1. INTERVIEWING YOUR CHARACTERS:

Now this is a technique used for character development.

Interviewing your characters is not exactly the interview you would do with a normal living person but still it is a great way of getting your character's personalities clear so that you won't have any problem writing about them.

Personally, I create a sort of Wiki format for my OCs Which looks pretty much like this:

Full Name:

Also Known As:

Born:

Zodiac:

Species:

Gender:

Height:

Hair color:

Eye color:

Skin color:

Face Claim:

Current Status (alive/dead):

Family Information:

Affiliation:

Occupation:

Loyalty:

Early Life:

Later Life:

Physical Appearance:

Personality And Traits:

Abilities And Skills:

Etymology:

And then I fill all these categories like you fill a form and when I am done, I have this clear outlook on who my character is, what is his/her personality and how he/she should be best portrayed.

It not only helps in character development but also gives an outline for the story and that helps a lot while writing. Whenever stuck in any chapter or whenever I'm unsure of how said character should respond/react, I simply go through this form and trust me, it helps.

2. PERSONALITY TYPES:

The most difficult thing which hinders your writing process, is perfectly portraying your character's personality.

The personality of a character should be unique just as it is with people in real life. There are about 16 types of personalities according to Carl Jung and Meyer Brigg's researches listed as follows:

INTJ [Architect]: They are imaginative and strategic thinkers with a plan for everything.

INTP [Logician]: Innovative inventors with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

ENTJ [Commander]: Bold, imaginative and strong willed leader, always finding a way or making one.

ENTP [Debator]: Smart and curious thinkers who can not resist an intellectual challenge.

INFJ [Advocate]: Quiet and mystical, yet very inspiring and tireless idealists.

INFP [Mediator]: Poetic, kind and altruistic people,always eager to help a good cause.

ENFJ [Protagonist]: Charismatic and inspiring leaders, able to mesmerize their listeners.

ENFP [Campaigner]: Enthusiastic, creative and sociable free spirits, who can always find a reason to smile.

ISTJ [Logistician]: Practical and fact minded individuals whose reliability can not be doubted.

ISFJ [Defender]: Very dedicated and warm protectors, always ready to defend their loved ones.

ESTJ [Executive]: Excellent administrators, unsurpassed at managing things or people.

ESFJ [Consul]: Extraordinarily caring, social and popular people, eager to help.

ISTP [Virtuouso]: Bold and practical experimenters, masters of all kinds of tools.

ISFP [Adventurer]: Flexible and charming artists, always ready to explore and experience something new.

ESTP [Entrepreneur]: Smart, energetic and very perceptive people, who truly enjoy living on the edge.

ESFP [Entertainer]: Spontaneous, enthusiastic and energetic people, life is never boring for them.

In the above stated personality types, the letter:

I is for Introvert

E is for Extrovert

N is for Intuitive

S is for Sensing

F is for Feeling

T is for Thinking

J is for Judging

P is for Perceiving

I find it real easy to portray my characters because I assign them to different personalities by taking an online personality test from the character's perspective.

When you take the test, in the results you get a complete overview of the personality type along with the strengths and weaknesses of the individual.

The tests I take for my characters is from an app called Personality Trait Test which I downloaded on the Android Play Store.

However you can check out the 16personality website on Google because it gives an even detailed result. Link to website: https://www.16personalities.com

Not only will it help you to understand your characters better but will also help you to write them in a perfect way.

3. ZODIAC SIGNS:

Believe it or not, our zodiac signs also determine a few aspects of our personalities. For example I am a Gemini. And as you know the Gemini sign is denoted by twins. Geminis often have difficulty in taking decisions because there are always two options before them because of their dual nature. Us Geminis fit in the grey region very well due to inborn trait of identifying with both black and white sides. I have about five friends who share my zodiac and let me tell you the five of us are alike in many respects.

Pay attention to your character's zodiac sign as well. Search the defining traits of zodiacs from the internet, you can easily find helpful sites such as http://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com

This site gives a very detailed account on the zodiac's meanings, traits, characteristics and compatibility. And I have found it extremely helpful for my OCs as well as the canon characters I wish to write about.

4. BASING CHARACTER OFF A REAL PERSON (FRIEND/FAMILY ETC)

Another tip is to base your character off a real person such as a friend, family member, cousin etc. Some authors use a variety of people for one character and mix their traits and habits while some use one person to completely base a character on. Not only does it help you in formulating your character but it also makes him/her relatable to the readers.

For example, my best friend Nabila and I have been studying together since 4th Grade and are really close. Over the years, I noticed that she is unbelievably similar to Remus John Lupin in respect of both personality and traits as described in the Harry Potter books and by several articles from Miss Rowling on Pottermore. 

She is literally the real life personification of Remus Lupin and it's almost as if his soul escaped from the literary world and took refuge in her body. And as I had planned to write a book on Remus titled as 101 THINGS ABOUT REMUS LUPIN, I made her my reference subject. I cross question her a lot and ask her about how she would react in certain situations and her answers provide me with sufficient material for my book.

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For some people, character development is a real painful process but tell you what, if you use these methods you will find that it is quite effective and helps a lot in giving you a clear insight on who your characters are.

Have fun going through all the aspects of your characters. The result will be rewarding, for sure.

See you soon.