5 Classic Ways to Introduce Compelling Characters

Scot Noel

Can you make readers fall in love with your characters, even if you’re bad at first impressions. Let’s take a look at 5 classic ways to introduce compelling characters.

One: Catch Them with Their Guard Down

Remember that time you walked into an important meeting with your shirt inside out? Vulnerability makes people interesting. The same goes for characters.

Show us their weak spot before you show us their strength. Try this: Write a scene where your character faces their worst fear, but make it something small and relatable. Heights. Spiders. That awkward moment when you can't remember someone's name. The more human the fear or the awkward moment, the more readers will connect.

Example: Arthur Dent in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams

There's our hero, standing in his yard in his pajamas, trying to reason with a bulldozer operator who's about to demolish his house. Can it get worse? Yes, the entire Earth's about to be destroyed too. We connect with Arthur instantly because, let's face it, we've all had those moments where the universe seems determined to ruin our day before we even get our clothes on.

Two: The Beautiful Disaster

Nothing endears a character to readers like watching them mess up spectacularly. Take your character's most impressive skill and make them fail at it in the most public way possible. Now you've got something worth reading.

Example: Tony Stark in "Iron Man"

Speaking of bad days, do you remember how we met Tony Stark in the original Iron Man move? There he is, showing off his fancy new weapon, cracking jokes, and being...well, Tony Stark. Then boom— everything goes sideways and he's captured by terrorists. His overconfidence leads to catastrophe, and suddenly we're invested in seeing how this beautiful disaster pulls himself together.

Three: Intimate Interactions

Show us how your protagonist treats the people in their life. It could be a phone call with Mom. A fight with a spouse. A quiet moment with the alien next door. Let readers eavesdrop on an intimate moment (but avoid explaining the relationship, just present the moment).

Example: Eleven in "Stranger Things"

Eleven from Stranger Things finds her place in our heart as a scared kid found by three boys in the woods. The magic happens in those quiet moments in Mike's basement, where trust builds through whispered words and shared secrets. It's like eavesdropping on something deeply personal, and we can't help but lean in closer.

Four: Their Heart’s Desire

There is a burning want in everyone’s heart, and every day it gets further from their grasp. Make your readers care about what your character wants. You might think big dreams are the answer— save the world, become a hero, find true love. But you know what works better? Small, specific desires that hint at bigger dreams.

Try this: Instead of "Sarah wanted to be successful," write "Sarah counted her tips for the third time, wondering if she had enough for both rent and her community college application fee."

Example: Samwise Gamgee in "The Lord of the Rings”

Sam doesn't want to save Middle Earth— he wants to tend his garden and maybe hear a few elf stories. His simple dream of a peaceful life makes every step he takes into danger matter more, because we know exactly what he's risking.

Five: Start with the Antagonist

This is a bit of a stretch, and not the way we usually talk about structuring stories, but it can be effective. Start your story by having the reader overhear the dark plans of the bad guys, or better yet, seeing their daunting power up close.

Example: Thanos in "Avengers: Infinity War"

Remember how Infinity War opens? There's Thanos, crushing everything in his path, and suddenly we're thinking, "How the hell are our heroes going to handle this?" Now we're hooked, waiting to see how anyone could possibly turn this around. This technique was used more than once. In “The Avengers,” we start with Loki arriving through a portal and causing the chaos that brings the team together.

Look at Your Work with New Eyes

Pick your favorite character from anything you've written. How did you introduce them? Would one of these 5 classic techniques have given the scene more emotional power?

Remember, your readers are a lot like that person at the party who's pretending not to eavesdrop on an interesting conversation. Give them some gossip about how your protagonist is sure to fail, embarrass themselves, or end their relationship in the kind of heartache that is sure to keep you turning pages.