Young Writers Society

I tend to not write character bios or questionnaires. I tend to discover my characters as I write the first draft, then by the second draft, I know them well enough (or discover them more) to understand just why there are doing what they are doing and their reasons for doing so. Asking questions and filling out forms just doesn't do it for me like plain old cruddy first draft writing. Plus, when I do actually fill out a chart, the character always ends up changing when I write them anyway.

Is there anyone out there who does it my method? I know there are a lot of outliners out there and character chart filler-outers.

~GryphonFledgling

I never used to character chart, so i'd always find that my characters personalities would accidentally change as i was writing.

So i like to keep at least a basic character chart handy, something with a couple of facts, a little bit of my chracters past and a couple of quirks and what not. I think it really does help in the long run.

I think it really depends on the author and the character. I only write charts for a few characters (namely, the more complex ones that are harder to get my mind around). And the problem of changing characters is an issue too, though often a character's changes do follow the nature of their character and hopefully aren't completely out of the blue. Starting a first draft to get to know a character can be a great idea, though often times it calls for lots of editing. Character sketches work wonders too.

I actually wrote a tip on this a long time ago, if you want to take a look at it here.

I've tried doing character profiles, but more often than not, they lack in detail. A lot. I never know how to answer half of the questions because I just...don't have most of those things figured out. I'd like to think that once I actually complete a draft, I'll know the characters well enough to be able to do them in the future. Currently crossing my fingers for that to happen, especially the finishing a draft part.

Sometimes I'll do it if I've hit a wall - thinking through the characters can trigger off new things that might add to the plot.

Hardly ever. I have one chart for one of them because this character possess a multi layer past. Basically, there are many layers to him. So I have a chart on hand to reference but I don't follow it like gossipal. It's just a guide, nothing more, nothing less.

I tend to not plan my characters and write as it comes to me. This way I have the freedom of first impressions, and nothing is forced by me or my characters.

I do that, but I don't "chart" exactly. I just dedicate one or two pages to them in my sacred pink composition notebook, and I write about them. It looks something like this:

Marcella Lucille Beauregard: Firebrand

She's street-smart and tough, hardened by life. Very much a tomboy. Competitve. She was a total daredevil until her dad died; now she avoids everything that reminds her of him. Quick-tempered. Stubborn. Pretty antisocial, but mostly because she's afraid of being hurt again.

Fears: Fire, the death of those she loves, being weak.

Favorite color: Red and blue; earthy, elemental colors.

Dreams: Be a pro surfer...and not much else. A lot of vague, dissatisfied dreams.

Hobbies/Interests: surfing, music, doodling, tormenting Mrs. Everett, writing, blogging, avoiding people

Birthday: Septeber 4, 17 yrs. at the start of the story

Favorite animal: killer whale

Favorite food: bit of an obsession with pork rinds

Role model: her dad before he died. Now she refuses to admire anyone.

Miscellaneous: Rarely seen without her headphones. Doesn't dress up because she hates being compared to other girls. She gets a rush from hiking in storms and swimming in rip tides - things like that. Outgoing but rarely friendly. Into sports like yoga, kick-boxing, weight training.






don't know if that helped or not. *shrug*

I only did this once, for Mea Culpa but I never filled out the whole thing, and it did help me for them because I needed more information.

With most of my character's now though I develop them through use, and with Sam. There is nothing more fun than asking your characters questions you know that will embarrass them! I've also come across a lot of new plot ideas this way. We play a game that we call CD, or character dialogue. It's role playing only without action (in most cases? Sometimes we hit people or cough or exchange things) so that all of the story telling and answers come right from the characters. It's real fun, and I get to know more about her stories! She only tells me so much.

I rarely make up charachter charts, when I start out at least. I have the mindset where I do virtually no planning at all and just hope the story can flow naturally. The thing is that I always mean to plan out everything, though. Usually what I end up doing is writing the story concentrating more on the action than the charachters, while simultaniously making notes and slowly filling out the chart as the charachters develop themselves. I don't know if that really makes much sence to anyone else, but for me it seems like that way the charachters show me who they are through their actions, rather than forcing me to fit the story around them. Then I can also create their pastbased more around what I think will be important in the story as I continue, rather than pre-planning stuff and then discovering that it may be impossible (or have to stretch) to work in.

Plus, when I start a new story I'm really eager to get to writing, rather than having to sit through hours of chart-filling.

I almost never fill out those things or I never really make a plot either. It reveals itself when I write the first draft. Whenever I do write a pot or character bios because they get way off when I start to write. So when the first draft is done and I look over it of couse there are some place that don't make any sence but thats why we go and look over it and make changes that we need too.

I need to do one of those, in fact I think I will start now. Great idea!

I sort of do character rants. I talk about the character as if just describing them, and go all over the place. As I go, I uncover new things about them, and often end up changing what I started off with. I've tried filling in the 'fav food', 'fav clothes' and all that, but it gets dull.