Young Writers Society

I found this a while back on this website. It's great for creating a solid outline for your characters, it really makes you think...
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Character Profile Worksheet


Basic Statistics

Name:
Age:
Nationality:
Socioeconomic Level as a child:
Socioeconomic Level as an adult:
Hometown:
Current Residence:
Occupation:
Income:
Talents/Skills:
Salary:
Birth order:
Siblings (describe relationship):
Spouse (describe relationship):
Children (describe relationship):
Grandparents (describe relationship):
Grandchildren (describe relationship):
Significant Others (describe relationship):
Relationship skills:


Physical Characteristics:

Height:
Weight:
Race:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Glasses or contact lenses?
Skin color:
Shape of Face:
Distinguishing features:
How does he/she dress?
Mannerisms:
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.)
Health:
Hobbies:
Favorite Sayings:
Speech patterns:
Disabilities:
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.):
Greatest flaw:
Best quality:


Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Educational Background:
Intelligence Level:
Any Mental Illnesses?
Learning Experiences:
Character's short-term goals in life:
Character's long-term goals in life:
How does Character see himself/herself?
How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others?
How self-confident is the character?
Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?
What would most embarass this character?


Emotional Characteristics


Strengths/Weaknesses:
Introvert or Extrovert?
How does the character deal with anger?
With sadness?
With conflict?
With change?
With loss?
What does the character want out of life?
What would the character like to change in his/her life?
What motivates this character?
What frightens this character?
What makes this character happy?
Is the character judgmental of others?
Is the character generous or stingy?
Is the character generally polite or rude?


Spiritual Characteristics

Does the character believe in God?
What are the character's spiritual beliefs?
Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life?
If so, what role does it play?


How the Character is Involved in the Story

Character's role in the novel (main character? hero? heroine? Romantic interest? etc.):
Scene where character first appears:
Relationships with other characters:

1. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).
2. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).
3. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).
4. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).

How character is different at the end of the novel from when the novel began:

Additional Notes on This Character:

Awesome. I'll definately try it. Although I'm odd - I do these after writing the story. My characters come to life as I write, and, when I do these first, they sound forced and cliche. *Shrug*

They're loads of fun to do after I write the story, though! It's amazing how much I can learn about a character when I've only written a few thousand words with them in it.

It's also amazing to see how little physical description is needed in the writing. I can always fill out the personality part, but I'm clueless when they ask for hair and eye color.

~JFW1415

Yeah, I do these after I start writing - usually by the second draft. By that time I know what I want them to be like, so I can fill it out a little easier. I should do this for Dax...he needs to be fleshed out a little.


Basic Statistics

Name: Ian Benjamin Gardner
Age: 18
Nationality: Caucasian (Irish/Swedish to be more specific)
Socioeconomic Level as a child: Uhh...
Socioeconomic Level as an adult: Uhhh...
Hometown: Cedar Ridge, CO
Current Residence: Cedar Ridge, CO
Occupation: Works at a hardware store
Income: minimum wage
Talents/Skills: he's good at making people laugh, making people feel comfortable
Salary:
Birth order: Oldes
Siblings (describe relationship): He's got a great relationship with his younger sister, Vanessa, but he's a lot more conscious of people and social status than she is - so sometimes she embarrases him.
Spouse (describe relationship):
Children (describe relationship):
Grandparents (describe relationship):
Grandchildren (describe relationship):
Significant Others (describe relationship): Rachael Verity Fiske - it's complicated
Relationship skills: He can make any girl feel like a princess. Very charming.


Physical Characteristics:

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170 lb.
Race: white
Eye Color: pale green
Hair Color: dark brown/black
Glasses or contact lenses? nope
Skin color: white
Shape of Face: oval
Distinguishing features: his hair is kind of overlong, he has this little chunk over his forehead that constantly flops in his face
How does he/she dress? Preppy - American Eagle, Hollister, all those generic brand names that everyone else wears
Mannerisms: Gets quiet when he feels awkward. Shoves his hair out of his face. Keeps his hands in his pockets when he's uncomfortable. Talks too much when he's worried about someone.
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) None
Health: Good
Hobbies: Hangin' at the river, being with friends (esp. Rae), track, hiking
Favorite Sayings:
Speech patterns: Lots of smiles, lots of jokes
Disabilities: None
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): Preppy
Greatest flaw: He hates offending people and he hates it if people don't like him
Best quality: He's just a sweetheart


That's all I really have time for right now, but it was fun. I still need to think about some of his favorite sayings...

