Guidelines on How to Create a Third Person Character Description in a Fiction Novel

Creating the perfect fictional character is a matter of thorough research and eternally questioning whether that character has sufficient depth, history and personality. Displaying all that hard work effectively for the reader is where many authors falter, however. How we present the characters we've created to the reader affect how each one is perceived. When presented ineffectively, the reader may feel cheated, confused or even bored. The following is a list of simple guidelines on how to create a third person character description in a fiction novel. Each guideline listed is, of course, a recommendation, not a rule. However, they should inspire a more creative approach in any new author concerning the introduction and development of a fictional character.

Guideline #1: Lay out a complete character sketch for each character before beginning your work. For at least a few weeks, an author should be developing each character from the ground up. Consider collecting notes, pictures, and inspirational excerpts that can be attributed to your characters, and use what you have found to develop a more "alive" set of players for your novel. A sheet for each character should be developed later with all of the characteristics deemed valuable. This sheet should also include information pertaining to how the characters view themselves, and how they are viewed by others.

Guideline #2: Introduce physical attributes immediately. Not introducing the physical nature of each character in the initial chapters leaves the reader to develop their own images. When these characteristics are introduced further into the work, the reader's imagination becomes disrupted and agitated. Rather than attempting to mentally design a new appearance for your characters midway through your novel, the reader should be smoothly moving on into the deeper areas of the plot (undisturbed by minor details).

Guideline #3: Shy away from utilizing self-descriptions. A character describing herself is obvious and far too predictable. The reader will want a basic description from the narrator up front, but leave the more subtle pieces of the puzzle for her to discover throughout the story.

Guideline #4: Let the other characters do the talking, literally. Dialogue, body language, and emotional reactions from others tell the reader much more about the character in question than a mere description could.

Guideline #5: Give each character more depth with varied viewpoints. Describing a fictional character in third person means that more than one point of view can be used to shed even more light on her many affects on society. Keep in mind that not all characters must view each other in identical fashions. Allow for a difference of opinion here and there.

Guideline #6: Exhibit the contrasts between a character's views of herself and how society views her. In other words, fictional characters are not required to view themselves as others do. If that were so, there would be little room for delusion, hypocrisy, arrogance, fear, lack of self-esteem, and other elements of the human nature. Actions, dialogue, and mannerisms tell the reader that the character may have a different idea of herself than those around her do.

Guideline #7: Let the characters unfold progressively. In effective third person character descriptions, it is essential to slowly introduce the reader to the main players. Too much too soon robs the reader of sufficient depth, and robs the author of a chance to fully develop each character for a richer story.

Keep in mind that a character description involves much more than a literal translation onto the page. Give the reader a way to get to know your characters in a more realistic fashion through not only what you have to say, but from what they are able to reasonably and eagerly infer.