Tips For Writing a Character Analysis: Etching is the Freelance Writer's Advantage

Writing a character analysis can be an interesting, intriguing and unique challenge.

As a freelance writer doing a character analysis, you have a distinct advantage over your readers. In their minds, they only have a blank slate that appears somewhat like a sheet of ice, while you start out with a real person, a photograph or the mental image of someone who represents the character you are going to portray.  

From your reader’s perspective, before your words skate upon the ice or your blades cut it up to reveal the character and his or her personality, there is no relationship. Note that there are many different kinds of characters and of course, many ways of depicting each character so that your readers can relate to your characters..  

The article, “Types of characters: What to know about characters as a writer and reader” identifies different kinds of characters and reveals what you can expect as you write.

Consider the following tips:

The appropriate use of words and phrases:

Your tools as a freelance writer doing a character analysis, are only words and phrases, so use them wisely. They can be powerful, particularly when they are proactive, potent and positive. They can become motivational as they are etched into the ice in such a way that is significant and lead your readers to read on. Avoiding objectionable, offensive and over-powering words is important.   

The use of introductory dialogue:

Initiating a character analysis through dialogue gives you as a freelance writer, an opportunity to introduce your character in a unique manner. He or she comes to life, as soon as he or she speaks. Dynamic words, spoken or even the thoughts of the character, tend to engage the reader and lead to further inquiry. Action words do the same thing.   

The use of descriptive connotations:

Who, why, what, where and when are primary words in a character analysis, but remember that an excessive amount of description tends to become secondary and can detract from the life of the character. If descriptive words come directly from the mouth of your character, it keeps his or her personality alive and the reader is enticed to read on. That same thing happens when there is dialogue between several characters.

The expressions how much and how many may be important to your readers. How much of an influence do your character make on others? How many people’s lives are touched by the positive or negative words, or by certain behaviors demonstrated by the character you are depicting.

Search engine optimization (SEO):

Search engine optimization allows the potency of the key words and phrases to awaken the spider or web crawler to your character on an Internet search engine. This increases your links and attracts additional readership, beyond mere family and friends. In doing so, it also increases the number of viewers who have an opportunity to get to know, and love or hate the character you are portraying.

Remember that SEO is also important in terms of website rating and associated income when doing a character analysis.

Word pictures in character analysis are the artwork of the freelance writer. You are the artist, so use your tools wisely and etch an intriguing, beautiful picture into the ice.