There are billions of books in the world and self-publishing authors need to make sure their books stand out to readers.

Characters are the heart and soul of your story. They are the vehicle that allows your reader to experience the plot and setting surrounding your character. Having characters that readers connect to can be the difference between a fan favorite and a flop. Here are 5 tips for creating characters your readers will connect with.

1. Characters Should Exist Outside the Story

Even though a reader’s only experience with your character will be inside the pages of your story it is important for a character to feel like they have a full complex life when they aren’t on the stage of the page.

Characters should have likes, dislikes, friendships, and a background story that isn’t limited to their role in your current story. A reader should feel like they are stepping into a character’s story and not that the character’s story began when they opened the pages.

2. Characters Should Have Relationships

If your characters feel flat try adding a best friend or a family member the character is close to. Have them interact in scenes that aren’t focused on moving the plot forward or showing off an amazing setting. Those things can happen in the scene as well but giving the character time to present their personality while interacting with someone they have known all their lives and will continue to know once the pages are closed will help the reader relate to them.

Additionally, seeing other characters positively interact with the main character can help to recommend that character to the reader. Instead of telling how kind your protagonist is have them be kind to a friend or have a friend comment on something they did that exemplifies the traits you want to show.

3. Characters Aren’t Perfect

Your character should have a few negative traits. Maybe they are impulsive. Maybe they get angry easily. Maybe they are too trusting. Whatever the negative traits you give your character show the readers how those traits create roadblocks for the character to overcome. This allows for a complex character arc that will keep readers invested.

4. Make Your Characters Active

Sometimes a plot requires things to happen to a character but it is always best for the character to make decisions that lead to the next plot point or event in the story. A character who doesn’t wait idly for things to happen to them will be a champion readers want to root for.

5. Avoid or Subvert Stereotypes

Readers get tired of reading about characters who are all the same. Stereotypes might be okay for a walk-on character but they aren’t okay for a protagonist and they make a weak antagonist.

People are complex. No one fits neatly into stereotypes. A “jock” can be an honor student. A “geek” can like sports. A cheerleader can like the bookstore as much as the make-up counter.

The more you can break stereotypes and show your character as well-rounded, the easier it will be for readers to connect to the character, and the more that character will stand out in their memory once the story is finished.

Once you’ve brought your amazing characters to life on the page, InstantPublisher will help you turn those pages into a printed book. InstantPublisher offers a variety of self-publishing services including interior book formatting, ghostwriting services, custom illustrations, and cover design. To learn more visit our website or call 1 800 259 2592.

Plot, character, and setting are the three elements that make up every story. Of course, their importance within each story varies, but getting them right is often the difference between a great reading experience and a book that is put on the shelf and forgotten.

The setting is one element that many writers struggle to bring to life. Outside of science fiction and fantasy, the setting takes on a smaller role in most novels. There are times that the setting of a book isn’t mentioned at all. However, including an immersive setting is a great way to draw readers into the story. Here are four tips for making an exciting and immersive setting.

1. Treat Setting as a Character

Whether your story takes place in a faraway galaxy on an imagined planet, a small New England town, or the streets of New York City, the setting should feel alive.

Write a character sketch of your setting. What does it look like? What is its history and background? How is it related to the protagonist and antagonist of your story? How do your character’s actions affect the setting of the story? How does the setting change as your protagonist follows their arc?

Treating your setting like a character will help you bring it to life and create the kind of immersive reading experience that will leave your readers hungry for more.

2. Find Ways to Include Setting in Your Plot

If your story takes place in an authentic setting, what landmarks can be placed in the story? For example, can your lovers have a cute meet atop the Empire State Building? Can your hero hide in the Appalachian mountains to avoid apprehension while he tries to prove his innocence? Can your villain attempt to blow up Big Ben to make a political point?

If you are working with a fictional setting, build that setting to enhance the story’s plot. Think of the classic science fiction book Dune. The desert setting is vital to every aspect of the plot from the quirks of the people to the dangers the characters face. Create a setting with obstacles for your characters to overcome and rewards for a triumph that naturally flow from that setting.

3. Choose the Setting Carefully

Too many authors are so focused on the plot and characters of their story that they don’t care much about choosing the setting. As a result, they may fail to describe where the action is taking place or give readers only the vaguest notion of where the characters live and interact. The outlining phase of writing is a great time to consider where the characters will spend the story.

What setting is most conducive to the story? What setting would be unexpected?

If the writer uses a real setting, it is also wise for them to consider places they know or places they can easily research.

If the author is creating a setting, they should be sure to consider what makes it different. For example, how is the small town in their book different from every other small town in the world? Fictional settings have so much creative space. Take advantage of that to make the setting memorable for readers.

4. Include a Map

If you are writing a complex setting, consider adding a map to your book. Especially in a made-up location, maps make it easy for readers to understand where the story is taking place and follow the characters’ movements. Having a custom illustrated map can also help you, as an author, navigate the setting of your world and see fresh opportunities for using your setting in new and creative ways.

Have you written an amazing story with rich characters, an intense plot, and a dynamic setting?

If so, InstantPublisher wants to help you turn your manuscript into a self-published book. Instant publisher offers a wide range of custom printing services, so you can bring your book to life with as much or as little help as you need. Whether you want to create a collectible hardcover, a classic paperback, or an ebook InstantPublisher’s expert book publishing team can assist you. To learn more, visit our website or call us at 1 800 259 2592.