Basic Statistics

Name:
Nickname:
Meaning of Name:
Age:
Sex:
Nationality:
Socioeconomic Level as a child:
Socioeconomic Level as an adult:
Birth date:
Birthplace:
Current Residence:
Occupation:
Income:
Talents/Skills:
Hobbies:
Birth order:
Family:
Significant Others:
Relationship skills:

Past History

Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First memory:
Most important childhood event that still affects him/her:
Why?
Past failure s/he would be embarrassed to have people know about:
Why?
Past achievements:
Biggest role model and why:
Biggest disillusions from childhood:
Why?

Physical Characteristics:

Height:
Weight:
Build:
Race:
Eyes:
Hair:
Expressions:
Posture:
Glasses or contact lenses?
Skin color:
Tattoos?
Face:
Distinguishing features:
How does he/she dress?
Favorite clothing:
Why?
Least favorite clothing:
Why?
Jewelry:
Other accessories:
Weapons:
Powers or strengths: (magical, or otherwise)
Mannerisms/Poses:
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.)
Is s/he healthy? If not, how so:
Favorite Sayings:
Speech patterns:
Disabilities:
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.):
Greatest flaw:
Best quality:

Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Educational background:
Intelligence level:
Any mental Illnesses?
Learning experiences:
Known languages?
Character's short-term goals in life:
Character's long-term goals in life:
How does Character see himself/herself?
How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others?
How self-confident is the character?
Patience level:
Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?
Most at ease when:
Ill at ease when:
If granted one wish, what would it be?
Why?
If granted one thing, what would it be?
Why?
Greatest source of strength in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as such or not):
Greatest source of weakness in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as such or not:
Biggest vulnerability:
Optimist or pessimist:
Why?
Introvert (shy) or extrovert:
Why?
Greatest fear:
Other fears:
Drives and motivations:
Talents:
Extremely skilled at:
Extremely unskilled at:
Good characteristics:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Peculiarities:
Biggest regret:
Minor regrets:
Biggest accomplishment:
Minor accomplishments:
Character's darkest secret:
Does anyone else know?
If yes, who?
If yes, did a character tell them?
If no, how did they find out?

Relationships with others

Loves:
Hates:
Family relations:
Sexuality:
Person character secretly admires:
Why?
Crushes:
Secret?
If not, who knows, and how did they find out?
How does character relate to others?
How is s/he perceived by...
Strangers?
Friends?
Wife/Husband/Lover?
Family?
Hero/Heroine?
Biggest role model:
Why?
How do they view them?
First impression:
What happens to change this perception?
What do family/friends like most about character?
What do family/friends like least about character?


Favorites

Likes:
People:
Dislikes:
People:
Favorite color:
Least favorite color:
Favorite Music:
Least favorite Music:
Food:
Literature:
Pass time:
Animal:
Expressions:
Expletives:
Motto/saying:
Simple pleasures:
Greater pleasures:
Mode of transportation:
Most prized possession:
Why?


Emotional Characteristics


Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Introvert or Extrovert?
Morals:
How does this character act in public?
How does this character act at home?
How has this character most changed from childhood?
How have they remained the same?
How does this character deal with:
Anger?
Sadness?
Conflict?
Danger?
Change?
Loss?
Sex?
Homosexuality?
Pain?
Stress?
Guilt?
Pressure?
Anger?
Patience?
Love?
Friendship?
Drugs?
Public humiliation?
What does the character want out of life?
What would the character like to change in his/her life?
What motivates this character?
Why?
What frightens this character?
Why?
What makes the character happy?
Why?
What makes the character sad?
Why?
What makes the character angry?
Why?
What would most effect/change this character:
How?
Why?
Is the character judgmental of others?
Is the character generous or stingy?
Is the character generally polite or rude?
What most describes this character's personality?




