Deepen Your Characters with Jung’s Archetypes
Why Archetypes Matter
Some characters just stay with you, don’t they? Think about Han Solo. Scarlett O’Hara. Katniss Everdeen. John McLaine.
Others just… well, they just fade as soon as you close the book.
I’ve been thinking about why that happens because I don’t want my characters to just fade away and be forgotten. I’ve been wondering what makes some characters feel so alive and real that we carry them with us. How can we deepen our charaters? I keep coming back to the idea of emotional depth. When a character truly becomes unforgettable, it’s usually because the writer has tapped into some universal shared experience. Think about John McLane.
Shared Experiences
It’s not that we all share the experience of fighting bad guys during a Christmas party, but it is that we’ve all had to do something we didn’t want to. He’s a reluctant hero, and we can all relate to that.
So…emotional depth. This is where archetypes come in. Specifically, Jung’s 12, which I started learning about in college psych class but learned more about when I dug into them as a writer. That’s when they began to make sense to me.
First, they’re not writing formulas. Think of them as a blueprint. They’re what you start with, and from there, you add layers and flaws and make them totally human.
Here’s how I suggest using archetypes to craft your characters without making them sad clichés.
(P.S. Scroll down for free WriterSpark Archetype Cheat Sheets at the bottom—they’re great tools to keep by your side while you write.)
First, Start with an Archetype, Then Add Layers
As I said above, archetypes give you a basic structure—a character’s core fears, desires, and motivations. But that’s not all a person is. Use these archetypal character traits as a jumping-off point. Think of them as an onion you need to peel.
Imagine your protagonist is an Explorer. This idea gives you something to work with: they’re drawn to freedom, discovery, and new experiences. Think Moana or Han Solo. When you’re creating your characters, go deeper.
Why are they like this?
What happened in their past that made them crave or need freedom?
What could they be afraid of?
Is there something in them that is in opposition to their desire to roam?
Maybe they want a deep connection with a person or place, but they have trouble staying in one place. Think about Moana. She feels pulled by the sea because it’s part of her ancestry. Maybe your explorer fears failure more than they let on (like Han Solo). The tension between what your character wants and what’s in the way of that is where they start to come alive.
Second, Mix Archetypes to Create Complexity
People are never just one thing. I’m certainly not, and neither are the characters I write. They’re an amalgamation of traits that, when rolled together, form a unique person.
Here are a few examples:
A Hero who also has Caregiving traits might constantly put others first, but this might mean they always put themselves last.
What if a Rebel character secretly wants the structure and order they claim to hate?
Consider a Magician who, instead of chasing power, really wants to be grounded in Every(person) values because they really want to use their insight to help others.
This kind of blending creates characters that feel like real people. These well-rounded, complex folks are the kind of people readers want to stick with and are sad to leave behind when the book ends. Why do we love Jack Reacher so much? He’s a rebel, but he’s also clearly a hero and once in a while we see a little caregiving side materialize.
Third, Let Archetypes Shape the Arc
Characters need to change. Even in my genre, cozy mystery series, my heroines grow in each book and across the series. That growth often helps me craft my plot.
To use this strategy, think about a few things:
Where does your character start at the beginning of the story (the ordinary world)?
Who do you want them to be at the end (the resurrection in the Hero’s Journey)?
What is the thing that can push them to change—internally and externally (the allies, tests, and obstacles in Act II)?
Maybe you have a sarcastic, funny Jester character who faces something that forces them to grow into a reluctant Caregiver. Or maybe your completely exhausted Hero burns out and, in the end, becomes more like a Sage (kind of like Luke Skywalker in the final Star Wars movie).
Using archetypes like this can give you a map for your character’s emotional journey, and it can help readers feel that transformation or growth on a deeper level.
I have a shortcut for you!
Download the free WriterSpark Archetype Cheat Sheet collection and keep them nearby when you’re developing your characters. The archetypes are broken down with examples.