The following is a character
profile form I put together about a year ago. This form is huge and not
all the questions apply for every character, esp. if you happen to be writing
in the fantasy or historical fiction field. Only once have I filled out
the entire thing. Mainly, I use it for longer works - when I'm gonna be
sticking with the character for a long while and want to make sure I know
them inside and out. Until they change on me, which they always do. The
times I use it for shorter works are when I'm looking to develop a certain
aspect of the character, or have run into a stumbling block. Or just when
I'm bored. :) It's great for writer's block. I get so sick of filling out
the form that I just start writing.
Things to think about
when creating a character:
Physical description
Narrator's statement
Action
Association
Revelation of the character's
thoughts
Speech
Other thoughts or comments
Character Profile:
Who could play your character's part in a movie?
Name_________________________
Work__________________________
Role in Story_________________________________
Date_________
Char's Major Goal___________________________________________
Present Problem:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How will it get
worse?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Plot:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Personal Data:
Sex____ Age___
Birthdate______ IQ_____ Nationality__________
Birthplace___________________
Sexual Drive__________________
Religion_______________Feelings
about religion_________________
Political party_____________________________________________
Social class:
In childhood_______________At Present_________
Relationship status:
Married___Divorced___Single___Widowed__
Going steady__Engaged__Seeing
someone regularly__Estranged__
Name in key relationship____________________________________
Children, names/ages/etc.___________________________________
Hobbies/pastimes____________________________________________
Sports_______________________Spectator__Participant__Other__
Weekend afternoon
ritual____________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Favorite books_____________________Movies___________________
Magazines________________________Newspapers_________________
Music______________________________Enjoy
the arts? Yes__No__
Arts preferred________________________Frequency
enjoyed_____
Recent example_________________Favorite
animal______________
Favorite entertainment______________________________________
Favorite color_________Why?_________________________________
Favorite weather______________Why?__________________________
Preferred foods___________________________Drinks____________
Foods disliked_______________________Why?___________________
Other likes/dislikes/comments:______________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Physical Appearance:
Height______Weight______Eye
color_______Hair color__________
Skin color_________Complexion_______________________________
Describe:
Forehead__________Jawline_________Eyebrows_______Eyes_______
Hairstyle_______________________Facial
hair_________________
Face______________________Lips____________Mouth_____________
Breasts/chest____________Hips______________Waist____________
Neck___________Ears__________Nose_________Teeth_____________
Shoulders______________Legs_______________Feet______________
Hands________________________Fingers________________________
Additional Detail___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Scars/birthmarks____________________________________________
Voice quality____________________Sounds
like________________
Characteristic
manner of speaking___________________________
Posture____________________Walk_____________________________
Physical distinctions_______________________________________
Type body___________________________________________________
Mannerisms__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Athletic proficiencies____________________Health____________
Illnesses/when______________________________________________
Major accidents/when________________________________________
Clothing:
General appearance__________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Clothing usually
worn_______________________________________
_________________________________Why?_______________________
Also wears_______________________Why?_______________________
Jewelry/accessories_________________________________________
Reason: Fashion___Sentiment___Religion___Other______________
Char. dresses
like a________________________________________
Appears: Wealthy___Poor___Mid-income___Other________________
Dress distinctions__________________________________________
What image (overall)
is portrayed?__________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Real Property Assets:
Major mode of
transportation________________________________
Car, Year________Make_______Model_______Color______Cond.____
Other vehicles______________________________________________
Home, type_________________________________________Age______
Describe:___________________________________________________
Describe home
furnishings___________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Describe kitchen__________________________________________
Describe bathroom_________________________________________
Predominant colors/textures_________________________________
Atmosphere: (physical/mental/emotional)_____________________
Other accomodations/assets__________________________________
Pets__________________Describe______________________________
Education:
Completed____________________(grade/college/spec.
