In April, we're launching a special series, ALL ABOUT CHARACTER. Much like our SIDEWRITING TAKEOVER last year, we've reached out to authors to find out how they build characters. We'll share their answers over the course of the month.

To kick off the month, we wanted to return to some of our favorite character craft posts from over the years. Looking at voice, interiority, internal arc, character relationships, and more, our writers have analyzed mentor texts in all categories to discover strategies for creating characters that leap off the page and into readers' hearts.

This list is one you can return to over and over to find just the post you need in the moment. For now, scroll through the list and find a post or two that is relevant to your writing right now. Then click, dive in, and find a spark that will light your characters up.

Writing Characters Readers Connect With

https://kidlitcraft.com/falling-in-love-with-max/

https://kidlitcraft.com/making-middle-grade-characters-come-to-life-a-good-kind-of-trouble-by-lisa-moore-ramee/

https://kidlitcraft.com/retro-post-3-characters-to-love-and-telling-them-apart-in-the-penderwicks/

https://kidlitcraft.com/summer-retrospective-connecting-reader-and-character-in-ghost-by-jason-reynolds/

Voice

https://kidlitcraft.com/voice-is-where-the-magic-happens-sal-and-gabi-break-the-universe-by-carlos-hernandez/

Internal Stuff

https://kidlitcraft.com/interiority-in-lauren-wolks-wolf-hollow/

https://kidlitcraft.com/from-identity-to-essence-the-internal-journey-in-bob-by-wendy-mass-and-rebecca-stead/

https://kidlitcraft.com/retro-post-5-structuring-story-part-2/

Secondary Characters

https://kidlitcraft.com/writing-in-a-best-friend-the-role-of-virginia-and-bertolt-in-beetle-boy-by-m-g-leonard/

https://kidlitcraft.com/the-power-of-a-teacher-emmy-in-the-key-of-code-by-aimee-lucido/

Heroes

https://kidlitcraft.com/picture-book-heroes-making-a-child-the-agent-of-the-own-change/

https://kidlitcraft.com/heros-journey-archetypes-in-book-scavenger-by-jennifer-chambliss-bertman/

Character Relationships

https://kidlitcraft.com/opposites-ginger-and-chrysanthemum/

https://kidlitcraft.com/relatable-relationships-in-hello-universe-by-erin-entrada-kelly/

Establishing the External to Reveal Character

https://kidlitcraft.com/give-your-character-an-interesting-job/

https://kidlitcraft.com/building-character-quickly/