Character Chart

I rarely use this entire chart. I pick and choose what works for that particular character. I especially like the favorite phrase. Much of this can be used and I will keep it side by side with my ms. as I write.

CHARACTER CHART

Date this chart was completed:
Character's Full Name:
Reason or meaning of name:
Nickname:                                    Reason for nickname:
Birth date:
Astrological Sign:

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:

Age:                                              How old does s/he appear?
Eye Color:                                        Glasses or contacts:
Weight:                                           Height:
Type of body/build:
Skin tone:                                        Skin type:
Shape of face:                                    Distinguishing Marks:
Predominant feature:
Hair color:
   Distinguishable hair feature (bald,
   receding hairline, etc.):
Type of hair (coarse, fine, thick, etc?)
Character's typical hairstyle:
Looks like:
Is s/he healthy?
    If not, why not:
Physical disabilities:

FAVORITES:

Character's favorite color:
Character's least favorite color:
     Why?
Favorite Music:
Least favorite Music:
     Why?
Food:
Literature:
Expressions:
Expletives:
Mode of transportation:
    Daredevil or cautious?
    Same when alone?

HABITS:

Smokes:                                           What?
    When and how much?
Drinks:                                           What?
    When and how much?
Hobbies:
How does character spend a rainy day?

BACKGROUND:

Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First memory:
Most important childhood event that still affects him/her:
    Why?
Education:
Religion:
Finances:

FAMILY:

Mother:
    Relationship with her:
Father:
    Relationship with him:
Siblings:
    How many?                                    Birth order:
Relationship with each:
    Children of siblings:
Extended family?
    Close?                                       Why or why not?

OCCUPATION

Where does Character work? For how long?         
How does s/he feel about co-workers?    Get along with co-workers?
Like his/her job? Why or why not?

Character's dream job:

ATTITUDE:

Character's greatest fear:
    Why?
What is the worst thing that could happen to him/her?
What single event would most throw character's life in complete turmoil?
    Why?
Character is most at ease when:
Most ill at ease when:
Depressive or SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?
Priorities:
Philosophy:
How s/he feels about self:
Past failure s/he would be embarrassed to have people know about:
    Why?
If granted one wish, what would it be? Why?

PERSONALITY:

Greatest source of strength in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as
such or not):
Greatest source of weakness in character's personality (whether s/he sees it as
such or not:
Character's soft spot:
    Is this soft spot obvious to others?
    If not, how does character hide it?
Biggest vulnerability:
Which of the 7 deadly sins does your character fight (or give into, willingly or not)?
       (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride)
Which of the 7 virtues does your character have (or fight against)?
(chastity, abstinence, liberality, diligence, patience, kindness, humility)

TRAITS:

Optimist or pessimist:                            Why?
Introvert or extrovert:                           Why?
Drives and motivations:
Talents:
Extremely skilled at:
Extremely unskilled at:
Good characteristics:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Peculiarities:
Biggest regret:
Minor regrets:
Biggest accomplishment:
Minor accomplishments:
Character's darkest secret:
    Does anyone else know?
    If yes, did character tell them?
    If no, how did they find out?

SELF-PERCEPTION:

One word CHARACTER would use to describe self:
One paragraph description of how CHARACTER would describe self:
What does CHARACTER consider best physical characteristic?
What does CHARACTER consider worst physical characteristic?
    Are these realistic assessments?
    If not, why not?
How CHARACTER thinks others perceive him/her:
What four things would CHARACTER most like to change about self?  (#1 most
important, #2 second most important, etc.)
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    Why?
If change #1 was made, would character be as happy as s/he thinks?
    If not, why not?

INTERRELATION WITH OTHERS:

Is character divorced?
Has character ever cheated on significant other?
How does character relate to others?
How is s/he perceived by...
    Strangers?
    Friends?
    Wife/Husband/Lover?
    Hero/Heroine?
How does character view hero/heroine?
    First impression:                            Why?
    What happens to change this perception?
What do family/friends like most about character?
What do family/friends like least about character?

GOALS:

Immediate goals:
Long-range goals:
    How does character plan to accomplish these goals?
    How will other characters be affected?

PROBLEMS/CRISIS:

How character reacts in a crisis:
How character faces problems:
Kinds of problems character usually runs into:
How character reacts to NEW problems:
How character reacts to change:

GENERAL:

Favorite clothing:                                Why?
Least favorite clothing:                          Why?
Jewelry:
    Other accessories:
Drives:
Where does character live?
Where does character want to live?
Spending habits (frugal, spendthrift, etc):       Why?
What does s/he do too much of?
    Too little of?
Most prized possession:                           Why?
Play musical instrument?   Which?
  How did s/he learn?

UNCATEGORIZED:

Person character secretly admires:
    Why?
Person character was most influenced by:
    Why?
Most important person in character's life before story starts:
    Why?
How does character spend the week before the story starts?

Chart from Minnette Meador

www.minnettemeadorblogspot.com