Is Your Story Missing… a Real Character?

Think of your favourite story. 

Harry Potter. 

Star Wars. 

Marvel. 

The Avengers. 

What do you remember the most from it? 

The drama? Yes.

The action? Absolutely.

The thrill? Of course! 

But most of all - we remember the characters. 

Hermione Granger. 

Albus Dumbledore. 

Spiderman. 

Thor. 

Wonder Woman. 

They stay with us. Long after the action fades and the plot twists unravel, it's the characters that leave an imprint. They’re who we cheer for, or against, cry with, and sometimes even wish we could be. 

“Plot is what keeps you going when you read a story. Character is what stays with you.”  - Ann Charters

So… how do you build one? Here’s your KoKoVerse guide to character creation.

1. What does your character want?

   This is the BIG one. Every character needs a goal. It’s what gives the story momentum. Without desire, there's no story - just a name on a page. Do they want to win a race? Are they trying to find their missing socks? Do they want to be the first mango to go viral on YouTube? Big or small, silly or serious - a goal gives your story a heartbeat. 

2. What’s their role in the story?

   No story is complete without a mix of characters playing their part. In most stories, there’s a main character (sometimes even more than one), a clever and supportive sidekick, a wise guide and definitely a villain.

   To make the most of a story, lay down who these characters are and define them. How do they fit into the journey?

   
   

   

3. What makes them “them”?

   Now comes the fun bit. Your character needs a personality. Something that is truly their “own”. Spiderman had his secret. Rapunzel had her hair. Olaf loved summer. The more specific their personality is, the more they will be remembered.

   
   

   In the KOKOVERSE, kids create unique characters. Like:

   • A samosa without salt.

   • An old pressure cooker jealous of a shiny new one.

   • A dragon who dreams of joining ballet school.

4. How do they talk?

   Ask yourself: Are they super confident? Always curious? Can’t use the letter ‘E’?

   The way your character speaks changes how they feel to the reader. Match their tone to their personality - and your story instantly feels more alive.

5. What’s their strength... and weakness?

   Every strong character has something they’re really good at - and something that trips them up. Perfect characters are boring. Relatable characters have layers. In the KOKOVERSE, we have: 

   • Shelly the turtle – he's super smart, but panics under pressure.

   • Rani the Rangoli – proud of her beauty, but just can’t say no when birds ask for her grains. 

6. What's their challenge?

   This is where things get juicy. Now that we know what your character wants… let’s put something in their way. It's only when they’re challenged does their true personality shine through. And honestly? Who doesn’t like some drama in their stories! In the KOKOVERSE, we see:

   • The Magical Erasini’s struggle as it figures out how to bring back the lost part of a map.

   • A shy Indonesian coconut finding its way back home when it gets lost in the crowded streets of Mumbai.

   • Umbrina the yellow umbrella’s dilemma on a rainy winter night.

Characters are the heart of any story. This is why, on the KoKoVerse app, we make this process easy and super fun! Our Character Creator helps kids ask the right questions:

• What are they like?

• How do they speak?

• What do they dislike? 

• Who’s their sidekick? 

• What colour is their hair? 

It’s like building your own hero (or villain) from scratch - with tools, prompts, and surprises along the way. 

Now it’s your turn. Create a character, give them a mission, let them make mistakes and voila! Your superstar story is ready.

“Think of your main characters as dinner guests. Would your friends want to spend ten hours with them?  They can be loveable, or evil - but they better be interesting.”  - Po Bronson