By Robert Soul » There are many elements of good fiction. Creating real characters is essential to writing great fiction. But you can't just create a real character. You've got to make that character more than real. There are three aspects of a fully developed fictional character that readers look for every time. I call them the three Ps.

Physical appearance. Do your readers see your character? Is he tall? Is she plump? Can they see her round figure through that polyester dress every time she sits down? Does he squint when he smiles? Do her bushy brown eyebrows meet in the middle? You can tell your readers about it but can they see it? Your readers have to see what they really look like. Physical appearance tells us something about the character's way of looking at life and the more we feel that we can see the character in this way the more real they seem.

Past. Readers want to know where the characters come from and unless the character is meant to be mysterious we will lose interest fast if you don't tell us. Did he read books on Saturdays? Did she sing in the choir at church? When was the first time he tried to smoke? What old man did she meet the summer between 6th and 7th grade? Did he shoplift as a teenager? Your fictional character is more than real to us because we know what they did before. We know what they're like because you've told us.

Psychology. What is going on in the character's mind? What are they thinking? Great fictional characters are more than real because they're thinking a mile a minute. The reader can see the character thinking and anticipate what they will do because you've shown them. Does he think all athletic types are stupid? Does she look at herself in the mirror with embarrassment? When he sees a pretty woman does he look away? Does she hate it when her date only talks about himself the whole evening? What do these things say about what your character's psyche? Readers expect to know these things and the more they know what's going on in the mind of the character the more real they become.

Create great fictional characters by making them more than real! Learn to fully develop the three Ps: Physical appearance, Past, & Psychology.