Dynamic characters always undergo some kind of transformation over the course of a story. static characters can often be confused.ĭynamic characters are what we usually think of when we think of “round” characters. round characters to unwrinkle how flat vs. Confused yet? Let’s look a bit closer at the different types of flat vs. dynamic character – it’s whether you have a flat vs. The question is not whether you have a flat character vs. But round characters can be static, and flat characters can, believe it or not, be dynamic. But there is a difference between static and flat characters. round characters, “round” is confused to mean dynamic, and “flat” is confused with static. round characters, any given character type is also either static or dynamic. Static Character Now, is it Dynamic or Static? Their basic motivations never change and their personalities never develop (save the surprising Professor Snape, who you can read about in our post on What is a Round Character).įlat vs. The classic evil characters from Harry Potter are a great example of flat characters. round characters, let’s check out the following video. See our post What is a Flat Character to dig into how to identify flat characters and utilize them in your writing. Flat characters are one-dimensional, and often draw from common stereotypes like the “evil villain,” the “goofy sidekick,” or the “mean boss.” You can usually describe a flat character in one sentence, as their personality does not surprise or have any backstory to it. These are the “stock” characters who lack complexity and depth. (More on that below.)įlat characters, on the other hand, tend to be rather shallowly drawn. Round characters always deepen and reveal some kind of emotional development by the story's end – though they may not actually transform.

As a round character unfolds their personality, inner and outer conflicts, and motivations, they advance the plot. What are round and flat characters? A round character is complex, layered, and multidimensional. Compare and Contrast Flat and Round Characters Round vs.

Static/flat character definition