Readers of fiction want to find the writer’s work to be believable. It is the task of the writer to develop a story that does not jolt the reader into recognizing that the narrative is just the writer talking, just fiction. The writer should write about what he or she already knows through experience or can learn about through research. The narrative should read as if the writer really knows what he or she is writing about.
What makes up Stories
- Plot is the organization of events that will take place in the story.
- Characters are the people or animals that will be in the story.
- Setting is the physical time and place in which the story takes place.
- Dialogue is the spoken words of the characters in the story.
- Point of view is the relative identification of the narrator with the characters.
- Theme is the main idea or meaning behind a story.
- Style is the writer’s use of the language.
Why is this blog editor taking us all back to the learning room? Hmm, well, one thing about a writer, any writer, is that the day you stop learning is also the day your writing dies, stops being interesting, bores your reader,… you get my drift.
Last week, we looked into aspects of your plot, just a little bit. This week, we look into your characters. The only difference is that this week, you will be responsible for the research, and the sharing. Please post your helpful comments on how to make characters in a story believable in the comments section of this post. And what do you know; I will be reading your comments, and the one I find to be most helpful will win a copy of Martin Njaga’s Brethren of Ngondu, for which I will personally pay for. So impress me. And keep your comments to less than 120 words. 
And now to this week’s reading:
What do you do if you don’t belong at home, and you don’t belong away from home? My Mother’s Songs – On the Fringes of a Nation by Abdinasir Amin.
Do you remember your first job interview, the nerves, the things that go wrong, and that final feeling when you are standing in front of your interrogators, I mean, interviewers? How to Bag an Interview by Jedidah Oneko
You have found the love of your life, the one, that one. Then, One Fine Sunday Morning… by Mercy Ojwang’
Do you remember your ‘I want to be…’ fantasies as a child? Lini of Stardom Dreams by Piraita Api’
Here is something a little unusual for this blog – The Curse by Moses Gathua.
Lastly, Marvin Tumbo has a rant about The Bullshit on the Rise.
Thank you for sending your ideas about how to make your weekly reading more fun. Please continue doing so to blogs@storymojaafrica.co.ke. And remember, all stories published on the Storymoja Blog will be eligible for the Crown of Story of the Week. The stories are posted every Monday. Please critique and vote for the story you believe should wear the crown. At the end of the week, the votes will be tallied and the story with the most votes will posted on the Storymoja Website as the Story of the Week on the Friday of the same week. To have your story in this weekly process please send it to blogs@storymojaafrica.co.ke before Friday at 4pm.
Here’s to a wonderful week, creative writing and good reading!
How to make characters in a story believable
The characters have to assume human traits in that they will cry, laugh, talk etc. They will have human names so that the reader associates with them,they will be able to do what a human being can do, e.g. you do not tell a reader that Juma could even walk on water etc…
Posted by Liz | September 7, 2009, 3:39 pmCharacters make the story talk and walk; act. They give us a sense of belonging. So its necessary to give them parts of us that are most real and subtle and vulnerable. If they are sculptures we carve them not from some exotic hardwood but out of soapstone. The writer takes his organs and put them into the characters: a faulty kidney, cancerous … Read Morelungs, arythmea, a big nose… Then he (the writer) takes a dive into his fears and insecurities and he gives his characters litle pieces of him. His most inhumane and unwordly habits find abode in the new characters. He will tell u that all is imagination but he knows better. The writer paints some characters bad but in the end all are redeemed. He simply needs to commit blasphemy.
Posted by Clifton Jino-Moja Gachagua-Mwangi | September 8, 2009, 1:01 amCharacters are the representatives of ideas and thoughts an author has. Through them, concepts cease to be abstract and come to life. Therefore, characters have to be realistic. Successful use of characters, to me, is achieved when the readers are capable of identifying with the characters as well as drive the point of the story home.
Posted by Mercy Ojwang' | September 8, 2009, 7:56 amIn my case I would base my characters on people I’ve known/met, and from observing their behaviour. That would make my characters more believable then if I was trying to create a whole new character based purely on imagination.
Posted by KenyaChristian | September 8, 2009, 1:52 pmCharacter is the bloodline and breathe of a story; without them the story is invariably wooden. That is why it is imperative to create characters which you and your reader can easily associate with, thus memorable. To achieve this, a writer needs to be very observant. There are things people do, either consciously or unconsciously when they talk, think, eat, sleep, walk e.t.c. In a story, this behaviours are brought out by description and without being observant, either you will omit these behaviours or you won’t be accurate in bringing them out. That is what made Achebe and Okwonkwo half-brothers!
Posted by Nyasili | September 8, 2009, 4:13 pmMy view…characters are what make the story interesting to read and read on.Characters should vary in personalities.Now that is what makes a good reading!Just like opposites…for cold there is hot,for small there must be big,for happy there must be sad and for fat,thin must exist.
Characters should therefore vary in their personalities.
Characters should also be treated with suspense and suspicion. Let the reader judge the character out of the plot created within the personalities.
If possible,let characters carry names that are captivating and even descriptive of a nature of their’s to be brought out in the story.For instance,if am writing on greed,my character would be called Tamaa or corrupted to Tama.
And finally…story characters should also be created out of realistic and daily happenings.This creates more familiarity and a writer’s connection to what they could be/have experienced in life.
Posted by patricia | September 8, 2009, 6:35 pmTo make a character believable, one has to remember that they have individual personality traits that are unique to them. It’s therefore necessary to first flesh out the characters, give them a complete life outside of the story, such as their origin, family, economic background, likes and dislikes, hobby, pecularities, i.e. create a human being. That way, when we tell about them in the story, we are better able to make their actions consistent throughout.
Secondly, the writer must demonstrate that they know the character e.g. correct spelling and consistent depiction of facts.
Posted by Christine | September 10, 2009, 11:59 pmHow to make characters in a story believable
you can use second witness
e.g.Jeff was nervous about what he was to say to the editor on how to make characters in a story believable.his only hope was Janet. Janet was James girlfriend at one time.if anyone new James the editor, she did.
Posted by thekenyannutcase | September 14, 2009, 2:30 pmFor character(s) to be believable they should do the speaking throughout the story, have physical appearance, their actions well noted and described and above all the reader should be able to read into the character’s mind for the unexpressed memories, fears and hopes. The character(s) should own some identity, should be human in that should show emotions e.g cry, laugh, worry etc. The character(s) should be able to keep the story running up to the end.
Posted by juliana mwende | September 17, 2009, 9:26 pm