Character worksheets give a bit of boundary to writers like me who are "pantsers" (we write by the seat of our pants, as opposed to writing from a script). Most worksheets include the character's full name, where they were born, DOB, where they live, where they went to school, their age, and their hair color. This can be expanded to include just about anything, such as what they like to eat, what they like to read, and how they are related to other characters.
I am in an interesting place - halfway through my first Kindle Vella book, and I don't have anything written down (outside of the story) about my characters. I have had to refer back to previous chapters to keep names and what happened when straight. So my next project, before I write any more episodes (Kindle Vella is episodes, not chapters) is to go back and start a bible for this book.
The type of worksheet I have described here builds each character separately. We can take this one step further and create a worksheet that reflects the ongoing relationship between different characters. We might want to ask questions such as:
- What is the history between these two characters?
- Do they like each other?
- Are they frenemies?
- Are they armed combatants?
- Does one or both of them hold a grudge?
- Do either of them feel "entitled"?
- How do they see each other?
- Are they working at cross purposes?
- Are they supportive of each other?
- Are they telling the truth?
- Does one (or both) of them have a secret that they cannot afford to have known?
We can look back at this list as see how our characters are changing as the plot develops, how they are growing, and what new things we need to know about them.
Have fun with this!
(c) July 2021 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.
