Great character development may be found here, however we’ve listed a few important methods for character development below. Your primary character(s) must be flat, or your viewers will lose interest in them. Flat characters may populate the protagonist’s path and carry the narrative along in a plot-driven novel. Are they boring or unimportant to the narrative because they are flat? No way. How flat are Mrs Micawber and Mr Jaggers? They have few complex traits and mainly exist to interact with the main character of their tales. A bland character may even help your story! For example, Charles Dickens was a master at creating casts full with unforgettable caricatures.

We wrote extensively about what creates a dynamic character here.Īgain, two-dimensional characters do not automatically kill a novel. That is, not all two-dimensional characters are static. “Static” (or “dynamic”) indicates how much a character changes during the narrative.

Both terms describe a character with little depth, which makes the narrative less credible.ĭon’t confuse a flat character with a static character. Experience mental and emotional changesįlat characters are sometimes called one-dimensional or two-dimensional characters.Undergo significant character development.A “round character” has a completely developed profile and evolves during the narrative. They also don’t get changed to be more rounded. Let we first define this word.Ī flat character lacks deep emotions, motives, or personality. That’s why we’re here to help you understand what a flat character is and how to repair it in your writing.

It’s not always easy to tell whether you have a flat character, particularly if you’re not sure what one is. A three-dimensional character is much easier to create than a two-dimensional one. The world isn’t over if you have a few bland characters in your tale. An allegation that your characters are cardboard cut-outs is a writer’s worst nightmare. “Riddled with flat characters” is perhaps the worst thing an editor or reviewer can say.

What is the purpose of flat characters