Hyperink.com Question of the Month

What makes a compelling character in a book or movie?
Compelling characters are a key element in successful books and movies. People want to get lost in a book or a movie and part of what transports them is a strong character. Think of Scarlett O'Hara in the movie Gone with the Wind. She isn't always nice or fun, but she's certainly interesting. She has depth to her. We see her true nature as she struggles to survive. She is at times polite and coquettish, and at other times downright nasty and distasteful. But we as viewers can put ourselves in her shoes and relate to each struggle, even though we've never experienced anything like it. And in the end, we root for Scarlett to get a happy ending. Despite how things turn out for her, we want her to have everything she desires. She compells us to continue watching, despite her failings. We may not want to be her, but we want to see how her story ends. We can't look away.