You aren’t bound to any of these initial sketches – you could very easily throw them all out. Like all brainstorming exercises, the point is to start searching for ideas you love. [1] X Research source

Approximate age Gender Approximate height and weight General ethnic background (ie. “tall, blonde Scandinavian-type”) Defining physical characteristics (hair, beauty, glasses, typical clothing, etc. )

How do they deal with hardship? Are they powerful or weak in the world? Do they make themselves vulnerable, or are they invulnerable? What makes them happy? Sad? Angry? [3] X Research source Sometimes authors put their characters through the lens of psychological profiles—e. g. , whether they’re extroverted or introverted.

Search the internet for baby names websites such as Behind the Name or Nameberry. Most of these websites categorize the names by ethnic origin as well, such as Japanese, Arabic, French, Russian, Hawaiian, Hindi, etc. Choose meaningful names. While this has fallen slightly out of fashion for modern literature and film, there is a rich history of sly or meaningful character names. See The Scarlett Letter, or Arrested Development for variously humorous or insightful names.

Again, this doesn’t have to be set in stone necessarily. Many writers use this space to brainstorm possible plots, conflicts, or uses the character might have.

Think of friends or acquaintances similar to your character. What is their backstory? Read biographies or real-life character sketches for inspiration.

What do they fear? What do they want? If you asked your character, “where do you want to be in five years,” what would they say?[7] X Research source

What are their favorite books, movies, and/or music? What would the do if they won the lottery? What was their major in college? If they could have a super power, what would it be? Who is their hero?

Ron Swanson (Parks and Rec): An old-fashioned libertarian who works for the government, hoping to bring it down from the inside. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby): A self-made millionaire who earned his fortune in order to win the love of his childhood sweetheart, over whom he obsesses. Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich): A self-assured single mother willing to fight for what’s right, even if it’s not in her best interests. [9] X Research source

This is how we naturally comprehend people in real life too – you may know bits and pieces of their backstory, but ultimately you know them as the sum of their experiences. The reader doesn’t need to know everything about a character to understand them just like we don’t need to know everything about our friends to enjoy their company. [10] X Research source

Think of some masterful character introductions – Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs, Jung-do in The Orphan Master’s Son, Lolita in Lolita, – to see how actions can speak louder than words.

Character sketches can change. As you write, you might realize you had something wrong, or that you need to adjust your character. If you know the overarching “why” of the character it will be much easier to figure out these changes. [12] X Research source

Usually this event relates to the larger story. For example, a romantic book might explore the character’s first love, or an action story might showcase a recent mission or event. Try to show a story that hints at how the character will react to the events in the story. If you’re struggling, imagine your story as if this person were the main character. What details would they find important?[13] X Research source

If you removed all dialogue tags (“he said,” “she replied,” “Kayla asked,” etc. ), would you be able to tell which character is which?

How would a character introduce themselves at a party or meeting? If you met this character in real life, what would your first impressions of them be?

Name Motivation. Relation to the plot / main protagonist. Details relevant to the plot.