HOME | DD

Description
Character Creation Tutorial
How to effectively develop a realistic and likable character for novels and fanfiction.
---
Table of Contents:
I. A Name
II. Physical Attributes
III. Style & Personality
IV. History
V. Other
VI. Questionnaire

It can be assumed that developing a plot and storyline is self explanatory. If not, you can find another tutorial for that. This tutorial will focus primarily on the thought-process of creating new characters with depth.

I. A name is the first step. Try to match the character to their name, or somehow integrate the character's name into the storyline or progression of the character's maturity and personality. For example, a character who is dark and moody would probably not be named Star unless this contradiction holds some meaning in the story. (In a comedy it would have a nice effect, but in a drama or serious story, not so much).
If you can't think of a name you can go to places like babynames.com or google for assistance (just search names of the chosen ethnicity, or fantasy names). You can also always pick a letter and just sort of develop a name in your head that fits.

II. The next best step to take is physical attributes of your character. Gender is something you should already have determined for step one, now you need to develop the framework of your character. What is their ethnicity? Age? Appearance? Any unusual markings or attributes?
This is another area where you should focus carefully on making sense. For example if you want to have a character with naturally bright blonde hair, then claiming they're Japanese is probably not the best idea. A lot of ethnic attributes are common knowledge, but if you need more help then don't be afraid to research details. The more research you do, the more realistic and developed your character will become.
If you want your character to have contradicting attributes such as a Chinese girl with green eyes or an Ethiopian with straight hair, then you'll need to explain yourself. Say the Chinese girl wears contacts, or has a German father, something along those lines. Say the Ethiopian straightens their hair.
Another option to avoid all of this "realistic" crap, is to just set your story in a fantasy reality where none of these perimeters matter. But in that case, it's also recommended that you stick to made up or fantasy races as well (such as elves, vampires, werewolves, etc.) But even then there are limits. You're free to take creative liberties with any story, but be sure to keep these existing fantasy races at least partially similar to their original incarnations.

III. The next important step is your character's style and personality. What sort of clothes do they wear? Any accessories? How do they act? Are they introverted or a social butterfly? Keep in mind that a shy, timid girl is unlikely to have dyed her hair neon pink, or a macho military man is most likely not going to wear silk. A character's style usually mirrors their personality, with a few exceptions.

IV. Now the fun part: History. The events a character goes through and the people they meet will mold their personality and point of view on the world you're creating around them. When developing a person's past, be sure to keep in mind the consequences and results of each aspect. For example, a girl who grew up without a father will likely have problems with relationships or develop a dependency on male affection and always having a partner. A boy who was abused may be very violent, reserved, untrusting and unpredictable.
This is another part where research is a HUGE must. If you don't know the details of how a character would act in a given situation, then either research it or don't use it at all.

V. Now for the scraps. You have the basic frame and filling of the character built, now for any finishing touches you may have. Are they related to any of the other characters? What is their orientation? Hobbies? Music genre of choice? Favorite foods? Sometimes even the smallest details can help to bring a character together and allow you to get into that character's mindset even easier. Research the type of music or tv shows your character would enjoy. Even if its something you wouldn't like normally, give it a try to help you understand that character better.

VI. Now as a means of putting all of the information together, here is a detailed questionnaire for you to fill out for each character you create. Remember to be as detailed as possible. Try not to answer any of the questions with just one or two words. (Remove everything in quotations when filling it in):

Name: (Your character's full name or nickname)
Age: (Self explanatory)
Gender: (Male or Female)
Ethnicity: (What country are they from? Are they of mixed race?)
Height: (How tall are they?)
Weight: (How much do they weigh?)
Build: (What is their physical appearance?)
Clothing Style: (What type of clothes do they wear?)
Accessories: (Do they wear watches? Glasses? Jewelry?)
Unusual Features: (Tattoos? A tail? Green skin?)
Hair Color/Style: (Self explanatory)
Eye Color: (Self explanatory)
---
Personality: (How do they act? How do they see themselves and the world?)
Fears: (What scares them?)
Habits: (Do they play with their hair? Pick their nose? Clear their throat a lot?)
Hobbies: (Sports? Video games? Training their mad fighting skill?)
Orientation: (Gay or straight?)
Skills: (Do they have superpowers? Know kung-fu? Or are they the best cook in the west?)
Occupation: (Do they work anywhere? Go to school?)
---
Family: (Any relatives? Are they still alive? Do they get along?)
History: (What was it like for them growing up? Explain everything that happened before the present day)
Anything Else:
-----------------

And that's it! Hopefully this little tutorial helped. If you have any other questions feel free to ask! Oh and if you use the above questionnaire anywhere public I'd appreciate it if you credited me

:) (Smile) — Description
Character Creation Tutorial
How to effectively develop a realistic and likable character for novels and fanfiction.
---
Table of Contents:
I. A Name
II. Physical Attributes
III. Style & Personality
IV. History
V. Other
VI. Questionnaire

It can be assumed that developing a plot and storyline is self explanatory. If not, you can find another tutorial for that. This tutorial will focus primarily on the thought-process of creating new characters with depth.

