This Character Sheet can help you bring life to your characters. Print this page, then fill out one copy for each of the major characters in your story.

Name:

Birthdate:

Born and raised:

What does he/she look like? (height, weight, hair, eyes, bald, thin, tall, short, muscular, flabby...etc.)


Facial and body contours:


Habitual posture:


Most used facial expression, showing mood or emotion:


Walks and gestures (characterized by action):


Religion and ethnicity:


Physical, mental, or emotional handicaps or scars:


Tone of voice and way of speaking (relate sound of voice to a specific sound with which the reader is familiar):


Tempo of speech (slow, measured, jerky, nervous, etc.):


Is she/he married, single, gay, divorced, or shy? Sex life?:


Occupation--what kind of work? How well does he/she do it? If retired, how well did she do it? Good, malcontent, etc.:


What are his hobbies? Sports? T.V.?:


Pastimes?:


Dress--is she neat? Slob? To establish this, describe his dress, closet, a drawer of desk, trunk of car, etc.:


What does he drive?:


Picture him making something with his hands, using a simple tool, shaping wood, model?:


How do her hands behave? Relate them to tangible things that surround her.:


Best friend? Could be an animal:


Men/women friends? Their sex life?:


Enemies, and why?:


Is she musical? Is there one special instrument that he plays well or badly? Does she play alone, or jam it up for audience of friends or strangers?:



Kinds of music, art, books, reading material?:

Education? What was his school like? Who was the teacher he respected and why? Who taught her his vocation after school? Who does he look up to in his profession?:


What events, items, pets, pals does he remember for years?:


Other than memories, what are the tangible trinkets she saves and treasures from her past?:


Ambitious? Does he have any goals? Does she set them? Vague or defined?:


Whom does she dream about? Yearn for? Hate?:


Philosophy of life? What does he believe in? Where has he failed or triumphed?:


Which opinion on the editorial page does she agree with or dispute? Argue bitterly? Silently, or to anyone who has to listen?:


Expectations? What does she expect of others? What do others expect of her? How does this affect him and others?:


Description of home (physical, mental, and emotional atmosphere?):


Most important thing to know about character?:


One line characterization:


What trait will make character come alive and why?:


Why is character worth writing about?:


Why is he different from other similar characters?:


Do I like this character? Why?:


Will readers like/dislike this character for same reasons?:


Characters who are remembered are those who are strong in some way--saints, sinners, or combination of both. Why will this character be remembered?:


Food preference?:


Exact state of health? Is she athletic?:


Does he smoke? Drink? What and how much?:


How will this character react in a given situation? Mental, physical, emotional reaction? No reaction?:


What motivates this character?:


First impression as you meet your character walking down the street -- a word, phrase, a warning?:


General physical impression -- cued by posture, stance, stride, and rhythm of movement, body gestures and density of physical build:


Are you reminded of an animal or object?:


Can you sense a color in your character? Something beyond skin color? A color of greed, gentleness, hatefulness, prejudice?:


Does the decade in which your character formed his personality influence him in his actions and philosophy?:


Does he accept the standards of his time or does he rebel?:


How far will this character go to get what she wants?:


How does she handle competition?:


How does he react to children, animals, foreigners, old people? In many societies, stranger and enemy are the same:


How does the character shape the plot? How does the plot shape him?:


Where would he go on vacation if he had a free choice and didn't have to think about money? Check travel sections of newspapers:


Last lie character told?:


Favorite costume for bed?:


What he will die from? Foreshadowing of things to come:


Place where character will typically be found? Character receiving bad news through the mail, etc: