How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: Fantasy Character Ideas

This is the 7th post in a series on how to write a fantasy novel that sells.

Now that you’ve got your world complete, your setting squared away, the protagonists and antagonists all charted out, and the history and religion suitably detailed, you’ll be ready to get to your characters.

Now, most of the time you’ll have some pretty good character ideas for your fantasy novel well before you even put anything down on paper.  Perhaps the whole idea behind your fantasy novel started with just one or two characters.

Whether the world or the characters came first, the thing you’ve got to do now is get down some basic information about them.  Listed below will be basics of what I’ve done with my characters in the fantasy novel, The Jongurian Mission.

Defining Your Fantasy World’s Characters

You’ll have both primary characters in your fantasy novel and secondary characters in your fantasy novel, and different types of planning will go into each of them.  I’ve written articles on creating both, and I highly suggest that you make yourself a character outline.

A character outline for your fantasy novel will allow you to get a basic idea of how many characters you have, perhaps what their names are, and a general idea of how much you still need to create in the way of characters.

A character outline will also make it easy to begin getting the details of your story down.  From there chapters begin to fall into place.  But at first try to start small with some general ideas; it’ll be easy to expand after that. 

And let me tell you, the fantasy character outline below changed a lot from my final book.  Many of the names are different, and lots of characters changed or didn’t appear at all.  Remember, none of this is set in stone; it’s just a way for you to get started.

Here’s what I did to define my character outline in my fantasy novel:

Character Ideas

• A main character as a grizzled, middle-aged fighter/soldier who is from Adjuria, but is living in Jonguria, although he wants to go home after so many years away.
• Having lived in both regions of the world for a long time, this character will provide a balance between the opposing viewpoints of Eastern and Western philosophies. 
• A young man/boy who is also from Adjuria and traveling through Jonguria.  Possibly he came on a trade voyage by sea, and is now stranded in Jonguria, or decided he wanted to see the region.
• This character will express the ideas, interests, and institutions of Adjuria.  He will promote the Adjurian philosophy in conversations, and extol the virtues of that society.
• He’ll be very young, a youth in his late-teens or early-twenties.  Therefore his world view will be very one-sided and limited.  He will be unreceptive to other points of view, and will be most unwilling to listen to any arguments against his views.
• An old sage from Jonguria who has met with disgrace, or has decided to shun society and now lives on his own.  This character will exhibit the ‘power,’ which is a tai-chi like exercise that gives incredible strength in hand-to-hand combat.
• He’ll express the ideas, interests, and institutions of Jonguria.  Through his conversations and actions he will promote Jongurian philosophy. 

This character will be an old man, and therefore he will have seen many aspects and changes, or lack thereof, in his society.  Because of this he will allow a bit of skepticism to enter into his philosophy of Jonguria, while perhaps acknowledging, or at least listening to, some of the ideas of Adjuria.

Character Names

Male

• Bryn Fellows
• A young peasant from the province of Tillatia.  He’s recently been summoned to the capital of Plowdon to learn from his uncle Halam Fiske.  Headstrong, eager to learn, and un-traveled, Bryn is wide-eyed toward the world, each experience being something new.
• Halam Fiske
• Halam is a lesser noble who attends the court in Tillatia.  He is the uncle of Bryn, and has recently called his nephew to come to court in Plowdon to learn more of the world.
• Traskar Or
• A soldier from Mercentia who has been in the military for most of his life.  He’s now a trainer for new students.
• Tredegar Steel
• A gifted student of Traskar’s, a soldier hailing from the province of Allidia. 
• Kathgar Towers
• A Mercentian soldier with a bad reputation among authority in the provincial military, but one well-respected by his peers.
• Mito Durin
• A noble from Culdovia, well-known and trusted at court.
• Dilon Con
• A noble from Duldovia, whose skill for compromise has done much to unite the provinces of Adjuria.
• Frisser Indil
• A Portinian ship captain who makes many trading voyages to the island of Nanbo.
• Akrin Jurn
• A trade representative from Shefflin, one given great leeway in discussing and implementing trade deals for the provinces’ valuable resources.
• Jurin Millos
• A mysterious Westerner who now resides in Jonguria.  He is a warrior of great skill, utilizing styles from both continents. 
• Fessin Rew
• A noble in the court of Regidia.  He attends the royal court in Culdovia, but has machinations which might include treasonous dealings with Jonguria.
• Yuan Jibao
• Eastern imperial representative and trade delegate on the island of Nanbo.  Holds an unfavorable view toward Adjuria.
• Leisu Tsao
• Imperial military commander stationed at Nanbo who reports directly to Yuan Jibao.
• Wen Wubai
• A mysterious old man living in Jonguria.  He exhibits the skills of both a great warrior, but also those of a learned scholar.
• Zhou Lao
• A rebel mercenary group captain in Jonguria.  He fights against the imperial government in the Pudong province, but has the support of some members of the imperial court, unbeknownst to the Emperor