education)
Name of school_________________Where?_______________________
Major___________________Additonal
Training__________________
_______________________________Where?_______________________
Excelled in____________________Favorite
Subject_____________
Poorest subject________________Grades/honors________________
Special communication
skills________________________________
Language proficiencies______________________________________
Occupation/Profession:
Income source___________________Amount______________________
Where?____________________________________________(employed)
Position________________________________Length
time_________
Previous/other
work_________________________________________
Union or professional
affiliations__________________________
Work schedule_____________________Qual.of
performance_______
Reputation________________________Level
of enjoyment________
Professional ambition_______________________________________
Problems____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How solved? ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Family Background:
Father_________________Profession_____________Living__Dead__
Mother_________________Profession_____________Living__Dead__
Parents are: Divorced__Happily
married__Unhappily married__
Other alternative_________________Reason____________________
Brothers______________________Sisters_______________________
Other key relatives_________________________________________
Which relatives
appear in novel_____________________________
Why?________________________________________________________
Describe home
life while growing up_________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Attitude toward
parents_____________________________________
Attitude toward
siblings____________________________________
Other relatives_____________________________________________
How has attitude
changed from childhood?____________________
____________________________________________________________
Why?________________________________________________________
Interesting info
on family__________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Lineage___________________________________
Friends and Associates:
Name ......M/F
Relationship ..Appear in Work.Motive for relationship
_________ ____
______________ ______________ _______________
_________ ____
______________ ______________ _______________
_________ ____
______________ ______________ _______________
Geographical Information:
Currently lives
in (town, county, state, country)___________
____________________________________________________________
Nearest landmark/city
and distance/direction________________
Also lived in
/worked in____________________________________
Because_____________________________________________________
Travel history/reason_______________________________________
Favorite spot_________________________Why?__________________
Dislikes this
spot____________________Why?__________________
Comment on locations________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Military Service:
Branch_____________When?_______________Nationality__________
Rank_______________Unit/legion_________Where?_______________
Served under what
ruler?_______________Campaigns____________
___________________Decorations______________________________
Official opinion
about this individual______________________
Personal/Unofficial
opinion about this individual___________________
How service affects
plot/character___________________________
Characterization:
Most important
thing to know about char.____________________
One-line characterization___________________________________
What traits will
make char. come alive?_____________________
_______________________Why?_________________________________
Why is char. worth
writing about?___________________________
Why is char. different
from other char's____________________
I Like_____Dislike_____this
char. because___________________
____________________________________________________________
Reader will Like_____Dislike_____
Why?______________________
This char. will
be remembered because_______________________
____________________________________________________________
Main character
trait___________________Minor traits_________
____________________________________________________________
Tragic Flaw___________________________________
Redeeming Qualities___________________________________
Outstanding qualities_______________________________________
Inferior qualities/faults___________________________________
Habitual mannerisms_________________________________________
Habitual expressions________________________________________
Sense of humor/kind_________________________________________
Sees self as___________________Seen
by other as_____________
Psychological Profile:
Leader_____Follower_____Drop-out_____Other__________________
Ambitions/desires___________________________________________
Moral/immoral
code__________________________________________
Philosophy of
life__________________________________________
Temperament_________________________Basic
nature____________
Basic emotions
(predominant)________________________________
Inner conflicts_________________Complexes___________________
Superstitions_______________________Imagination_____________
Frustrations/irritations____________________________________
Fears/phobias_______________________________________________
Most feared threat_____________Reaction
to threat___________
Reaction to Emergency_______________________________________
Apparent "soft
spots"_______________________________________
Level of common
sense_______________________________________
How/when tested_____________________________________________
Summarize events/influences
in the character's life which
make him/her shape
the plot of the work in an unavoidable
manner:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
What happens in
the story to make this character --or the poeple
around him/her
--diferent from the impressions they gave in the
beginning of the
story?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Nicknames given by others___________________________________
How character refers
to self___________________________________
Other occupants of current
home___________________________________
