So, how do you write an interesting inspirational character?
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In order to write an interesting inspirational character, you must write a character who has specific morals that they hold even as they go through harsh times. Then, write a mode of connection between the character’s problems, and your readers.
This will allow the readers to be infatuated and see themselves in your character.
Of course there is a bit more to all this than that. In this article, let’s look at:
What is An Inspirational Character?
An inspiration character is a character with the ability to fill a reader with an urge, push or passion, usually to do something or take a certain action.
The fundamental trait of the inspirational character is the push, or passion.
Then, when the reader connects with the character, they too feel the same passion or push. So the steps that form an inspirational character are the passion, and the connection. Which is why most of these characters tend to be boring.
When a character has weak passions then they bore the reader. What’s more common is the character with the strong passion, but they do not connect with the reader.
Passion
The first thing that all inspirational characters need is a passion.
Passion is only shown through story by seeing the types of problems a character is willing to put up with in order to satiate their motivation. Do the only way to we see a character’s passion is only ever their hardships.
There are 4 types of problems that character’s face; physical, emotional, moral, and mental.
Problems
Physical problems are most common in fighting stories, and fantasies.
When we see our character face up against an army, and stand up to fight on, we can clearly see the character’s passion.
Then we have the emotional problems. These are most common in dramas and romances. Like when we see the woman being cheated on by her husband, and being abused, yet she remains resilient and strong for her family, we see that they cope with hardships we never could.
Then we have the moral problems. When we see the person forced to choose between killing a helpless soldier or losing his position in the army, and he chooses to lose the position, we see the persons strength.
Finally, we have the mental strength.
When we see our gangster put in a corner by the other mafia heads, and yet he finds a way to out wit them, and be on top, we see his mental fortitude.
These problems that our favorite character’s face show us how deeply these characters passions are to their nation (in the physical example), family (in the emotional example), compassion (in the moral example) and life (in the mental example).
They become people who are extremely passionate, but they are still separated. Its like switching on a match, but not bringing it to the wood.. There is still another step to take before they inspire the reader. They need to become the reader.
Connection
In order to do that, it is necessary that the reader connects to the character, and sees themselves in them.
There are a number of ways this was done in the past, either through their connection to the character’s race, nationality, ethnicity, or tribe. But there are even better ways of establishing connections, and that is through shared weaknesses.
That would take a long time to explain in this post, and any attempt here will just water it down to much. I might make another post for that.
5 Steps to Write an Inspirational Characters
1. Decide on the type of strength for your inspiration character
This is the easiest part though it may not seem like it at first.
Look at your story, and gage what type of story is it. Is it fantasy with a lot of action? Or mystery with strategy involved? Or maybe a family drama? Maybe even a romance? The genre is necessary to pin down as it tells you how the main conflict will be solved. Either through fighting, planning, talking, or magic.
When you’ve figured out what type of story your story is, look for what type of strength is required to fix the problem.
2. Give them a problem that fits that inspirational character’s strength
This means make sure the problem is something that no one else would be able to overcome, but the best way is to make it personal to an extent.
Standing up to tyranny and fighting is the character and physical strength. Forgiving your abuser and saving them as they fall is physical, and emotional. Everyone can relate more with that one too.
3. They will then remain as good people/inspiration characters
Following their test, they need to remain unfazed to strengthen that power image.
If it is physical problem, they should breath only a little before standing again. Lets say it is emotional, the forgiveness should be genuine, and should be followed with them not holding any bitter feelings.
When the problem was instead meant to help the character grow, they should falter for a bit, but return back to their position if it is a moral strength thing.
They should remain fundamentally unchanged.
Now, I would like to controversially add that they should come across as somewhat unchanged, which may be boring, except you are allowed to reward your character some other way. Maybe treasure, or a new skill, or ally, or something but the strength that allowed them to beat the villain must not be changed.
4. Connect the Character to the Reader
This connection can be made via bonding them in the nature of their problems, or the nature of their strength (level). Or both.
5. The Reader Looks to their problems and wishes to overcome them
The main problem with people is they lose themselves in dealing with issues. They’ve lost their goodness.
A good person overcoming the things the reader could not by remaining who they were to their ideals. The reader thinks how nice it would be to overcome their problems , and when they see the character doing just that with the same strength they have, they realize they can too.
You do not have magical problems, but you have emotional problems caused by those problems, which you and the character share. Anxiety is face by both of you. The character overcomes his anxiety, and the reader knows he can too.
He is not jaded, but deals with these issues. With a goodness accessible to you too, and sticks to the ideals. He uses it to beat that you couldn’t beat, while remaining good.
Who Are The Most Inspirational Characters?
For me, the character’s I’ve always found to be extremely inspirational were, unironically, Thomas Shelby, Billy Butcher, Kanki, Michael Corleone, and Monty from Daddy’s little girls.
I want to say, I am not some sort of edge-lord who likes the dangerous characters. I am well aware that a lot of the character’s in this list are not the most… morally upstanding citizens in the world. That’s why I don’t have Euron Greyjoy on the list. So I know they are not kind.
But they all have something in common. They make me want to act.
These characters always faced the same sorts of odds. Also, their anti-social behavior guaranteed that they were left complete.
Once you master this, you will be that much closer to mastering mastery.