While you might describe a friend by saying what he or she looks like―short or tall, the color or style of their hair, and so on, you probably wouldn't stop there. You know, better than most, that your best friend is much more than what you see on the outside. He or she also has unique personality traits.

Just like the people you know, characters in fictional stories have personalities as well as physical features. In literature, a person's individual characteristics are called character traits. Writers try to create characters that readers will find especially interesting―or even unusual. However, they also try to make their characters believable and easy for readers to relate to by giving them some traits that are common to most people. Here's how a writer might introduce this type of character.

You might have found that you could identify with some of Trent's character traits. Or he could seem like some of the kids you know. While that's good, it can also be a problem. If Trent seems too much like you and everyone you know, you might find him less interesting.

To make Trent seem more unique, a writer might add a few uncommon traits, such as a fondness for difficult math problems or the ability to guess what other people are thinking. This balance between common, relatable character traits and unusual, intriguing ones is what makes the people in stories worth getting to know.

If you just finished reading Seedfolks, you've probably learned enough about unique characters to create a few of your own. The activity below will help you get started: It will ask you to make a list of character traits for a fictional character―someone you will "introduce" later in this lesson.

Click the button below to download the Character Traits worksheet. Complete all sections of the worksheet, and then save it where you can find it later.