So (Nerd Alert!) I'm pretty interested in personality profiles and archetypes, and I love when people apply them to writing. I can't take credit for these 16 common character archetypes--numerous people have written about them, and they all point back to psychoanalyst Dr. Carl Jung (whose work I adore), but if you need to create a character, here are 16 types to consider:
Male:
The Chief: the "alpha" male, tough, decisive, and goal-oriented
The Bad Boy: dangerous, but fascinating, charismatic, shuns rules
The Best Friend: a "beta" hero; kind, decent, and responsible
The Charmer: a smooth talker; fun, irresistible, but not always reliable
The Lost Soul: tortured and secretive, but vulnerable and discerning
The Professor: logical, introverted, sometimes inflexible, but always honest and loyal
The Swashbuckler: active and adventurous, physical and daring
The Warrior: a reluctant rescuer, dark and dangerous, but driven
Female:
The Boss: the "take charge" female, outspoken, confident, and competitive
The Seductress: mysterious, manipulative, distrusting, and cynical
The Spunky Girl: spirited, loyal, supportive
The Free Spirit: fun-loving, impulsive, original, and genuine
The Waif: the "damsel in distress," sometimes naive and innocent
The Librarian: conscientious and bright, leads with logic
The Crusader: tenacious, headstrong, and courageous
The Nurturer: altruistic, calm, and optimistic
Of course, one of the first rules of writing is that characters should surprise us, but if you need a foundation on which to build, these are a great place to start.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
