A well-developed character is at the heart of any great story.

In self-publishing, where authors must captivate readers without the extensive marketing resources of traditional publishing, creating lifelike characters with recognizable traits, goals, and weaknesses is especially important. In the best stories, the plot and the character arc are inseparable.

As a writer, it's your job to create people, not just protagonists, and that begins with a detailed character development process. This requires diving into who they are, what drives them, and how their backstory shapes their decisions. You want readers to be able to picture your character in their mind as a living, breathing being to whom they can relate.

Use the following tips to improve your characters and your book's accessibility:

Establish the Character's Goal and Motivation

At the core of every character’s journey is something they very much want. This desire drives the story forward and gives your character a sense of purpose. Let’s look at an example:

Meet Claire Hartman. At first glance, Claire seems unremarkable—a 29-year-old woman with sandy blonde hair that hangs past her shoulders and light blue eyes that hold an ever-present glint of determination. Her petite stature doesn’t hide the nervous energy that radiates from her—a subtle fidgeting of fingers, a darting of eyes when she speaks. Claire’s entire life has been about control, or more precisely, the illusion of it.

She’s not the loudest person in the room, but when she talks, people listen. They recognize a certain authority in her—an authority she’s had to forge herself over the years.

Beneath her composed exterior, however, lies her goal: Claire wants to reconnect with the younger brother she hasn’t seen in 15 years. That’s what drives her every decision in the story. However, as with most character arcs, what Claire wants (reconnection) and what she truly needs (forgiveness, both for her brother and herself) are not the same thing. This is where her journey begins—what she believes will bring her fulfillment is actually incomplete.

Create Conflict – Internal and External

Every character needs conflict. Without it, their journey feels flat and uninteresting.

Claire’s external conflict is clear—she needs to track down her brother, Ben, a brilliant but troubled man who disappeared into a world of self-destructive behavior after a family tragedy tore them apart.

But Claire’s internal conflict is what deepens her arc. She’s been haunted by guilt—fearing that she might be the reason Ben vanished. Her relentless pursuit of control, of perfection, led to a rift between them, and she hasn’t forgiven herself since. Her goal to find Ben is as much about atoning for her past mistakes as it is about reuniting with him.

Develop A Rich Backstory

For your characters to be truly believable, you need to create a backstory that provides context for their actions. It’s important not to reveal too much too soon; instead, drop hints that keep the reader intrigued, slowly peeling back the layers of the character’s history.

Claire grew up in a strict household. Her parents were high achievers—both professors at a prestigious university. From a young age, Claire was groomed to be successful, and she thrived under pressure, becoming the top student in her class, and excelling at everything from academics to extracurricular activities. But her brother Ben was different. While Claire adhered to the rules, Ben rebelled against them. He was artistic, free-spirited, and always at odds with their parents' expectations.

When their father died suddenly, Ben spiraled into depression, and Claire, unable to cope with her brother’s emotional needs, focused harder on her own achievements, unintentionally distancing herself from him. This was the catalyst that led Ben to eventually disappear from her life, leaving Claire with years of guilt and regret.

Understanding this history explains Claire’s need for control—she believes that if she had been more understanding, and more compassionate, maybe she could have kept Ben from leaving. It’s this belief that drives her throughout the story, creating both her strengths and her weaknesses.

Don’t Forget Secondary Characters – Contrast and Foils

A story needs dynamic interactions between characters to highlight different aspects of the protagonist’s personality. Secondary characters can serve as a foil to your main character, helping to showcase their development or illuminate their flaws.

In Claire’s journey, we introduce Owen, a private investigator she hires to help find Ben. Owen is everything Claire isn’t—he’s laid-back, with a sense of humor that borders on inappropriate. Tall, with disheveled dark hair and a perpetual five o’clock shadow, Owen moves through life with easy confidence, a stark contrast to Claire’s rigid demeanor.

While Claire meticulously plans every step of their investigation, Owen relies on instinct and gut feelings. The two often clash, with Claire finding Owen’s approach reckless, while Owen finds Claire’s need for control stifling. Yet, it’s through their interactions that Claire begins to realize she can’t control everything—sometimes she has to trust in others and the unpredictable nature of life.

As the story progresses, Owen becomes a mirror for Claire. He’s someone who has made peace with his own imperfections, and it’s through watching him that Claire slowly begins to understand that her need for control is rooted in fear. Fear of failure, fear of being vulnerable, and most importantly, fear of not being enough.

Demonstrate What They Want vs. What They Need

The true art of character development lies in the transformation of your character from what they want to what they need.

At the beginning of the story, Claire believes that finding Ben will bring her peace, but what she really needs is to forgive herself. By the end of the story, whether she finds Ben or not, her journey will have forced her to confront her own emotional wounds and finally let go of the past.

This transformation is key to making your character’s journey feel real and satisfying. Claire may not get what she wants in the end, but she will gain something far more valuable—a deeper understanding of herself and the ability to move forward without being weighed down by guilt.

Creating a well-developed character is about more than just giving them a list of traits or a compelling backstory—it’s about understanding their internal motivations and how those motivations shape their actions. Conflict, both internal and external, propels their journey, while secondary characters offer a contrast that highlights the protagonist’s growth.

For more insight into how to build an exciting cast of characters that add meaning to your story, check out this video from author Brandon McNulty:

As an independent author, you’re the architect of your characters’ lives, guiding them from what they want to what they need. By giving them real goals, layered conflicts, and a journey that transforms them, you ensure that readers stay invested in their story from beginning to end.

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