Character Building Sheet and Related Links

The following is a very thorough character building form that was emailed to me some time ago by a good friend and fellow writer/blogger.  It's a tool that you can personalize for your own needs: add to it, subtract from it, expound here and minimize there, and hopefully flesh out a good basis for your character.  You can create a character from scratch (if you want to spice things up a bit you can flip a coin or roll some dice to help you decide on the basics), or you can take a character that you already know very well (or think you know) and fill this out for them to see just how well you really know him/her/it.  At the end there are some character specific creative prompts as well as room for notes.  I recommend/challenge us all to apply this to one of our preexisting characters, or to use it to create someone brand new.  For further character sheet exploration you can check out this Blank PDF Form or take a gander at this awesome website complete with numerous helpful character building links.

General

Name ( Title, Given, Middle, Surname, Suffix ):

Alias ( Title, Given, Middle, Surname, Suffix )/( Alternate )/( Nickname ):

Age:

Birthdate:

Sign/Omen ( Astrological, Chinese, etc ):

Current Residence:

Birth Place:

Hometown:

Allegiance:

Belief/Religion:

Titles/Honorifics:

Profession:

Hobby:

Physical

Sex:

Racial

• Race:
• Sub-Race:
• Strengths:
• Weaknesses:

Physical Characteristics (subdivided as needed)

• Height:
• Weight:
• Build:
• Measurements:
• Hair ( Color/Style ):
• Eyes ( Right/Left ):
• Skin/Fur/Scales/Etc ( Color/Pattern ):
• Handedness: [ Left/Right/Ambidextrous ]
• Marks
• Birthmarks:
• Natural:
• Scars:
• Tattoos:

Basic Description:

Disabilities:

Fashion:

• Primary Outfit:
• Secondary Outfit:
• Occasion Specific Outfit:
• Location Specific Outfit:

Internal Biology

• Blood Type:

Possessions

• Most Prized Possessions (Material Value):
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)
• Most Prized Possessions (Emotional Value):
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)

Background

Summary/Background:

Family Background:

History:

Education:

Psychology

Gender:

Personality:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Goals:

Life's Ambition ( Single greatest goal ):

Fears:

Crippling Fear ( Single Biggest Fear):

Least Outspoken About:

Most Outspoken About:

Vernacular ( Way of speaking ):

Mannerisms ( Behavior quirks or traits ):

Psychological Condition:

Aptitudes:

Superstitions:

Morals:

Positive Characteristics:

Negative Characteristics:

Social Interaction

Relationships ( With who, and what kind )

            (Family/Relatives/Friends/Coworkers/Associates/Acquaintances/Rivals ):

Reaction to meeting new people who are ( Good/Evil/Neutral/Young/Old/Younger than self/Older than self/Other):

Social Pressures/Problems:

Other Pressures/Problems:

General Public Behavior:

Manners:

Sayings

Catchphrase ( General / Personal ):

Favorite Sayings:

Quote:

General Philosophy:

Least Favorite Sayings:

Likes / Dislikes

[Subject] ( Obsessed / Likes / Neutral / Dislikes / Repulsed ):

[ Explanation ]

Examples:

• Food
• Television Show
• Animal
• Movie
• Book

Ability

Languages:

• Normal
• Physical
• Extraordinary
• Technological
• Supernatural
• Magic
• Psionic

History

Getting to Know Your Character (Prompts)

Relationship: (How would a spouse, significant other, friend, family describe the characters)

• Significant Other (if they have one)
• Friendship
• Parent (if they have one)
• Sibling (if they have one)
• Arch Nemesis
• Random Homeless Man on the Street (Omniscient Limited)

Scene Placements: (write a scene for each once sentence promt given)

• Conflict Situation (this can be verbal or physical)
• First Date
• In trouble with the law
• Learning a Important Secret (would they reveal it, or keep it to the death?)
• Walking by a burning house, what would they do?
• The First thing they remember
• The Last thing they remember
• Heard someone is spreading rumors about them, how do they physically react?

Internal Thinking:

• Have them think about the meaning of life?
• Have them think about religion.
• Have them think about Justice, is it there for everyone, is it not?
• They have a love interest, have them think about approaching said person.
• Just had a fight, what is their internal conflict/resolve after?
• Heard someone is spreading rumors about them, how do they internally react?

Anything Else You Want!

Notes:

Amanda LaFantasie (Skoora) © 2012