In writing, caricatures are not funny drawings. This is a derogatory term for certain types of characters. If you are thinking about writing, then you will want to know how to avoid caricatures. To do so, you need to know what caricatures are, understand character development, and how to research information. Read on for examples and tips on avoiding this in your writing.

What is a Caricature?

A caricature is a one-dimensional character. Caricatures are flat and don't hold the reader's attention.Readers have to be able to relate to the characters in some way, and therefore, they need to seem like real people. Real people are not flat and have many sides to them.

What are Examples of Caricatures?

An example is a character who is always good and always does the right thing, without exception. In reality, people struggle with making the right choice because every action has a consequence. The same goes for the bad guy, or nemesis. The bad guy can't just be evil without reason. Almost always, the nemesis has a backstory as to how he/she became the way they are.

How do You Add Dimension?

When you create your characters, you have to think about what they went through before your storybegins. If you are writing about a serial killer, what was the killer's childhood like? Does he have a cultured side? Perhaps he desperately wants acceptance. What inspired the detective chasing him to go into law enforcement? Is he always good or does he have a secret past? What drives him? A greatexample of a "good" bad guy is Showtime's series, Dexter. Dexter is a serial killer who kills other serial killers. He enjoys killing, but he is not without tenderness. For example, he has a wife, family, and cries when his wife is killed. He struggles with the fact that he had to kill his brother to save his sister, yet he feels hindered by her when she recuperates at his house.