
Creating compelling characters is the benchmark of great storytelling, but it can be incredibly difficult to do well. In fact, one of the biggest challenges for indie authors who are writing fiction is character development. To develop great characters, you have to do more than focus on the part of them that will appear in your story; you must develop their full personas:
- Age
- Birthplace
- Parents
- Siblings
- Job
- Traumatic life events
- Psychology
- Physical characteristics
- Birth order
- Major relationships
- Major life events
Character development software can be an effective indie author tool. One of the most popular is
Character Writer, which touts these utilities:
- Enneagram-based character generator to instantly create a character spine
- Full editing functions for organizing and detailing your character
- Development tools guide you to a fully realized story character
- A reference system for help on character development
- "Writing Mode" provides access to your characters throughout the writing process
Character development software like Character Writer helps you develop deeper, more interesting characters, which in turn will allow you to develop deeper relationships between the characters in your stories. Better characters also make it easier to develop more interesting plot twists, and character development is a crucial factor in the success of your fiction efforts.