Advice for Differentiating Characters in a Story

Writers have an obligation to make their characters unique, advises author and technical writer Neil V. Young. You want to avoid creating characters who are “cardboard cutouts,” meaning they have no distinguishable personality or compelling backstory. Characters who are carefully written and distinctive will be more interesting and keep readers invested in your book. When Young is finished writing a story, he will go back and read it to ask himself, “What is unique about this character? What is...