How do you create unforgettable characters and settings in your story?

1 Know your characters

The first step to creating unforgettable characters is to know them inside and out. You need to understand their personality, motivations, goals, flaws, strengths, fears, desires, and relationships. You also need to give them a distinctive voice, appearance, and mannerism that reflect their character. A good way to do this is to create a character profile or a character sketch that summarizes their key traits and backstory. You can also use tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or the Enneagram to help you define your characters' personality types.

2 Show, don't tell

The second step to creating unforgettable characters is to show, not tell, who they are and what they do. Instead of relying on exposition or narration, use dialogue, action, and reaction to reveal your characters' traits and emotions. Show how they interact with other characters, how they cope with challenges, how they grow and change, and how they express themselves. Use sensory details, metaphors, and similes to make your characters come alive and appeal to the readers' senses.

4 Build your world

The fourth step to creating unforgettable settings is to build your world with care and creativity. You need to establish the rules, logic, history, and culture of your story world, whether it is realistic, fantastical, or somewhere in between. You also need to describe your settings with vivid and specific details that immerse the readers in your world. You can use maps, sketches, or notes to help you visualize and organize your world. You can also use research, inspiration, or imagination to enrich your world with elements that suit your genre, theme, and tone.

5 Choose your point of view

The fifth step to creating unforgettable settings is to choose your point of view wisely. Your point of view determines how you present your settings to the readers, and how you filter them through your characters' perspectives. You can choose from different types of point of view, such as first person, third person limited, third person omniscient, or second person. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your story's purpose, style, and voice. You can also experiment with different points of view for different scenes, chapters, or characters, as long as you maintain clarity and consistency.

6 Use symbolism and theme

The sixth step to creating unforgettable characters and settings is to use symbolism and theme to add depth and meaning to your story. Symbolism is the use of objects, images, colors, or actions that represent something else, such as an idea, a emotion, or a message. Theme is the central idea or message that your story conveys, such as love, courage, or justice. You can use symbolism and theme to connect your characters and settings to your story's core values and messages. You can also use symbolism and theme to create mood, atmosphere, and foreshadowing in your story.