I feel like I need to plan out my characters before I start writing their story. I usually make a story board, plot board, or a character outline. (I personally prefer the character outline because it goes in depth as to who your character is.) The following is a template I found to fill in with the details of your main character.
ORIGINS & FAMILY:
Name:
Nickname:
Reason for name:
Birthday:
Age:
Gender:
Place of birth:
Places lived since:
Parents’ names, backgrounds, occupations:
Number of siblings:
Relationship with family (close? estranged?):
Happiest memory:
Childhood trauma:
Children of his/her own?:
If so, relationship with their mother/father?:
Age he/she gave birth/became a father:
PHYSICAL
Height:
Weight:
Build:
Nationality:
Disabilities (physical or mental, including mental illnesses):
Complexion (freckles, acne, skin tone, birth marks):
Face shape:
Distinguishing facial features:
Hair color:
Usual hair style:
Eye color:
Glasses? Contacts?:
Style of dress/typical outfit(s):
Typical style of shoes:
Health (is this person usually sick? or very resilient?):
Grooming (does she/he wear makeup? shower daily? wear only clean clothes? pluck her eyebrows?):
Jewelry? Tattoos? Piercings?:
Accent?:
Unique mannerisms/physical habits (bites nails, talks with hands, taps feet when restless):
Athletic?:
INTELLECT
Level of education (high school drop out, undergrad BA/BS, PhD, MD, etc.):
Level of self esteem:
Gifts/talents:
Shortcomings:
Style of speech (loud, mumbler, articulate, etc.):
"Left brain" or "right brain" thinker?:
Artistic?:
Mathematical?:
Makes decisions based mostly on emotions, or on logic?:
Neuroses:
Life philosophy:
Religious stance:
Cautious or daring?:
Most sensitive about/vulnerable to:
Optimist or pessimist?:
Extrovert or introvert?:
Level of comfort with technology:
RELATIONSHIPS
Current marital/relationship status:
Sexual orientation:
Past relationships:
Primary reason for being broken up with:
Primary reasons for breaking up with people:
Level of sexual experience:
Story of first kiss (if any—if not, how does he/she want it to happen?):
Story of loss of virginity (if any—if not, how does he/she want it to happen, if at all?):
A social person? (popular, loner, some close friends, makes friends and then quickly drops them):
Most comfortable around (person):
Oldest friend:
How does he/she think others perceive him/her?:
How do others actually perceive him/her?:
VOCATION
Profession:
Past occupations:
Passions:
Attitude towards current job:
Attitude towards current coworkers, bosses, employees:
Salary:
SECRETS
(Every character—no matter how minor—should always have secrets!)
Phobias:
Life goals:
Dreams:
Greatest fears:
Most ashamed of:
Most embarrassing thing ever to happen to him/her:
Compulsions:
Obsessions:
Secret hobbies:
Secret skills:
Past sexual transgressions:
Crimes committed (and was he/she caught? charged?):
What he/she most wants to change about his/her current life:
What he/she most wants to change about his/her physical appearance:
DETAILS/QUIRKS
Daily routine:
Night owl or early bird?:
Light or heavy sleeper?:
Favorite food:
Least favorite food:
Favorite book:
Least favorite book:
Favorite movie:
Least favorite movie:
Favorite song:
Least favorite song:
Coffee or tea?:
Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?:
Type of car he/she drives (or wishes he/she drove):
Lefty or righty?:
Favorite color:
Cusser?:
Smoker? Drinker? Drug user?:
Biggest regret:
Pets?
***It also helps to have a picture or sketch of how you picture this character. Take into consideration attitude, posture, and style of the actual character.***
I hope this template is as helpful as it has been for me!
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