HighFantasy Tips & Tricks

Section One Part One - Who Is Your Main Character?

One of the most important characters in your story is your Main Character(s) (MC). They are the primary driving force behind the narrative. They are the one(s) the reader will follow throughout the story. The MC is the thread that holds everything together.

There are many questions you should try to ask yourself when developing your MC. It's ok if you can't answer all of them. Aim for as many as possible.

These questions can ultimately be summarized as:

Who is my Main Character?

Sounds simple enough, right? Well...maybe not...

Let's start with the easy ones -

What is their full name?

--You might never share their middle name in the story, but names can reveal a lot about a person.

How old are they?

--This might seem obvious, but it's important. A child has different decision-making skills to a middle-aged adult. A teenager might be more emotional due to the changes affecting their bodies, and their ongoing brain development. (Did you know that the human brain is not fully developed until our mid-20s? Or that adults think using different parts of their brains to teenagers?)

What is their gender identity?

--Are they male, female, neither, both, non-gender conforming, trans, non-binary, or gender fluid?

Are they human?

--If not, what are they? This is High Fantasy, after all!

What do they look like?

--Some writers find it useful to choose a 'face-claim', which is a person (usually a celebrity) who fits your image of your character. Others create whole Pinterest boards of different images! Both of these options are useful when you're trying to figure out how to describe an aspect of your character. Staring at a photo for a while can really help!

Do they have a love interest?

--What sexuality does your MC identify as?

Do they have any disabilities?

--These could be visible (e.g. an amputated limb) or invisible (e.g. autism)

--How does this affect the story?

--For example: Percy Jackson has both ADHD and dyslexia, because he is a demi-god with 'battlefield reflexes' and his brain is wired to read Ancient Greek

Can they use magic?

--If so, what type?

--What is their current level? (Are they highly trained, or unaware of their abilities? Are they a natural, or do they have to work hard to achieve simple spells?)

What pet(s) do they have?

--What animal(s) are they?

--Are they magical creatures?

--What are their names?

--Do they have any special abilities?

With us so far? Let's get a bit trickier...

Are they rich or poor?