How do you get into a character’s head when writing fanfiction?

“I’m struggling to get into characters’ heads. The fandom I write for has many different characters and I’m trying to keep them as canonical as possible. Are there any tips or techniques which can help?”

Working in the sandbox of someone else’s world is one of the real joys of fanfiction, but it definitely comes with its own set of challenges. Your readers already know the characters you’re writing about and will have their own ideas about who they are, so unless being openly intentional about straying from the source material, it’s important to get their representation right.

When working with an existing IP, your readers will have watched the characters, read them, played them, and fallen in love with them. When you write these beloved characters, you’re not just telling your own story in that world; you’re honouring those existing voices and personalities, while also trying to make them your own.

Getting into an existing character’s head is part observation, part empathy, and part study, and of course, a good smattering of imagination. So, let’s break down some techniques to help you capture a character’s voice to use in your fanfiction.

Study the source material with intent

When you passively consume media, you might get a vibe of the characters, but it takes a bit more intentional study to really understand them. There’s nothing wrong with writing on vibes, but if you really want to get into the character’s head, then it might be worth looking at the source material with a bit more of an analytical eye.

How do they speak?

Every character has a distinct way of speaking. Some things to pay attention to might be:

• Do they use contractions, or do they speak formally?
• What’s their vocabulary level? Do they use slang, technical jargon, or simple language?
• How long are their sentences? Are they verbose or terse?
• Do they have catchphrases or verbal tics?
• How do they express emotions? Are they direct, or do they use subtext?

How do they react?

Characters often reveal themselves through how they respond to situations. Pay attention and look for the following:

• How do they behave under stress or when relaxed?
• What makes them angry, sad, or joyful?
• Do they act first and think later, or vice versa?
• How do they treat different people (friends, enemies, strangers)?
• What are their physical habits when experiencing powerful emotions?

What are their core values?

Every character is the hero of their own story. That means they have an internal compass that guides their actions, even if it takes them in unconventional (maybe even villainous) directions.

• What would they never do, no matter the circumstances? (Not even for love).
• What would they sacrifice everything for?
• What are their blind spots or hypocrisies?
• What do they believe about the world and their place in it?

Create a character cheat sheet

You can use a character template or cheat sheet to make notes about characters in existing IPs, just as you would if you were creating original characters. You can use an existing one, or just stick with the basics:

• What do they look like (be specific)?
• What are their core personality traits?
• What is their greatest fear and their greatest desire?
• How do they speak (with example quotes from canon)?
• What are their physical mannerisms and habits?
• What is their relationship with (and to) other characters?
• What goal do they want to achieve?
• What motivates them?
• What is their inner conflict?

Distinguish between characters through contrast

When you’re writing multiple characters in the same scene, their differences should be noticeable. If you covered up the dialogue tags, readers should still be able to tell who’s speaking.

Think about how each character would approach the same situation differently. If three characters walk into an unfamiliar place, one might immediately assess threats, another might notice the décor, and a third might focus on the people present. These differences in attention and priority reveal who they are.

Think about what each character notices in the space where they are. What are they worried about in the moment? What do they want to get out of the conversation they’re having?

Knowing how each character fits into the scene as an individual can help you get into their headspace.

Balance canon with interpretation

Even canon characterisation leaves room for interpretation, so don’t be afraid to let your own voice shine through as well. Different fans read the same scenes differently, and the way different readers interpret a character might even be different from how the author sees their own creations.

Your job as a fanfiction writer isn’t to perfectly replicate the source material. Your job is to write a version of the character that feels true to their essence while serving the story you want to tell. The best fanfiction often explores aspects of characters that canon only hinted at.

Five writing exercises to help you get into a character’s head

Exercise 1: The interview

Choose a character and write a short interview with them. Ask them questions about their childhood, their fears, their happiest memory, and their opinion on another character. Write their answers in first person, focusing on capturing their voice, almost as if you’re transcribing audio.

Exercise 2: Same scene, different eyes

Take a scene from the world in which you are writing that two characters appear in. Whoever the perspective character is, rewrite it from the perspective of the other. If it’s from a visual medium like film, games, or TV, choose a character and write the scene out as if it was from their perspective. Notice how the details they observe, their internal reactions, and their interpretations might differ from the original.

Exercise 3: Dialogue-only scene

Write a conversation between two or three characters from canon using only dialogue. Don’t use dialogue tags or action beats. Challenge yourself to capture each character’s voice so distinctly that fans can follow who’s speaking without being told.

Exercise 4: The canon deep-dive

Choose one character and rewatch or reread three scenes featuring them. Take notes on specific word choices, physical habits, and emotional reactions. Then write a new scene featuring that character, consciously incorporating at least five details from your notes.

Exercise 5: The unexpected situation

Place a character in a situation canon never explored. It could be a mundane scenario, like grocery shopping, or an unusual one, like being stuck in a lift. Write a quick scene exploring how they’d behave, based on everything you know about them.