Name by which char addresses
S.O.___________________________________
Name by which char is
addressed by S.O.___________________________________
S.O.’s occupation___________________________________
Police Record___________________________________
People often found with
outside of work___________________________________
Organizations of which
char is a member___________________________________
Reasons for membership___________________________________
Favourite phrases/words___________________________________
Dislikes which phrases/words___________________________________
Usual swear words___________________________________
Habits (good and bad)___________________________________
How does char treat and/or
get along with:
S.O.___________________________________
Children___________________________________
Parents___________________________________
Siblings___________________________________
Opposite sex___________________________________
Same sex___________________________________
Children in general___________________________________
Neighbors___________________________________
Friends___________________________________
Those more successful___________________________________
Those less successful___________________________________
Boss___________________________________
Underlings at work___________________________________
Competitors at work___________________________________
Anyone who challenges___________________________________
Anyone who helps___________________________________
Anyone who asks for
help___________________________________
When does char usually
wake-up___________________________________
Why/What wakes char
up___________________________________
Is char a morning person___________________________________
When does char go to
bed___________________________________
Why___________________________________
Does char fall asleep
right away___________________________________
Does char remember dreams___________________________________
Common dreams/dream
themes___________________________________
Earliest memory___________________________________
Stated dream in life___________________________________
What is char really
afraid of___________________________________
Why___________________________________
Who does char love most___________________________________
Why___________________________________
Is char willing to die
for anything___________________________________
What___________________________________
Why___________________________________
How would char describe
themselves___________________________________
How would author characterize
char___________________________________
Would char agree___________________________________
Why___________________________________
Physical imperfections/Would
most like to change___________________________________
Skills/Talents___________________________________
Areas of expertise___________________________________
Short term goals___________________________________
Long term goals___________________________________
Short term needs___________________________________
Long term needs___________________________________
Inrovert/Extrovert___________________________________
Quirks___________________________________
Eccentricities___________________________________
Method of handling anger/rage___________________________________
Admirable traits___________________________________
Negative traits___________________________________
Prejudices___________________________________
Pet peeves/gripes___________________________________
Things that make uncomfortable/embarrass
char___________________________________
Most painful thing in
char’s life___________________________________
Strong opinions on___________________________________
Sense of humour___________________________________
Manias___________________________________
Mental disturbances___________________________________
Favourtie physical attributes
in opposite sex/same sex_________________________________
Attributes about char
that turn on opposite sex___________________________________
Fetishes___________________________________
Sexual turn-ons___________________________________
Sexual turn-offs___________________________________
Sexual orientation___________________________________
Traumas/psychological
scars___________________________________
Has char ever lived in
a foreign country___________________________________
Where ___________________________________
When___________________________________
What events, circumstances, or experiences have had a major impact on the char’s way of thinking (both from the author’s perspective and the character’s)___________________________________
List three adjectives which the char, the char’s family or friends would use to describe the char. Give an example of each___________________________________
Looking back, how would the char dscribe the past five to ten years of his/her/its life, both professionally/academically and personally/socially___________________________________
Is there anything in the char’s life experience which the char feels warrants clarification? If yes, expain (from the char’s point of view)___________________________________
List any awards or honours the char has received___________________________________
Describe the char’s specail qualities and/or personal strengths (from both the writer’s pov and the char’s)___________________________________
Have the char select
an extracurricular activity in which they have been significantly involved
and have them elaborate upon its importance to them. If a particularly
memorable experience is connected with the activity they have selected,
be sure to provide that info
_______________________________________________________________________
Have the character take the Keirsey Temperment Sorter or another personality test (even pop ones such as "What's your Love-o-matic Quotient?").
Write a journal entry for the char (ie, write as if you were the char and have it be an ordinary diary/journal entry)
Have the character fill out a job or college application.
Have the character fill out a job application/apply for a job for which they are not well qualified. Will they be forthright and honest or will they stoop to dishonesty?
How self-aware is the character?
Conduct an interview
with the character.