I. A name is the first step. Try to match the character to their name, or somehow integrate the character's name into the storyline or progression of the character's maturity and personality. For example, a character who is dark and moody would probably not be named Star unless this contradiction holds some meaning in the story. (In a comedy it would have a nice effect, but in a drama or serious story, not so much).
If you can't think of a name you can go to places like babynames.com or google for assistance (just search names of the chosen ethnicity, or fantasy names). You can also always pick a letter and just sort of develop a name in your head that fits.

II. The next best step to take is physical attributes of your character. Gender is something you should already have determined for step one, now you need to develop the framework of your character. What is their ethnicity? Age? Appearance? Any unusual markings or attributes?
This is another area where you should focus carefully on making sense. For example if you want to have a character with naturally bright blonde hair, then claiming they're Japanese is probably not the best idea. A lot of ethnic attributes are common knowledge, but if you need more help then don't be afraid to research details. The more research you do, the more realistic and developed your character will become.
If you want your character to have contradicting attributes such as a Chinese girl with green eyes or an Ethiopian with straight hair, then you'll need to explain yourself. Say the Chinese girl wears contacts, or has a German father, something along those lines. Say the Ethiopian straightens their hair.
Another option to avoid all of this "realistic" crap, is to just set your story in a fantasy reality where none of these perimeters matter. But in that case, it's also recommended that you stick to made up or fantasy races as well (such as elves, vampires, werewolves, etc.) But even then there are limits. You're free to take creative liberties with any story, but be sure to keep these existing fantasy races at least partially similar to their original incarnations.

III. The next important step is your character's style and personality. What sort of clothes do they wear? Any accessories? How do they act? Are they introverted or a social butterfly? Keep in mind that a shy, timid girl is unlikely to have dyed her hair neon pink, or a macho military man is most likely not going to wear silk. A character's style usually mirrors their personality, with a few exceptions.

IV. Now the fun part: History. The events a character goes through and the people they meet will mold their personality and point of view on the world you're creating around them. When developing a person's past, be sure to keep in mind the consequences and results of each aspect. For example, a girl who grew up without a father will likely have problems with relationships or develop a dependency on male affection and always having a partner. A boy who was abused may be very violent, reserved, untrusting and unpredictable.
This is another part where research is a HUGE must. If you don't know the details of how a character would act in a given situation, then either research it or don't use it at all.

V. Now for the scraps. You have the basic frame and filling of the character built, now for any finishing touches you may have. Are they related to any of the other characters? What is their orientation? Hobbies? Music genre of choice? Favorite foods? Sometimes even the smallest details can help to bring a character together and allow you to get into that character's mindset even easier. Research the type of music or tv shows your character would enjoy. Even if its something you wouldn't like normally, give it a try to help you understand that character better.

VI. Now as a means of putting all of the information together, here is a detailed questionnaire for you to fill out for each character you create. Remember to be as detailed as possible. Try not to answer any of the questions with just one or two words. (Remove everything in quotations when filling it in):

Name: (Your character's full name or nickname)
Age: (Self explanatory)
Gender: (Male or Female)
Ethnicity: (What country are they from? Are they of mixed race?)
Height: (How tall are they?)
Weight: (How much do they weigh?)
Build: (What is their physical appearance?)
Clothing Style: (What type of clothes do they wear?)
Accessories: (Do they wear watches? Glasses? Jewelry?)
Unusual Features: (Tattoos? A tail? Green skin?)
Hair Color/Style: (Self explanatory)
Eye Color: (Self explanatory)
---
Personality: (How do they act? How do they see themselves and the world?)
Fears: (What scares them?)
Habits: (Do they play with their hair? Pick their nose? Clear their throat a lot?)
Hobbies: (Sports? Video games? Training their mad fighting skill?)
Orientation: (Gay or straight?)
Skills: (Do they have superpowers? Know kung-fu? Or are they the best cook in the west?)
Occupation: (Do they work anywhere? Go to school?)
---
Family: (Any relatives? Are they still alive? Do they get along?)
History: (What was it like for them growing up? Explain everything that happened before the present day)
Anything Else:
-----------------

And that's it! Hopefully this little tutorial helped. If you have any other questions feel free to ask! Oh and if you use the above questionnaire anywhere public I'd appreciate it if you credited me