USE A CHARACTER WORKSHEET
My character worksheet is a little intense, but that's why I like it. I like to dive in deep into my character's personalities, looks, backgrounds, and lifestyles. I don't necessarily fill out the whole thing for every since character, but it helps me decide what's important about the character: things that might stand out in their past, flaws in their personality, and special relationships. Feel free to narrow my worksheet down or do a Google search for one that fits you and your writing style.
BASICS: Name, Nickname, Gender, Age, Social status, Marital status, Education, Career PHYSICAL: Height, Weight, Complexion, Facial Features, Eye Color, Hair, Style / Dress, General Health BEHAVIOR: Demeanor, Gestures, Posture, Mannerisms PERSONALITY: Beliefs, Regligion, Ambitions, Superstitions, Fears, Attitudes, Weaknesses, Strengths, Talents / Special skills, Finances, Habits, Hobbies / Interests, Myers-Briggs Personality Type HOME LIFE: City, Description of Home, Description of Bedroom, Pets CHILDHOOD: Family Dynamics, Friendships, Other Relationships, Trauma, Emotional Upheaval, Favorite Activities, Typical Day, Favorite Possession(s), Sad and Happy Memories, Short Term and Long Term Goals, ObstaclesTEENAGER: Family Dynamics, Friendships, Romantic Relationships, Other Relationships, Trauma, Emotional Upheaval, Favorite Activities, Typical Day, Favorite Possession(s), Sad and Happy Memories, Short Term and Long Term Goals, Obstacles ADULT / PRESENT: Family Dynamics, Friendships, Romantic Relationships, Other Relationships, Trauma, Emotional Upheaval, Favorite Activities, Typical Day, Favorite Possession(s), Sad and Happy Memories, Short Term and Long Term Goals, Obstacles
PIN YOUR CHARACTERS
When I'm browsing Pinterest (like, all the time) sometimes I come across photos and artwork of individuals that bear striking resemblances to what I imagine my characters to look like. I'm very visual and this just helps me to really give my characters a physical apperaance. It could be a celebrity, a model, or just an ordinary, anonymous person. Create a Pinterest board to collect photos that remind you of a character. You could go so far as to create a board for each character, pinning not only images that look like them but that also relate to them: what their house might look like, how their bedroom is decorating, or even a hobby they're interested in. Or just create one Pinterest board where you can pin character photos and other scraps of inspiration.
CREATE A PLAYLIST
Another major source of inspiration for me personally is music. I'm a big fan of 8Tracks.com because of all the curated playlists organized by genre, mood, artist, season, whatever other search term you can think of. Plus, there are no ads. Using 8Tracks, Spotify, or another music service you can compile lists of songs that remind you of a particular character or your story in general. You can share your playlist with the world or keep it private. Doesn't matter. But it might help when you end up with Writers' Block some time in November. Just bring up the playlist, hit play, and revisit what inspired you to create your character in the first place.
Questions? Comments? Want to contribute your novel-planning trips and tricks? Comment on this post, write on The Lovely Side's Facebook page wall, tweet at @TheLovelySide, or email me. :)
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