How-to

How to Write Nonhuman Characters

2026-10-21 · 7 min read

Plan, draft, edit and pitch the same book in one project.

Nonhuman characters — aliens, AI, robots, fantasy creatures, elves, dragons, gods, and other non-human beings — are a staple of fantasy and science fiction. The challenge is making them feel genuinely other (truly nonhuman, not just humans in costume) while remaining relatable and comprehensible enough for readers to connect with. Too human, and they're not really nonhuman; too alien, and readers can't relate. The art is balancing otherness and relatability, giving nonhuman characters distinct, consistent psychology while keeping a thread of connection. Understanding how to navigate this helps you write nonhuman characters who feel real and other.

This guide covers how to write nonhuman characters.

The central challenge: other yet relatable

The defining challenge of nonhuman characters is balancing otherness and relatability. A nonhuman character should feel genuinely nonhuman — with a psychology, perspective, or nature that's authentically different from humans (not just a human with pointy ears or scales). But they also need to be relatable and comprehensible enough that readers can connect with and understand them — a character so alien the reader can't relate to anything about them fails to engage. The art is both: making them truly other (distinct, nonhuman) and relatable (with a thread of connection). The two failure modes: too human (a "nonhuman" character indistinguishable from a person, wasting their otherness) and too alien (so incomprehensible the reader can't connect). The sweet spot — genuinely other yet relatable — is what makes a nonhuman character work. So balance otherness and relatability: distinct nonhuman nature plus a comprehensible, relatable core. This balance is the central craft of nonhuman characters. Make them other and relatable.

Give them distinct, nonhuman psychology

To make a nonhuman character genuinely other, give them a distinct psychology, perspective, and nature — ways of thinking, perceiving, valuing, and being that differ meaningfully from humans. This is what separates a real nonhuman character from a human in costume. Consider how their nature (their biology, origin, lifespan, abilities, society) would shape a different psychology: an immortal being's relationship to time, an AI's mode of thought, a hive species' sense of individuality, a creature with different senses or drives. The nonhuman character's otherness should run deep (in their psychology and worldview), not just surface (appearance). So build a distinct, nonhuman psychology — derived from their nature — that makes them genuinely different in how they think and perceive, not just how they look. This deep otherness (nonhuman psychology, not just nonhuman appearance) is what makes a nonhuman character authentically other. So root their otherness in a genuinely different psychology and perspective. Deep, nonhuman psychology creates real otherness.

Keep them consistent and logical

A nonhuman character's distinct nature must be rendered consistently and logically — their otherness following a coherent internal logic. Whatever their nonhuman psychology and nature, it should be consistent (the character behaving according to their established otherness throughout, not arbitrarily) and logical (their otherness making sense given their nature — their psychology flowing coherently from their biology, origin, or being). This consistency and logic make the nonhuman character believable (a coherent other being, not random weirdness). An inconsistent nonhuman character (whose otherness is applied arbitrarily) feels fake; a consistent, logical one (whose otherness coheres) feels real. So establish your nonhuman character's nature and its logic, and render them consistently according to it. (This connects to building aliens and creatures with coherent biology and psychology.) Consistency and internal logic make a nonhuman character's otherness believable rather than arbitrary. So keep their otherness coherent and consistent. Logical, consistent otherness is believable otherness.

Find the thread of connection

To keep nonhuman characters relatable, find a thread of connection — something the reader can relate to and connect with, even amid the otherness. This might be: a shared emotion or universal experience (even an alien being can feel loss, love, fear, or longing in a way readers recognize), a relatable goal or struggle, a point of common ground, or simply a comprehensible inner life the reader can empathize with. This thread of connection is what lets readers care about a nonhuman character despite their otherness — the bridge across the gap. Without it, the character is too alien to engage; with it, the reader connects across the otherness (often poignantly — relating to a being so different). So give your nonhuman character a thread of connection — a relatable emotion, struggle, or comprehensible core — that bridges to the reader. The thread of connection makes a nonhuman character relatable despite their otherness, which is essential to reader engagement. Balance the otherness with a bridge of relatable humanity (in the broad sense). Find what connects them to readers.

Avoid the human-in-costume trap

The most common nonhuman-character failure is the human-in-costume — a "nonhuman" character who's really just a human with a different appearance, no genuine otherness. Elves who are just humans with pointy ears, aliens who think exactly like people, robots indistinguishable from humans: these waste the point of nonhuman characters (their otherness). The fix is the distinct nonhuman psychology (above) — making the otherness real and deep (in nature and psychology), not just cosmetic. So push past the human-in-costume default: genuinely consider how your nonhuman character's nature would make them different (in psychology, perspective, values, perception), and render that real otherness. (This said, some "humanlike" nonhuman characters are intentional and fine — but they should be a choice, not a failure to imagine real otherness.) Avoiding the human-in-costume trap — giving nonhuman characters genuine, deep otherness — is what makes them actually nonhuman. So make their otherness real, not cosmetic. Genuine otherness, not a costume, defines a true nonhuman character.

The bottom line

Write nonhuman characters by navigating the central challenge: making them genuinely other yet relatable. Give them a distinct, nonhuman psychology — ways of thinking, perceiving, and being that differ meaningfully from humans, derived from their nature — so their otherness runs deep (not just surface appearance). Keep them consistent and logical — their otherness cohering according to a coherent internal logic — so it's believable rather than arbitrary. Find a thread of connection — a relatable emotion, struggle, or comprehensible core — that bridges to the reader, making them relatable across their otherness (essential to engagement). And avoid the human-in-costume trap — giving them genuine, deep otherness (in psychology and nature), not just a different appearance. The art of nonhuman characters is balancing real otherness (deep, consistent, genuinely nonhuman) with relatability (a thread of connection the reader can grasp). Done well — genuinely other yet relatable — nonhuman characters become some of fiction's most fascinating and poignant figures, expanding what character can be while still connecting with readers. Make them truly other, and truly relatable.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a nonhuman character?

Balance otherness and relatability: give them a distinct, nonhuman psychology and perspective (genuinely different from humans, derived from their nature, not just a different appearance), keep them consistent and logical (their otherness cohering rather than arbitrary), find a thread of connection (a relatable emotion or comprehensible core that bridges to the reader), and avoid the human-in-costume trap. Genuinely other yet relatable is the goal.

What's the "human in costume" problem?

It's the most common nonhuman-character failure — a "nonhuman" character who's really just a human with a different appearance, with no genuine otherness (elves who are just humans with pointy ears, aliens who think exactly like people). It wastes the point of nonhuman characters (their otherness). The fix is giving them a distinct nonhuman psychology so the otherness is real and deep, in their nature and thinking, not just cosmetic.

How do I make a nonhuman character relatable?

Find a thread of connection — something the reader can relate to amid the otherness: a shared emotion or universal experience (even an alien being can feel loss, love, or longing recognizably), a relatable goal or struggle, common ground, or a comprehensible inner life the reader can empathize with. This bridge lets readers care about and connect with the character across their otherness, which is essential to engagement.

How alien should a nonhuman character be?

As alien as serves the story, but always with a thread of relatability. Too human (indistinguishable from a person) wastes their otherness; too alien (so incomprehensible the reader can't connect) fails to engage. The sweet spot balances genuine, deep otherness (distinct psychology and nature) with a relatable core (shared emotion or comprehensible struggle) — genuinely other yet relatable. Push the otherness deep while keeping a bridge to the reader.