How do you write three dimensional characters?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I'm writing a fantasy novel as some of you may know. And I have read many books where the character's are one dimensional and I don't want that for my book. I want my characters to be real and interesting and have the ability to leap up off the page, so to speak.

(I've tried Google to find info about this but no luck)

Are there any good ways to go about this? Any tips/hints/help?
Thanks in advance!

[meboeck]

My best advice is don't sterotype. Stereotyping is the quickest way to make a character one dimensional. For example, if you have a character who always seems to be depressed, remember that even that character is allowed to be funny or happy sometimes. Don't start thinking that if a character has a certain trait they must always exibit it.

Also, have people change throughout the book. Eveyone is affected by the people and circumstances around them, so your book should reflect that. Going back to my other example, if that character is around some very cheerful characters, they will react in some way. Maybe they will become even more introverted, or maybe they will become more cheerful. But they shouldn't just stay the same.

[ShiroiHikari]

I don't know how it happens for me, it just does. My advice on getting started toward 3-d characters is to use some kind of character profile to fill in some details. Or you can take a stereotype and build off it, adding individual little quirks and things like that.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Meboeck, I agree that stereotypes are rather one dimensional and should be avoided as such, but the little differences in the character attitude would make for a more interesting character. I won't have a problem with my character experiencing change through the course of the book.

ShiroiHikari, thanks. That's a good simple idea too.

Thanks for the tips so far. Keep 'em coming. (lol)

[meboeck]

but the little differences in the character attitude would make for a more interesting character.

I'm sorry. I wrote that in a kind of confusing way. What I meant was that you should use those little differences to avoid stereotyping.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

True, I think I understood what you meant. Or did I? So confusing. I'm pretty sure I've got you. Thanks mate!

[Maledicte]

I think it was Orson Scott Card who recommended setting up an "interview" with one of your characters and writing it down. Similar to what ShiroiHikari said, only the character may talk about something else completely, ramble on and on, give monosyllabic answers, or get offended. You build up and learn a lot about your characters this way.

Personally, I write character profiles that go past height-weight-age, and into little things that make people special--kind of music they like to listen to, religion, pet peeves, not-quite-noticeable habits, where they shop, random talent they have, etc. That way, even if their background or story is formulaic, the character makes it fresh because of how they relate and react to things.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's no need to make your character so unstereotypical as to be beyond belief. Just because he's an elf prince doesn't mean he has to be ugly, one-legged, incredibly foul-mouthed, laugh like a donkey, stub his toe constantly, have blue polkadots left over from a childhood disease and have random wings that sprout out of his back in order to be original. (though, if you did come up with a character like that, I'd most likely read it.)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

The interview idea sounds very good. I'll give it a spin.
Some things like what music they listen to, where they shop, won't be relevent to my story, because there isn't any. But I understand where your coming from.
Thanks mate!

[uc pseudonym]

There is some good advice here, and I have only one thing to add. When building characters, try to think about them as a whole. The biggest part of this is that I strongly discourage adding character quirks at random. This frequently leads to broken writing, because if the quirk isn't a part of the character it will feel out of place because you feel the need to add it.

For example, say that you have in mind a character who distracts from her inner wounds by constantly trying to be funny. If this character makes obnoxious puns, it more or less fits (though it will still be obnoxious). The trait arises from your overall design for the character.

But say you had a princess who you felt was a bit too stereotypical, so you decided that she should make obnoxious puns. In this case, the trait has been exalted above the character and it is very unlikely to feel natural. Most likely, while you are writing you will feel the need to have a pun once and a while to fulfill this character trait, instead of having the scene flow from your general design.

Does that make sense? The same trait can be helpful or harmful to creating a "real" character depending on how it is used.

[Maledicte]

The interview idea sounds very good. I'll give it a spin.
Some things like what music they listen to, where they shop, won't be relevent to my story, because there isn't any. But I understand where your coming from.
Thanks mate!

Ha, you could always imagine where they would shop or what they'd listen to if they came from our time, you know. or even their favorite foods. That helps me too.