10 Novel-Writing Tips

Found this gem on pinterest this morning and couldn't NOT share it with you all. Hope you find it useful.

Character Outline

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!