Write an article based on this "Look for historical characters with a unique backstory. Find historical characters that dealt with conflict. Describe the physical and emotional qualities of your main character. Create flawed characters."
During your research, you should look for individuals in history who were interesting and unique for their time. This could be a mistress of a British monarch who proposed sweeping changes to the system, or the village woman who helped embroider the stars on the first American flag. Look for characters who stick out in their time as rebels, renegades, or change makers. You can then use these historical characters as the basis for fascinating fictional characters. You should also consider the historical characters that surround your main characters. Maybe your main character frequented the same circles as famous writers and thinkers of the time. Or, maybe your main character was close friends with a major historical leader. You may also find historical characters who may have been mere footnotes in history and largely ignored by historians. You could then bring these forgotten characters to life in your fiction and shine a spotlight on their fascinating lives. You should also try to focus on historical figures who were in conflict with themselves, with the outside world, or with other individuals in their life. Historical characters who were forced to deal with conflict will often be more interesting and engaging to readers. You can also use their conflict as the main conflict in your story. For example, maybe your story is about a struggling artist in Paris in 1935. The artist may be based on a forgotten artist of the time who struggled with drug addiction and poverty. The artist may also have a conflict with the outside world in that her work was often misinterpreted or ignored by the critics of the day. She may also have a conflict with other artists in her circle, who are becoming more famous and well known than her. You may also use the historical time period as a source of conflict. Often, unique characters in history stand out for their attempts to go against the status quo of the day or the social norms of their time. A story about a female main character who sewed the stars onto the first American flag, for example, may be interesting because during this time, women were not permitted to vote or to participate in the politics of the day. This may then create a conflict for your main character, as she is not able to actively participate in the political process, even though she desperately wants to get involved and be part of this process. You should create character studies of your characters so you have a good sense of their perspective. Your character studies may include physical qualities, such as the character's appearance and clothing. You should also include emotional and psychological qualities, such as how your character thinks, acts, and perceives others around them. For example, you may have a character study of your main character that reads: Physical qualities: Tall, thin, dark skin, thin nose, wide eyes, with long plaited hair. Has a cleft lip from birth and a scar on her left ear. Emotional/psychological qualities: Street-smart, no formal educational training, devoted to painting and drawing, obsessed with fame, short-tempered, attractive to men and women, tendency to spend money as soon as she has it on drugs, alcohol, and food. Avoid creating one-dimensional characters by giving your characters flaws and imperfections. Nobody is perfect, after all, especially throughout history. Make sure your characters have their own issues and problems, as this will make them more believable and relatable to your readers. For example, your main character may have artistic talent and the ability to leave an important mark on painting. But she may also struggle with drug addiction and poverty, leading her to make some difficult and imperfect decisions to survive.