Except in instances in which the author purposefully leaves the character unyielding and unchanged over the course of the book to prove a point—these are usually the most forgettable and boring characters of the lot. Fortunately, there are two surefire symptoms you can look for to diagnose whether or not your characters are falling prey to the static syndrome.
Static Character Symptom #1: Lack of Personal Connection to Plot
The first symptom of static characters is their lack of personal connection to the plot. If they can walk away from the conflict, at any point, without suffering significant ramifications, you can bet they don’t have enough at stake.
The whole story revolves around your protagonist. Without this character, there shouldn’t be a story. So if you find your main character isn’t embroiled deeply enough within the central conflict, you either need to up the stakes for this character personally—or find a different protagonist who already has plenty at stake. In short, the protagonist’s involvement in the plot must matter at very personal level, preferably on both a physical and spiritual level.
Static Character Symptom #2: Lack of Character Change
Creating Character Arcs (affiliate link)
The second symptom is the lack of change within your character over the course of a story. To be compelling, protagonists need to show a defined character arc. At the end of the story, they shouldn’t be the same people they were at the beginning.
Ask yourself:
- How is this story changing your protagonist?
- What is your protagonist learning?
- How is your protagonist growing?
If these questions don’t have solid answers that define your plot, your character is probably static—and, as a result, far less interesting or relatable than readers would like.
Keep your eyes open for these two symptoms, and stop static cling before it begins!
