Writing characters

So, I ask the Great and Powerful Oz, “In writing a story or book, how can I keep characters from feeling bland or two dimensional?”

Great question—and honestly one of the biggest hurdles in writing. Flat characters usually come from predictability or lack of tension inside the character. The fix is less about adding detail and more about adding contradiction, pressure, and choice.

Here are practical ways to make characters feel real and three-dimensional:

1. Build Them Around Contradictions

Real people are inconsistent. That’s where depth lives.

Brave in public, terrified in private
Kind to strangers, cruel to family
Moral… except when it costs them something

👉 Instead of asking “Who are they?” ask:
“Where do they contradict themselves?”

2. Give Them a Want vs. Need Gap

This is one of the most powerful tools.

Want = what they think will fix their life
Need = what actually will

Example:

Want: Revenge
Need: Letting go / forgiveness

Story tension comes from the character chasing the wrong thing.

3. Tie Flaws to Backstory (Cause → Effect)

Flaws shouldn’t be random—they should make sense.

Instead of:

“He’s bad at relationships”

Try:

“He pushes people away because the last person he trusted betrayed him during a critical moment”

Now the flaw:

Has history
Feels justified
Can evolve

4. Force Hard Choices (This Is Key)

Characters become interesting when they can’t have everything.

Put them in situations where they must choose between:

Duty vs. love
Truth vs. safety
Loyalty vs. survival

👉 A character is defined more by what they sacrifice than what they want.

5. Let Them Be Wrong

Flat characters are often too correct or too competent.

Give them:

Misjudgments
Biases
Blind spots

Let them act on those—and deal with consequences.

6. Make Their Voice Specific

Even without dialogue tags, you should know who’s speaking.

Think about:

Vocabulary (formal? blunt? poetic?)
Rhythm (short bursts vs. long thoughts)
What they avoid talking about

👉 A character’s voice reflects their worldview.

7. Give Them Personal Stakes in Every Scene

If a character could be replaced and nothing changes—they’re flat.

Ask:

“Why does this moment matter to them specifically?”

Even small scenes should connect to:

Their fear
Their goal
Their past

8. Relationships Reveal Depth Faster Than Description

Characters aren’t defined in isolation—they’re revealed through interaction.

Show how they differ with:

A superior (respectful? resentful?)
A friend (honest? guarded?)
An enemy (cruel? reluctant?)

👉 One character, multiple versions of themselves.

9. Let Them Change (or Refuse To)

A strong arc doesn’t mean becoming “better”—it means becoming different.

Positive arc → grows past flaw
Negative arc → gives into flaw
Flat arc → changes the world instead

But something must shift:

Their belief
Their behavior
Their understanding

10. Give Them a Private Truth They Won’t Say Out Loud

This adds immediate depth.

Ask:

“What do they believe deep down that they’d never admit?”

Examples:

“I don’t deserve happiness”
“If I stop fighting, I’m nothing”

This belief will quietly drive their actions.

A Quick Character Depth Formula

If you want something fast and usable:

Surface Trait: What people see
Hidden Fear: What they avoid
False Belief: What they think is true (but isn’t)
Pressure Point: What forces them to confront it

Example (Quick Application)