So far, I've got an idea. I've got my plot. I've got my potential conflict.

Now I need some characters.

I already have Mr. Jock and Ms. Nerd, but they'll probably need actual names ... So I'll go with Amanda and Drew.

Part of what makes a story interesting is seeing how different personalities can complement each other or clash.

I've already established that Amanda is a nerd, but let's go further. Why is she nerd?

Let's say she was born into poverty because her parents weren't given all the opportunities that everyone else in her community had. As a result, she wants to make something of herself and make her parents proud, so she works extra hard to get A's on everything she does.

Look at that? That just made Amanda a whole lot interesting, didn't it? Now we know what motivates her. We know what's important to her. We know what she values.

Of course, let's give her some other personality traits as well : she's shy, soft spoken, and introverted.

Important tip: Always stay consistent with whatever traits you choose for your character.

In other words, Amanda will not became the most popular and talkative girl by the end of the book. She may be able to open herself to a select few people, like her parents and Drew (once they become romantically involved) but she will remain an introvert for the most part.

Okay, so I know Amanda's personality. Now, when I'm writing I need to describe her through words.

How do I do that?

Well, simply saying "Amanda is a shy sixteen year old nerd who was born into poverty," would work. But does that really sound right?

I don't want to know everything about the character in the first chapter! These things should be able to build on each other.

I've seen books where authors write everything you need to know about their character in the first couple paragraphs, and they never mention it ever again. Not only is that bombarding your reader with information in such a short time, it's also not going to get that info to stick. They'll read it, and forget about it instantly, I promise you.

Important tip: Gradually, release information about your character.

Instead of telling the readers that Amanda has blue hair and wide rimmed glasses, make references to her blue hair and wide rimmed glasses throughout the story.

There are two ways you can do this: indirect and direct characterization.

Direct Characterization

This is exactly what it sounds like. Directly telling the readers what your character is like.

In my opinion, I think if you're writing in first person then you should never use direct characterization to describe the appearance of the narrator.

For example...

"My name is Amanda. I have blue hair and blue eyes, but they're covered by my wide rimmed glasses."

That is an example of direct characterization, but it doesnt sound right because the narrator is talking about herself.

I don't know about you, but I don't just wake up and tell myself that I wear glasses. That's a bit weird.

Instead, try to use direct characterization only when you are introducing a new character (excluding the narrator if it is written in first person).

For example ...

"I was walking through the hallway, keeping my head down to avoid seeing any of the weird stares that everyone was sending my way, when I felt my body collide into another. When I looked up, my breath hitched in my throat when I realized I had bumped into Drew.

Drew! Of all people, Drew! The boy with the sexy raven black hair that always seemed to curl around his ears. The boy with the blinding smile. The boy with the clear blue eyes that melted my soul every time I saw them. And right now, those eyes were looking directly at me."

So above, we can see that Amanda is describing Drew directly. She states that his eyes are blue instead of beating around the bush.

Direct characterization can also work to state personality traits, like "he is mean, he's always late to class, he smells like garbage."

Indirect Characterization

This is where you reveal info about your character through their actions or their words. It is never directly stated, and allows your reader to speculate about possible traits.

For example, let's reproduce what I've written earlier.

"I was walking through the hallway, keeping my head down to avoid seeing any of the weird stares that everyone was sending my way, when I felt my body collide into another."

Amanda was keeping her head down, so that could possible mean she doesn't want to talk to anyone - hinting at her introversion.

People were sending her weird stares, possibly because something about her was different - hinting that she's not just another face that blends in the crowd.

None of this was directly stated, but you can assume certain things through context clues or "reading between the lines."

That's it for my little lesson. I hope I've helped with developing your characters and describing them.