Spiritual Characteristics

Does the character believe in a god or goddess?
What are the character's spiritual beliefs?
Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life?
If so, what role does it play?
Chinese Zodiac:
Astrological Zodiac:
Element:

Other
If this character were an animal, what would they be?
Why?
If this character were the opposite sex what would they
Do:
Say:
Feel:
If this character were to be characterized by an object, would it be?
Why?

How the Character is Involved in the Story

Character's role in the novel (main character? hero? heroine? Romantic interest? etc.):
Scene where character first appears:
Relationships with other characters:
Where, how and when did he first interact with other characters:

Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).


How character is different at the end of the novel from when the novel began:

Background:

What if:

Additional Notes on This Character:

Sure filling out sheets like that can help...But how does it really get you into the mindset of the character?

What I used to do a few years ago was get a bunch of myspace (or any kind of blog) surveys together and try to fill them out as the character themselves would.

Just keep doing that until it comes naturally...then it'll be easier to write that character.

very cool! very nice. I agree this is the best character outline i've ever seen. very thorough. by the time you finish this, you'll know the character better than you know yourself, which is exactly what you need in a character outline.

Thanks for the sheet! I will totally do this! I fill these out beforehand so I have a feel for my characters.

----UPDATE----

Here's what I did on one character

Basic Statistics

Name: Velma Wilkinson
Nickname: Velma
Meaning of Name: Named after grandmother
Age: 26
Sex: Female
Nationality: Irish-Danish Southern American
Socioeconomic Level as a child: Spent A Lot of Money/Many Friends
Socioeconomic Level as an adult: Big Saver/Only has friends in the business
Birth date: 1982
Birthplace: Texas
Current Residence: New York City
Occupation: Spying
Income: $1.5 million (annual)
Talents/Skills: Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Forensics Expert
Hobbies: Watching soap operas, Reading romances, Eating, Running
Birth order: Only child
Family: Divorced Parents; Deceased Grandparents on both sides; One old aunt
Significant Others: None
Relationship skills: Not good at dating

Past History

Hometown: Sherman
Type of childhood: Difficult (parents divorced very young)
First memory: Learning that parents were breaking up
Most important childhood event that still affects him/her: Seeing her father shot in the arm and rushed to ER
Why: Because that was when decided to be in police work
Past failure s/he would be embarrassed to have people know about: Was horrible in school
Why: She’s now a workaholic! Duh!
Past achievements: Graduating, Getting in college/the spying business
Biggest role model and why: James Bond, that’s who she always desired to be—cool and collected
Biggest disillusions from childhood: Grades and parents divorcing
Why: It made her really depressed

Physical Characteristics:

Height: 5’9”
Weight: 130 lbs
Build: Curvaceous
Race: White
Eyes: Silvery-blue
Hair: Dark brown
Expressions: “Oh, mother[bleep]” (couldn’t think of much)
Posture: Not slouch, but not STRAIGHT
Glasses or contact lenses: Contacts
Skin color: Light
Tattoos: Chinese symbol for “peace” on her right ankle
Face: High cheekbones, straight nose, almond-shaped eyes, cleft chin, small but full mouth
Distinguishing features: Eye color
How does he/she dress: Dresses for the occasion (if hot, tank top and loose Capris, etc.) but not too revealing
Favorite clothing: Dark pantsuit
Why: Makes her look professional
Least favorite clothing: Anything revealing
Why: She doesn’t want to be a total slut
Jewelry: Very few pieces; if wears then usually not flashy (understated)
Other accessories: Squared-toed shoes and wide belts
Weapons: Guns; Kevlar underneath clothes
Powers or strengths: (magical, or otherwise) Very good in combat
Mannerisms/Poses: Puts one foot in front of the other when walks
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) The occasional drink and smokes if in character
Is she/he healthy? If not, how so: Yes, tries to be very healthy
Favorite Sayings: “Either you cooperate or you die” (couldn’t think of many)
Speech patterns: Very polished
Disabilities: None
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): Elegantly chic
Greatest flaw: Fights too much
Best quality: Can be very suspicious

Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Educational background: MD in Forensics
Intelligence level: 180
Any mental Illnesses: None
Learning experiences: Expert in deception, weapons, etc.
Known languages: French, English, Catalan
Character's short-term goals in life: To complete her current assignment
Character's long-term goals in life: To raise a family
How does Character see himself/herself: A bit strict, a bit depressing
How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others: Maybe bossy?
How self-confident is the character: Average
Patience level: Low-to-medium
Does the character seems ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof: Logic
Most at ease when: Not working, curled up in a good armchair…
Ill at ease when: Forced to do something according to character
If granted one wish, what would it be: To get the parents back together
Why: Have an easier childhood!
If granted one thing, what would it be: More approachable
Why: Wants to be more welcoming and open to men/colleagues
Greatest source of strength in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as such or not): Not trusting easily
Greatest source of weakness in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as such or not: Sometimes blames problems on other people
Biggest vulnerability: A bit of a tough shell
Optimist or pessimist: Pessimist
Why: Lived with Mom (very negative)
Introvert (shy) or extrovert: Speaks before thinks
Why: Instinct
Greatest fear: That someone will kill her parents
Other fears: Fired from job, etc.
Drives and motivations: Having a good adult life than childhood
Talents: Deception; acting; detachment
Extremely skilled at: Martial arts
Extremely unskilled at: Not blurting out stuff
Good characteristics: Tough shell; top at job
Character flaws: Blurts out; somewhat masculine
Character's darkest secret: Once considered suicide
Does anyone else know: No
Relationships with others: Depends—mostly frigid

Favorites

Favorite color: Red
Least favorite color: Green
Favorite Music: Idina Menzel; Emmy Rossum; Marie Digby; Celine Dion
Least favorite Music: Timbaland—basically anything like BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Food: Italian
Literature: Dan Brown; Alison Kent; Janelle Denison; Dean Koontz
Pass time: Reading; working out; gardening; solving puzzles
Animal: Jack Russell
Motto/saying: None
Simple pleasures: Finishing a big puzzle; Sweating a lot during a workout; The occasional going-out-to-dinner
Greater pleasures: Finishing an assignment; pulling off a disguise; Finding a new skill
Mode of transportation: Drives in a sleek Ferrari; the occasional bus
Most prized possession: The collection of oriental china
Why: It was passed on through her family and she considers it her only art piece


Spiritual Characteristics
Does the character believe in a god or goddess: Yes
What are the character's spiritual beliefs: Only helps when desperately needed; Heaven is real; Doesn’t know about Hell
Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life: Tries to go to church once in a while
If so, what role does it play: Soothes her
Chinese Zodiac: Tiger
Astrological Zodiac: Aries
Element: Fire

Other
If this character were an animal, what would they be: Cat
Why: One of the best hunters and also very inconspicuous
If this character were the opposite sex what would they
Do: Be a spy
Say: They would be more aggressive
Feel: They would be more detached better
If this character were to be characterized by an object, would it be: A heart
Why: It’s strong, it’s pretty…

How the Character is Involved in the Story

Character's role in the novel (main character? hero? heroine? Romantic interest? etc.): Main heroine
Scene where character first appears: Very first scene
Relationships with other characters:
--Kenneth – At first cautious, then romantic
Where, how and when did she first interact with other characters: Very first scene…duh!
How character is different at the end of the novel from when the novel began: More approachable; free spirit; in love; happy at ending case
Additional Notes on This Character: None

This is so great and helpful. I will try filling some of these out since I'm really into turning one of my unfinished-but-is-working-to-be-finished stories into a book.

Thank you!
- Summerless

I'm going to be starting on a 100 to 200 page novel about a story that takes place in an online game for a chance at a scholarship and publishing deal. This thing is going to help me out A LOT!

Very helpful, I'll try it out :3
I've been trying to get closer to my characters, but my lacking inspiration right now is making me use no common sense, so just filling out a sheet might help me gain more of a bond, I feel it will.

All those details are confusing me.

Otherwise, I might try it...

yea its great
im certainly gunna be using it from now on