Backstory

It is the history and the past experiences of your character. Your character’s backstory shapes who they are and informs their actions and decisions in a story.

Relationships

Develop your character’s relationship chart. The interactions and dynamics between characters can reveal a lot about who they are and how they see themselves in relation to others.

Personality Traits

Characters can be defined by their unique characteristics such as strengths, weaknesses, quirks, and mannerisms.

Dialogue

The way a character speaks can reveal a lot about the character’s background, social status, and personality.

Physical Description

How a character looks can provide clues about their personality or backstory. Use their physical description to create a visual representation of the character for the audience.

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Goals and Motivations

Create a list of your character’s goals and motivations. Understanding a character’s desire and what they’re trying to achieve can help create a sense of purpose and drive for them. It will help you understand their role in the story.

Actions and Decisions

A Character’s choices and actions can also provide insight into who they are, and what they stand for. You can work this into their backstory.

Inner thoughts and emotions

Character’s thoughts, feelings, and inner monologue can give us a glimpse of their inner self, their fears, and desires. Incorporating them into your story will give them a deeper layer.

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Symbolism

Create characters to symbolize particular themes, ideas, or emotions, making them more significant and meaningful to the story.

Archetypes

Characters can be based on common archetypes such as hero, villain, mentor, and trickster, which can help to create a familiar and relatable character.

Character Arc

You can map a character’s journey and growth throughout the story. This can help to create a sense of change and development for the character.

Subtext

Create an underlying meaning or motivation behind a character’s words and actions. Use it to add depth and complexity to the character.

Voice

Giving a character a unique voice can help to distinguish them from other characters and make them more memorable.

Contrast

Placing a character in contrast with another character or group of characters can help to highlight their unique qualities and personalities.

Interaction with the Setting

The way a character interacts with the story’s setting can also reveal something about them and can be used to create a sense of immersion. For Example, a doctor in a hospital setting, or a warrior in a jungle.

Don’t forget to download this character worksheet to get you started.