Unlocking the Power of Inner Voice: How to Make Readers Relate to Your Characters

In the realm of speculative fiction, creating characters that resonate deeply with readers is essential. One of the most effective ways to achieve this connection is by delving into your characters’ inner voices and thoughts. Today, I’d like to try and explore the importance of a character’s inner dialogue and provide actionable tips to enhance your narrative, making your characters more relatable and engaging.

“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out.” – Stephen King, Different Seasons

The Role of Inner Voice in Character Development

Why It’s Important: The inner voice of a character serves as a window into their soul. It reveals their innermost thoughts, fears, desires, and motivations, providing a comprehensive understanding of who they are beyond their actions and dialogue. This depth is crucial in speculative fiction, where readers are often introduced to complex worlds and concepts. A well-developed inner voice helps ground characters in these fantastical settings, making them more relatable and believable. Also, it is important to note that when characters lose control of their emotions, their inner thoughts provide critical insights into their personalities and decisions.

How to Use It: Writers can use inner voice to:

• Show Complexity: Reveal the multifaceted nature of characters, showing that they have layers beyond their external behavior.
• Develop Relationships: Illustrate the dynamics between characters by revealing what they think about each other and their interactions.
• Advance Plot: Use inner thoughts to foreshadow events, reflect on past actions, and plan future moves, thus driving the narrative forward.

Example: In Frank Herbert’s Dune, Paul Atreides’ inner voice is crucial in understanding his transformation from a young noble to the prophesied leader. His thoughts reveal his doubts, fears, and strategic thinking, making his journey more compelling.

Crafting Authentic Inner Conflicts

Why It’s Important: Inner conflict is the engine of character growth and development. It creates tension and drama, compelling readers to invest in the character’s journey. Authentic inner conflict reflects real human experiences, making characters more relatable even in speculative settings. These conflicts add depth to your characters, making them more relatable and engaging. By portraying these internal struggles, you allow readers to see the character’s vulnerabilities and growth.

How to Use It:

• Identify Core Conflicts: Determine what internal struggles your character faces. These could stem from moral dilemmas, emotional wounds, or conflicting desires.
• Balance External and Internal: Show how the character’s internal struggles affect their decisions and actions in the external plot.
• Evolve Over Time: Allow inner conflicts to evolve, showing the character’s growth or descent.

Example: In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Harry’s inner conflicts about his identity, destiny, and moral choices add depth to his character. His struggle with being “The Chosen One” while desiring a normal life resonates with readers.

“Conflict is the essence of story.” – Steven James, Story Trumps Structure

Showcasing Emotions Through Inner Dialogue

Why It’s Important: Emotions are a powerful tool for connecting readers to characters and can be thought of as the lifeblood of a compelling story. Inner dialogue is an effective way to convey these emotions authentically, showing rather than telling what the character feels. This method creates a deeper emotional bond between the character and the reader.

How to Use It:

• Be Specific: Use specific thoughts and reactions to convey emotions rather than vague statements.
• Match Tone to Emotion: Ensure that the inner dialogue reflects the intensity and nature of the emotion. For example, frantic, fragmented thoughts can convey panic.
• Use Sensory Details: Incorporate sensory experiences into inner dialogue to heighten emotional impact.

Example: In Octavia Butler’s Kindred, Dana’s inner thoughts as she experiences the horrors of slavery are visceral and raw, making her emotions palpable and her struggles intensely real for the reader.

Drawing Readers In with Deep POV (Point of View)

Why It’s Important: Deep POV immerses readers directly into the character’s experience, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. This technique eliminates the distance between the character and the reader, making the narrative more engaging and personal and delivering a more intimate reading experience.

How to Use It:

• Eliminate Filters: Avoid phrases like “she thought” or “he felt.” Instead, present thoughts and feelings directly.
• Use Active Voice: Write in the active voice to create a sense of action and immediacy.
• Stay in Character’s Head: Ensure that everything the reader perceives comes through the character’s perspective, including descriptions and reactions.

Example: George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series often employs deep POV through over 20 characters, allowing readers to fully inhabit the minds of characters like Arya Stark and Tyrion Lannister. This technique deepens the reader’s connection to their personal journeys and struggles.

Establishing a Unique Character Voice

Why It’s Important: A unique character voice distinguishes each character, making them memorable and authentic. This voice reflects their background, personality, and experiences, adding richness to the narrative.

How to Use It:

• Consistent Speech Patterns: Develop distinctive speech patterns and vocabulary that reflect the character’s background and personality.
• Inner vs. Outer Voice: Differentiate between how the character speaks outwardly and what their inner voice sounds like.
• Reflect Growth: Allow the character’s voice to evolve as they grow and change throughout the story.

Example: In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Shadow Moon’s inner voice is reflective and often philosophical, contrasting with his often terse and reserved outward demeanor. This duality adds depth to his character.

Compelling Character Motivation Through Thoughts

Why It’s Important: A character’s motivation drives their actions and decisions, making their behavior logical and relatable. Revealing these motivations through inner thoughts provides clarity and depth, helping readers understand and empathize with the character. By exploring what drives your characters, you add layers to their personalities and make their actions more believable.

How to Use It:

• Clarify Goals: Use inner dialogue to clarify what the character wants and why.
• Show Stakes: Reveal what is at stake for the character if they fail to achieve their goals.
• Demonstrate Conflicts: Show the internal conflicts that arise from their motivations, such as moral dilemmas or emotional turmoil.

Example: In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen’s inner thoughts reveal her motivations for survival, protecting her family, and ultimately challenging the oppressive system. These motivations make her actions understandable and her character relatable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overuse of Inner Dialogue: Too much inner dialogue can slow down the narrative and overwhelm the reader. Balance inner thoughts with actions and dialogue to maintain pacing.

Lack of Distinction: Ensure that each character’s inner voice is distinct. Avoid making all characters think and sound the same internally.

Ignoring Context: Inner thoughts should be relevant to the current scene and plot. Avoid tangents that distract from the main narrative.

Conclusion:

Integrating your characters’ inner voices and thoughts into your narrative is crucial for creating relatable and engaging characters in speculative fiction. By focusing on inner conflict, emotions, deep POV, unique voice, and motivation, you can craft stories that captivate readers and leave a lasting impression. Use these insights to enhance your writing and bring your characters to life in a way that resonates with your audience.

“Characters are the vehicles through which stories reveal their themes and meaning. When characters are authentic, readers can see parts of themselves in the story, making the narrative truly resonate.” – K.M. Weiland, Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author’s Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development

Please let us know how you use inner voice in your writing on social media or in the comments below!