By Eric Myers | Soul of a Writer | April 13, 2026

After 30 years as a pastor, a therapist, and now a full-time editor, I’ve discovered that building truly unforgettable characters isn’t just a writing skill—it’s a spiritual exercise. The same things that make a fictional character feel real to readers are the qualities that make people real before God: honesty, motive, weakness, and redemption.

The Bible, in fact, is full of characters who move us because they are both flawed and faithful—desperate and redeemed. Every story God tells in Scripture reveals something about human complexity and divine compassion.

Below are nine writing techniques, grounded in biblical truth and human psychology, that will help you build characters who feel alive on the page—and draw readers into emotional connection from the very first chapter.

1. Give Them Something to Lose

Readers care about characters when they risk losing something meaningful. The same is true of the biblical stories that grip our hearts.

Think of Abraham, asked to place Isaac—his promised son—on the altar (Genesis 22). The tension isn’t in grand adventure; it’s in what’s at stake.

When writing your protagonist, introduce their stakes immediately. What could they lose right now? Family? Faith? Freedom?

The higher and more personal the cost, the faster a reader’s heart engages.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21

2. Show Them Caring About Someone Else

Readers are drawn to characters who care deeply for others. As a therapist, I’ve seen this over and over—empathy builds connection faster than brilliance or courage ever will.

In fiction, a moment of kindness can anchor an entire story.

Think of Ruth, staying with Naomi after her husband’s death:

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.” — Ruth 1:16

That single act of selfless devotion makes Ruth unforgettable. Let your characters show the same loyalty—a moment of compassion that costs them comfort or control.

3. Give Them a Real Weakness

A character without flaws is not believable. Their brokenness makes them relatable—and redemptive.

Moses had anger that cost him entry into the Promised Land. Peter denied Christ when fear overtook faith. I’ve counseled countless people whose weakness became the place God met them.

In your story, show your character failing because of their flaw. Don’t just name their weakness—display its consequences. That’s where readers begin to root for their transformation.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9

4. Let Them Excel at Something Unique

Readers fall in love with competence. God gives unique gifts to each person, and that truth translates beautifully into fiction.

David played the harp so skillfully it calmed Saul’s torment, yet he also hurled a stone that brought down a giant. His skill had purpose—it served others and revealed character.

When writing fiction, give your character a distinct area of mastery—a craft, habit, or insight that hints at their calling.

“Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” — Colossians 3:23

5. Show a Moral Line They Refuse to Cross

Integrity deepens empathy. When a character holds to principle in the face of temptation, we respect them—even when it hurts them.

Joseph in Egypt refused Potiphar’s wife and paid for it with prison time. His conviction cost him freedom but earned him credibility.

Readers don’t want characters who are perfect—they want ones who choose right even when it ruins their plan.

“The integrity of the upright guides them.” — Proverbs 11:3

6. Write in Contradictions

Every person has opposites living inside them—strength and tenderness, fear and courage. As a therapist, I learned to look for paradoxes: they’re often where the truth hides.

Paul could pen some of Scripture’s harshest rebukes yet write poetry about love. David was both warrior and poet. Those contradictions make them fascinating.

So if your character is fierce, give them something gentle. If they’re soft-spoken, give them hidden fire. Readers stay hooked when a person surprises them.

7. Let Them Fail and Feel It

Failure invites empathy more than success ever could. Long before resurrection, Jesus allowed His followers to experience confusion, grief, and fear—because failing well teaches faith.

When I worked with trauma survivors, I noticed something miraculous: when someone admits defeat honestly, healing starts.

Let your characters fail at something they love. Show the cost. Then let the reader see a spark of hope.

“Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” — Proverbs 24:16

8. Reveal Who They Are by What They Notice

Our attention reveals our soul.

What draws your character’s eye in a crowded room? Is it brokenness or beauty, chaos or order? Those details expose value systems without a single line of exposition.

When Jesus looked upon the crowds, Scripture says He was “moved with compassion.” (Matthew 9:36) That one observation tells us everything about His heart.

Writers, use observation like a mirror. Let your protagonist’s noticing show what matters most inside them.

9. Let Their Choices Define Them

In Scripture and in stories, decisive moments reveal true nature.

When Esther risked her life to approach the king (“If I perish, I perish,” Esther 4:16), we saw her transformation from uncertainty to courage.

Good fiction works the same way. Describe fewer thoughts and give more choices. Growth shows up in action, not analysis.

Final Thought: Character Is About Heart

The greatest stories—biblical or fictional—aren’t about heroes who never falter. They’re about people whose flaws lead them toward faith, repentance, and redemption.

As writers, your characters will mirror your own walk with God: moments of fear, flashes of courage, and the mysterious grace that makes every failure fertile ground.

If you want your readers to care deeply, write from heart knowledge—the same place where God writes His truth on ours.

“I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” — Jeremiah 31:33

Keep writing and trust the process. You were made to share your writing with the world.

Eric Myers

Founder of Soul of a Writer, helping you become the writer God meant you to be.