1. What’s their personality like? Depending on their role in the story, you might not need an extensive background for every character, but you should understand the basis of their personalities. “Someone who’s shy and snarky will have a different voice from someone who’s brave and judgmental,” Hardy notes. She suggests choosing three words to describe: how they appear to the world, how they view themselves, and how they want to appear.
2. How do you want the character to sound? This choice depends on the tone of your novel. A book with weighty themes will rely on different characters than a humor piece. Ask how dialogue and narrative can influence tone and how the narrator’s view of the world will show the reader what to expect.
3. Is their inner voice different from their spoken voice? While not all characters hide who they are, many do.
4. What do they think about? Your character’s goals, internal conflict, motivations, and weaknesses are likely to be on their mind. Consider the types of things they notice and how those things impact the character’s goals. Think about what your character fears or admires, and what they think of their surroundings and other people. “Not all of these need to be conscious thoughts,” Hardy says. “Someone just getting over a bad breakup might be wary of anyone who reminds them of their ex, even if they don’t realize it. But their thoughts might hint at that wariness or unconscious hostility.”
5. How does their thought process work? “Some people make snap decisions, others need to examine every possible angle before making a choice,” Hardy notes. “Think about how much time and consideration your narrator needs to make a decision. This will reflect their personality in some way.”