12/101

I know I've done something similar, just putting up more to bring more suspense

Characters are important. For suspense or any old story, you shouldn't use any old character. 

Readers are only going to worry about, and identify with, characters they care about - ones who are sympathetic and interesting.

Sympathetic Characters are

1. Someone who's in trouble, or suffering in some way

2. Underdogs - It's difficult to feel sorry or empathize a hero who is strong, powerful, and perfect. However everyone cheers on when the underdog wins.

3. Vulnerable - ie they can be killed, trapped, enslaved, destroyed, financially, socially, whatever. It can come from their own physical, mental, emotional shortcomings.

4. Deserving - because of their positive traits (optimism, courage, steadfastness, selfness, compassion etc). A character can be in trouble, an underdog, and vulnerable, all mixed together in one but if he/she is a selfish, lazy, or a whining liar his readers won't love them for anything nor care what happens. 

Character are likely to be interesting if

1. They are important , unusual, or extraordinary (that man up there fits all categories)

2. Powerful - because of noble birth, wealth, high office, rank or position, intelligence and strength

3. Naturally gifted or highly skilled at something important or useful

4. Unusual ( in appearance, a rare ability, or amazing life experience ) extradordinary, strange / eccentric or downright weird.

5. Physically attractive, funny, dangerous or mysterious.

6. Surprising ( they don't fit the stereotype of their character type )

You should try to make your characters as different as possible.
They will often be working together and having highly contrasting characters maintain the reader's interest.
They could have spats with the hero which could lead to other subplots.

They have goals

Some common goals?

1. To survive

2. To escape

3. Win a contest or battle

4. Achieve their destiny

5. Change the world

Like in the Hunger Games for example. Katniss has a goal to survive the games against the odds.
Her goal is to survive, to escape, to win the Games etc. 

So the Hunger Games is a very good example of the goals.
 

A strong hero needs a strong opponent.

Although the opponent doesn't need to be a villain, it can be a good person who disagrees strongly with the hero.
Or say, nature.
Flood, fire, epidemic.

The opposition can also be a beast, an alien.

But a thing to keep in mind is to have the opponent as strong as the hero, preferably stronger.
You can't make a good story when the opposition is weak.

A thing to remember is that completely evil villains are terribly cliche, and pure evil is predictable and boring.
So make your villain slightly human.

Give them an admirable side, and make their motivation clear.
Show why all the bad things they do makes perfect sense to them and you can make a terrifying antagonist.

If the villain is largely in the background, strengthen him by revealing how much and why everyone fears him.

Show his power by revealing how much and why everyone fears him. Show his power by his victories.

Give him also the advantages the hero lacks, say, fanatical supporters and the power to lure away the hero's allies. 
Or, the Ministry of Magic backing you up.

Chapter two - the-guardian-of-fun

Hey guys! You guys miss me?

Hahaha, I was Kaizzie. I changed now ;)

So comment, we love comments, subscribers and upvotes.

I hope he didn't scare you off.

Right. So if you guys want anything just comment below and we can do a chapter for you if you wish.

I will do another character developing one later~

So long!