Stereotyped characters fit a mold manufactured by media and society. They are flat and predictable. If I say “cowboy”
do you see a man wearing a Stetson and boots astride a horse? Does “librarian” conjure up an image of a mousy middle-aged woman in glasses and a bun? These are stereotypes—what we expect to see.
Expectations can expand to behaviors as well. Cowboys are tough, hard drinking, and independent. Librarians are honest, prim and proper.
Why Stereotypes are Valuable
Stereotypes can help the reader recognize your character. Men who ride horses, wear Stetsons and boots are cowboys. Prim and proper women who wear glasses and style their hair in a bun are librarians. Well . . . not really. But by using common stereotypes you let your reader grab hold of something familiar. That familiarity allows them a level of comfort with your characters. In this way, you set your reader up to expect certain traits and behaviors.
Fleshing Out Your Characters
The problem is, stereotyped characters become predictable and boring. Here’s where you can
have some fun. What if that Stetson and boot wearing horseman is a vegan lawyer in Minnesota? Or that prim librarian-type is actually a gun-toting pilot dropping contraband to rebels in a war zone? Now you’ve got your reader’s attention! Surprise your reader by challenging the stereotype they have in their head.
Your characters may also expect others to react to their stereotype. Maybe that vegan lawyer is timid. By wearing the uniform of a cowboy he hopes to ward off confrontation. Besides, the boots give him an added inch and a half in height, enough to intimidate shorter men. Our gun-toting pilot may use her mousy appearance to blend into a crowd or disarm her adversaries should she be captured.
Write characters that surprise your readers. They’ll keep coming back for more.
