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Character trouble!

Hi all I'm writing a novel at the moment,well Iv'e been writing it for three years part time now.I'm coming close to the end of my first draft lol.The problem is that one of main characters isn't preforming to what I want,if you know what I mean.He's a drug addict who appears to be very strong and someone you don't wanna mess with.But inside he's lost,broken and weak.Iv'e gotten the weak side of him but am finding it hard to have him as a strong demanding character.I don't want to over do it and have him became way too angry and unlikeable and dominating.He's really the kinda loveable bad guy.I want to make him deeper but it's hard...any suggestions?

I would suggest a scene or maybe two that shows these traits in him. I am not sure where you are going with the story but if you show him being this way around family that cares it may also be a good way to show at least some motivation for him to change.

This is just a suggestion but maybe a good source of inspiration would be the complexity of his drug addiction. Geniunely good stories that really have deep character's, whatever their vices, usually look into their complexity. How you portray that is another question.

You've really got two possibilities:

1. The most easiest way is to insert new scenes that enable you disclose this. It serves as way of enriching the readers empathy of the character but this is only the case if your novel is a character piece or it could serve to deviate (spelling?) from the main plot.

2. The second approach is more complex but adds alot more depth and impact to your piece. It involves your characters verbal, emotional and physical responses to the situations of the plot.

For example, There is a character called Sandy. Sandy is a thirty something investment banker, considerable income and a rather beautiful wife. However, Sandy is gay, resents being married, whilst his wife is a drug user. Both are full of resentment and regret so how do I relay that ?

There are a number of ways but for the sake of time I will only use two. The first one is a baseline so that we can measure the impact of the second, more descriptive approach:

1. 'If your not happy, then why did you stay?' she asked. She looked at him with hatred.

'Because I had no other choice,' he replied.


Pretty much boring eh? So lets try including both of their emotions:

2. She looked up at him with a glare of disdain. Although she knew the answer to be mere convience she bitterly demanded why he had stayed with her all these years. 'Why my dear...'he dismissively sighed with a regal wave of his limp left hand, '...out of sheer principle.'

Okay, not the best example but hopefully you understand the point I am trying to make.

Have you tried to find someone to review your work and give you pointers ?