Characterization refers to how an author develops fictional characters in a story. There are two main methods of characterization: direct characterization, where the author explicitly describes the character; and indirect characterization, where the reader understands the character through their actions. Characters can also be dynamic, changing over the course of the story in response to events, or static, remaining the same. Well-developed characters are considered "round" or complex, while simpler characters are "flat" or defined by only one or two traits.