When I first started writing fiction, I thought my readers would fall in love with my characters simply because I loved them. I knew their backstories, their hidden motivations, and all the little quirks that made them feel real to me. But as I shared my work, I learned a hard truth: readers don’t care about a character just because the author does. They care when that character connects with them.
That shift in perspective changed the way I write. It’s not enough for a character to be “interesting.” They need to be relatable. They need to feel like a reflection of some part of our own humanity—our hopes, flaws, fears, or desires.
Here are a few lessons I learned (sometimes the hard way) about making readers care:
1. Flaws Are More Powerful Than Perfection
Early drafts of my stories often had characters who were just a little too capable. They always had the right comeback, the right skill, the right moment of courage. But perfect people don’t exist in real life, so when my characters acted like superheroes in human skin, readers couldn’t see themselves in them.
The moment I started letting my characters fail, everything changed. A hero who doubts themselves before stepping into danger, or who makes a selfish choice they later regret, is so much more compelling than one who always gets it right. Flaws are what make characters human, and humanity is what builds connection.
2. Specificity Makes Characters Real
One of the best ways to make a character relatable is through small, specific details. Not their hair color or height—those are just descriptors. I’m talking about the habits and preferences that make them feel alive.
For example, Jake in my novel The Catalogue, rubs his ring finger when he gets nervous. It's a habit I picked up when I wanted to stop forgetting my wedding ring at home. For Jake, it takes him back to a moment when life for him was complete with his wife and daughter (who are no longer here). Readers don’t have to share those traits to understand them; instead, they recognize the feeling behind them, and that’s what sparks empathy.
3. Relatability Isn’t Always About Liking Them
Some of the most memorable characters aren’t “likable” in the traditional sense. They’re selfish, reckless, or even morally gray. But what keeps readers turning the page is when they understand why that character is the way they are.
When you reveal the fear behind someone’s anger, or the longing behind someone’s ambition, readers may not approve of the character’s choices, but they’ll get them. And once they get them, they’ll care.
4. Characters Reflect the Reader Back to Themselves
The characters who stick with us are the ones who help us see something about our own lives more clearly. When I write, I try to think less about “Would this character be fun to follow?” and more about “What does this character’s journey reveal about being human?”
It doesn’t have to be profound. Sometimes it’s as simple as showing what it feels like to be overlooked, or the courage it takes to admit when you’re wrong. When you tap into emotions your readers have felt themselves, your characters stop being words on a page and start becoming companions.
Final Thoughts
Making readers care isn’t about flashy personalities or clever dialogue. It’s about writing people who feel like people. Relatable characters don’t need to be perfect, but they do need to be real.
That’s what I remind myself every time I sit down to write: give the character a flaw, a fear, a longing—and trust that somewhere, a reader will see themselves in that mirror. And when that happens, your story won’t just entertain. It will resonate.
Want to see how I put this method to work?
Download The Catalogue today and experience a world built seamlessly into every twist, turn, and character choice.
