Developing Characters
Module 7 - Lesson 2
Lesson Overview
Building on what you already know about character traits, this lesson will show you how authors reveal a character’s personality instead of just telling you. You will learn five clear ways writers develop characters and practice using these methods to make your own stories more engaging and realistic.
Learning Objective
In this lesson, we will:
- Identify and use several methods for communicating a character's traits
How can you help readers of your story get to know its characters?
It's not enough to think of characters for your short story. You also need to think about what the characters are like--and how you can show these traits to your readers. Writing about characters in a way that shows their traits is called character development. You develop characters when you describe what how they look, think, feel, and act.
Look at the two examples below, and think about which one does a better job developing a character.
Which character is more developed--Will or Rachel?
Rachel started playing the piano because her mother made her take lessons. She wanted to take karate classes instead, but her mother wouldn't let her. That's how she ended up in the church choir too.
Will was ten years old and taller than any other kid on his baseball team. He played several positions--sometimes pitching, sometimes catching and sometimes playing shortstop. What he really wanted to play, though, was basketball.
Will's character is better developed here. We know how old he is, that he is really tall, and that he wants to play basketball rather than baseball. We know less about Rachel.
Readers will enjoy and appreciate your story more if they feel like they really know the characters.
There are several ways that you can develop the characters in your story so readers can really understand them and feel connected. You can show what they say, what they think, and how they act in different situations. You can also describe how they look, how they feel, and how they interact with other characters. Using these details will help your characters seem real and make your story more interesting.
Five methods for Developing Characters
- Describe how characters look.
Anna was a tall girl with skinny arms and freckles.
- Tell about something a character did.
Anna earned her black belt in karate.
- Explain what characters like or what they like to do.
Anna liked to watch her mother cook.
- Write something a character said.
Anna always said, "I'd just die if any of my friends got mad at me."
- Describe a character's personality.
Anna was friendly to everyone, even when she felt bad,
See if you can remember the five methods for developing characters
how characters look
something a character said
what characters do
a character's personality
something a character did
The weather in the scene
How long the book is
Today you learned five smart ways to show what a character is like—by their looks, actions, thoughts, words, and how they get along with others. Remember, using these methods makes your stories more exciting and helps readers feel like they really know your characters.
✏️ Instruction Create your own character. Show what your character looks like, what they like to do, their personality, something they did, and what they might say. Use clear sentences and be creative!
Great Job! See you in the next class!
Developing Characters
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Created on September 19, 2025
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Transcript
Developing Characters
Module 7 - Lesson 2
Lesson Overview
Building on what you already know about character traits, this lesson will show you how authors reveal a character’s personality instead of just telling you. You will learn five clear ways writers develop characters and practice using these methods to make your own stories more engaging and realistic.
Learning Objective
In this lesson, we will:
How can you help readers of your story get to know its characters?
It's not enough to think of characters for your short story. You also need to think about what the characters are like--and how you can show these traits to your readers. Writing about characters in a way that shows their traits is called character development. You develop characters when you describe what how they look, think, feel, and act.
Look at the two examples below, and think about which one does a better job developing a character.
Which character is more developed--Will or Rachel?
Rachel started playing the piano because her mother made her take lessons. She wanted to take karate classes instead, but her mother wouldn't let her. That's how she ended up in the church choir too.
Will was ten years old and taller than any other kid on his baseball team. He played several positions--sometimes pitching, sometimes catching and sometimes playing shortstop. What he really wanted to play, though, was basketball.
Will's character is better developed here. We know how old he is, that he is really tall, and that he wants to play basketball rather than baseball. We know less about Rachel.
Readers will enjoy and appreciate your story more if they feel like they really know the characters.
There are several ways that you can develop the characters in your story so readers can really understand them and feel connected. You can show what they say, what they think, and how they act in different situations. You can also describe how they look, how they feel, and how they interact with other characters. Using these details will help your characters seem real and make your story more interesting.
Five methods for Developing Characters
- Describe how characters look.
Anna was a tall girl with skinny arms and freckles.- Tell about something a character did.
Anna earned her black belt in karate.- Explain what characters like or what they like to do.
Anna liked to watch her mother cook.- Write something a character said.
Anna always said, "I'd just die if any of my friends got mad at me."- Describe a character's personality.
Anna was friendly to everyone, even when she felt bad,See if you can remember the five methods for developing characters
how characters look
something a character said
what characters do
a character's personality
something a character did
The weather in the scene
How long the book is
Today you learned five smart ways to show what a character is like—by their looks, actions, thoughts, words, and how they get along with others. Remember, using these methods makes your stories more exciting and helps readers feel like they really know your characters.
✏️ Instruction Create your own character. Show what your character looks like, what they like to do, their personality, something they did, and what they might say. Use clear sentences and be creative!
Great Job! See you in the next class!