. Construct the character’s outer appearance
To be able to identify a criminal, detectives build a painstakingly thorough file of said criminal’s physical characteristics.
That’s the goal of this section, which covers the “skin” of your character: everything from their outer appearance to the way that they speak. Think of it as a kind of offender profile — one that can help you spot your character in the middle of a crowded Times Square.
Build out the character’s backstory
Characters don’t exist in a vacuum — they’re a product of their environment.
This section in the character template dives a bit deeper into your character and covers their “flesh”: the people, circumstances, and formative influences that filled them out and made them who they are today. It’s the springboard to your character’s biography.
Sketch out their antagonists
An important point to make is that you can’t create a character in a vacuum. You need to define them in relation to other people and the world they inhabit. As John Truby writes in The Anatomy of Story, “[to] create great characters, think of all your characters as part of a web in which each helps define the others. To put it another way, a character is often defined by who he is not.”
Of particular importance, according to Truby, is your primary antagonist. “The relationship between the hero and the opponent is the single most important relationship in the story. In working out the struggle between these two characters, the larger issues and themes of the story unfold.”
Understand the character’s goals and motivations
We’ve come now to the “core”: who your character is deep down.
This section in the character profile worksheet covers the “heart” of your character. If a backstory shapes a dynamic character, this will define them. More importantly, it will help inform the two most important points leading up to your novel: the character’s story goal and story motivation.
The Present and Future 🔮
What is their story goal? (answer in a single paragraph)
Story motivation (answer in a single paragraph)
In other words: what does your character want in the story? And why do they want it?
Every other answer in the character profile template builds up to this. It’s critical information to know because it’ll make up the unshakable foundation — and raison d’être — for your story. Whenever you feel like your story is straying off course, go straight back to your character’s story goal and motivation, and you’ll find the beating heart of your book.
Unlike mood or voice, tone is situational
Tone refers to the attitude or emotion conveyed in a specific scene or dialogue, which is situational and can change quickly. Meanwhile, mood refers to the overall feeling of a scene or story — also known as its atmosphere — and it’s often defined by imagery, setting, and the book’s genre. For example, a thriller novel might include several scenes with a funny tone but retain a tense and suspenseful mood overall
Voice, on the other hand, is the unique way a character speaks and acts, representing a consistent and enduring quality that defines their personality and remains constant across different situations.
shift in his tone plays a crucial role in highlighting his character development.
Tone plays an important role in character development
Authors can use tone as one of the tools to shape a character’s arc. The tone of a character’s voice at the beginning of a novel can establish their initial personality traits. If a character sounds grumpy and judgemental, that may reveal that they are impatient and close-minded. This sets the baseline from which the character can grow and change.
How to develop a fictional character:
Tone controls the “distance” between the reader and the narrator
The tone in writing is closely linked to the narrator’s point of view, influencing the “psychic distance” between the reader and the narrator. For example, a first-person point of view gives access to the narrator’s inner world, usually adopting a confessional tone, while an all-knowing omniscient narrator might describe the protagonist with a more detached and formal tone.
Emphasize his inner life as well as his surface problems
give him classic, potentially heroic qualities
Show, don’t tell
As the life of your character unfolds, show who your character is through what he says, his body language, his thoughts, and what he does.
Sketch out their antagonists
An important point to make is that you can’t create a character in a vacuum. You need to define them in relation to other people and the world they inhabit. As John Truby writes in The Anatomy of Story, “[to] create great characters, think of all your characters as part of a web in which each helps define the others. To put it another way, a character is often defined by who he is not.”
Of particular importance, according to Truby, is your primary antagonist. “The relationship between the hero and the opponent is the single most important relationship in the story. In working out the struggle between these two characters, the larger issues and themes of the story unfold.”
- Who is your hero’s antagonist?
- What is their background? What are their motivations?
- How do they relentlessly attack the hero?
The main opponent is the one person in the world best able to attack the great weakness of the hero. And he should attack it relentlessly. The necessary opponent either forces the hero to overcome his weakness or destroys him. Put another way, the necessary opponent makes it possible for the hero to grow.”
other secondary characters
While the antagonist is the most important other character in the story, you can also craft your hero by sketching out secondary characters 一 other enemies or allies who contrasts with the hero in order to highlight some qualities of their personality.