After working in theater, author Naomi Brett Rourke still uses the lessons she learned there in her novel writing. In theater, you have to dig deeply into a character to make them real, explains Rourke. The playwright, actor, and director all need insight into a character to best express him or her on stage. An author also has to do this in a novel. Think about who your character is, what motivates him or her, and what experiences he or she has lived through. Doing so makes your characters more believable and interesting.