Troubadour Notebook's 10 tips for creating strong historical characters in your novel

INTRODUCTION:

You want your characters to feel real, authentic and Brilliant. That’s the goal, right? But it’s actually creating those characters you might get stuck on. I feel it’s especially difficult for Historical Writers to grasp this because you might be writing about a real historical Figure and no one wants to get caught writing Eleanor of Aquitaine. Therefore, developing an understanding of your characters BEFORE you set off on your journey is crucial. Understand; what the world was like that they came from, what beliefs they had, what family they were raised in, social-class… all of this contributes as to who your character becomes as a result. I want to help you create those believable and authentic characters…

Troubadour Notebook

If you are a History Writer stuck on your research consider getting the Official Historical Research Planner: Guided Research Workbook for Writers of Historical Fiction, Fantasy, and Period Drama

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1. Know their Roots

Your reader’s don’t need to know every detail about your character … but, you should. Characters begin at their origins. That means their family, social class, birthplace. Where you’re from often determines who you becomes. Were they a merchant’s child, a farmer’s daughter, or the son of a noble house? In history, social class, geography, and family ties often dictated a person’s opportunities, limitations, and worldview. When you define these roots with clarity, you give your character an anchor, and you allow readers to understand how the weight of their past shapes every choice they make.

2. What is their goal?

Every strong character wants something and it’s what will make your readers root for them. Whether it’s: freedom, love, honor, survival. A clear goal drives story momentum. Whether they achieve said goal is entirely up to you. In historical fiction, those goals are often shaped by survival, duty, or desire. Some examples; Maybe your heroine longs for freedom in a world that demands obedience. Perhaps your knight seeks honor, land, or redemption after failure. A goal does not need to be grand; even the desire to keep a family fed through a harsh winter can create compelling drama. Whatever it is, let this pursuit drive their choices. A clear, time-appropriate goal gives your character momentum and ensures that every action feels purposeful.

3. Flaws Make Us Human

I know there’s sometimes a temptation to make your characters always do the right thing (especially if they are the hero of your story). But no one is perfect. Maybe your heroine is impulsive, or your hero is haunted by doubt. Imperfections invite empathy for readers.

Perfection is the enemy of believability. A character without flaws quickly becomes flat, no matter how noble or heroic their role may be. In history, just as in life, people carried insecurities, biases, and personal failings. Perhaps your warrior is brave in battle but reckless in judgment, or your scholar is brilliant with texts but blind to human emotion. These imperfections invite empathy from readers, allowing them to see themselves reflected in your creation. A flawed character feels alive because they stumble, struggle, and sometimes fail, which makes their triumphs all the more powerful.

4. Think in contrasts

Think of their personality in contrast to the world around them. No one is one thing all the time. You should try and balance a characters strength with vulnerability, tradition with rebellion. Characters become memorable when they live in direct tension with their world. The most memorable characters are not defined by one trait but by the tension between opposing forces within them. I’d like to propose that a noble knight may be both courageous and deeply insecure; a queen may wield power in public but suffer from loneliness in private. These contrasts create a sense of complexity that feels true to human nature. In historical settings, such tension often arises from the clash between tradition and personal desire, or duty and rebellion. When you allow your characters to live in that space of contradiction, they gain depth, unpredictability, and resonance, becoming figures your readers cannot easily forget.

5. Language Shapes Identity

How do they speak? Dialect, education, and where they come from would change directly… And maybe even some words didn’t exist yet in your historical time period. How a character speaks reveals who they are as surely as what they do. Vocabulary, dialect, and tone all carry the weight of education, class, and upbringing. A noblewoman’s words might be careful and formal, while a stable boy’s speech may be clipped, earthy, or even laced with regional slang. In historical fiction, language also offers a chance to echo the rhythms of the past without losing readability for modern audiences. Consider what words your character might not know, which phrases they would never use, and how their voice might shift in moments of intimacy, authority, or fear. The language they choose becomes their signature.

If you’re needing help with this research, our new Notebook; Troubadour Notebook, has a whole chapter on Language to help you track this. (LINK)

6. Relationships Reveal Depths

You can tell a lot about someone based on the people they are closest with and how they treat not only their friends but their inferiors. Who do they love, fear, respect, or resent? Dialogue and interactions are often more revealing than inner thoughts. A character rarely stands alone and the way they connect with others often speaks louder than their inner monologue. Consider before you write; Who do they admire, who do they fear, and who do they trust with their secrets? In historical fiction, relationships can be a mirror of society itself and is shaped by hierarchy, loyalty, and unspoken rules of etiquette. A knight’s deference to his lord, a servant’s quiet rebellion against her mistress, or the forbidden affection between two unlikely companions can all reveal more than pages of description ever could. By showing how your character interacts with others, you uncover the layers of their personality, their vulnerabilities, and their true desires.

7. Give them secrets

Should you know the secret? Yes. Should your readers? Maybe not?

Every compelling character carries something they do not wish to share. Secrets can be as small as a hidden fear or as grand as a treasonous plot, but they add a thread of tension that keeps both writer and reader intrigued. In historical settings, secrets often take on sharper edges that are based on survival. There could be a forbidden romance, loyalty to a rival house, a concealed heresy, or the shame of a past mistake. These private truths shape how characters behave in public and in private, lending richness to their interactions. A well-placed secret creates anticipation: when will it be revealed, and at what cost?

8. Let them Evolve

One of the most important rules!

Your character should not be the same person from the start of the story to the finish. They absolutely must change and develop. Strong characters are never static. Just as people in history were shaped by war, loss, love, or faith, your characters should also evolve in response to the world. Here are some examples; A apprentice may grow into a confident leader; a soldier might learn compassion through unexpected friendship. Change does not always mean a good thing, or mean improvement, decline, corruption, or disillusionment can be just as powerful. What matters is that the journey feels authentic to their circumstances. When your readers witness transformation, they want to root more for them.

9. Anchor Them in Time

I like the think of any History story you might create as a completely foreign world. Everything would be different, and it’s your job as a writer to understand that. Ask yourself; What customs, laws, or taboos shape how they speak and act? A 12th-century knight won’t think like a 21st-century soldier.

A character may feel timeless in emotion, but their mindset should be firmly grounded in the era they inhabit. A medieval peasant will see the world through a lens of faith, toil, and survival, while a Renaissance scholar might question old certainties in light of new ideas. Beliefs, taboos, and customs shape not only how your characters behave, but also what they believe to be possible. When you anchor them in their time, you protect your story from modern assumptions creeping in, and you invite readers to step fully into the worldview of another age. Almost like a fantasy world.

10. Their Daily Life

Whilst paragraphs of daily life can be boring, history writers have the added bonus that modern readers are fascinated by how people lived back then; You should pepper in and show us how your character east, dresses, prays, or worsk. Small details like this will make your characters feel grounded in their world.

The grand sweep of history is built on the small details of ordinary living. How does your character dress each morning? What tools do they use, what food sustains them, what prayers or rituals shape their day? These everyday details ground your character in a tangible world, reminding readers that they are not just symbols in a story, but flesh-and-blood people of their time. A knight polishing his armor, a washerwoman nursing sore hands, or a monk copying manuscripts by candlelight, such glimpses of routine create authenticity. Through daily life, you give your characters weight, texture, and a heartbeat.

IF YOU ARE A HISTORY WRITER, stuck on your research for your next novel, consider purchasing the Official Historical Research Planner: Guided Research Workbook for Writers of Historical Fiction, Fantasy, and Period Drama (CLICK HERE)