Animals are among the widely used characters in the world of literature. They are not only used in fables but also in children’s literature, and even on other different genres. The Cat in the Hat, Charlotte’s Web, The Animals Kissed Goodnight, The Song of Solomon the Snail, Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Fox and the Hound are some great books with animal characters.
What makes readers drawn to stories with these kinds of characters is their ability to bring something new to the table. Who would have thought that animals can bring so much inspiration and joy to the lives of the readers? So, if you are planning to write a story for kids and want to use animals as characters; then, worry not! Here are some easy tips on how to create effective animal characters.
Pick the particular animal that you’d want to move your story
Everyone has different likes. Perhaps some likes animals that live on land while others are fond of animals that live in water. Since there are millions of interesting species in the world, make sure that you pick the right animal that fit your liking. But, take note that there are also people that want to read your story. That is why narrow down your choices into animals that are commonly known by the public. This helps your story get understood by your readers easily. Also, it is beneficial for younger readers. Hence, specify the animals that you want to move your story forward and create a huge impact to the lives of your readers.
Sort their character types
Writing a story is all fun and games until you get to the complicated parts. Can you imagine how hard can it become when you have to identify what is the character type of your animals? There are different kinds of characters in literature. The basic ones are the protagonist, which is the main character, and the antagonist, which is the one that gives the main character a hard time. But there are still a lot of character classifications, such as the dynamic, foil, flat, round, and more that’s why you need to make sure that you have sorted each of them to have a smoother process.
Describe their physical appearance thoroughly
The appearance of every character is crucial. Stories are made up with words and are being brought to life by imagination. For that reason, you have to make sure that you provide a description for your characters. It is not enough that you would only indicate the particular character is a frog; instead you need to define their physical appearance from top to bottom. You have to consider that not all species are the same and since it is in literature you can add some amazing physical features to your characters. That said, specify every detail of their outer appearances. In that way, your readers will not have a hard time imagining what your character looks like.
Let their actions speak for their inner selves
You cannot directly tell the readers that this character is bad or good. Take this statement for example, “the queen bee is cruel.” It directly tells the readers that the queen bee is a cruel ruler, and that is a big NO in writing, specifically in building an effective character. Do not take the opportunity to discover what the characters’ inner selves are from the readers. Let your characters show your prospects what they really are apart from their physical appearances. Allow them to move your story and show their truest selves.
Give them one defining trait
Every character in every story has something that makes the readers in awe. It could be because of their determination, perceptions in life, personal goals, and drive to do better. Whatever it could be, make sure that you put that ingredient in your characters. Give them one defining trait that will help you get a better response from the readers. The traits can be either mix in their inner or outer beauties, such as big brown eyes, long whiskers, sharp teeth, kind heart, loving son, brilliant mind, and more. These things are the key that will leave a great mark in the lives of the readers.
The Happy Hammock 