How to Write a Character Sketch
Free-write about your character for 10-15 minutes to get started., Nail down the basic physical description of the character., Think about your character's overall emotions and feelings., Come up with a name for your character., Determine the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Free-write about your character for 10-15 minutes to get started.
There is no right way to begin a character sketch because characters can pop into your head in any number of ways.
You might see their physical appearance first, you could think of a profession or character type you want to use, or you could decide to base a character off of someone you know.
When designing characters, set aside some time to let your imagination run, finding your initial image of the character and taking off from there.
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. -
Step 2: Nail down the basic physical description of the character.
It is far easier to think in visual, concrete terms than put together abstract concepts like "friendly," or "intelligent." Most writers, and all readers, generally need some sort of image of the character that they can relate to.
If you're artistically inclined, you could even draw out the basics of your character first.
Even if the description is sparse ("young, white male") in the final book, movie, or play, a proper character sketch requires:
Age Gender Height and weight General ethnic background (ie. "tall, blonde Scandanavian-type") Defining physical characteristics (hair, beauty, glasses, typical clothing, etc.) , Complex characters display a wide range of emotions, but almost all people and characters can be simplified to 1-2 base feelings.
Overall, how does your character view life: optimistic, greedy, humorous, angry, oblivious, thoughtful, timid, creative, analytical? You want a simple guidepost when writing out the character
-- a jumping off point that allows you to explore the other, more complex emotions when you start writing.
What would their astrological sign be? How do they deal with hardship? What makes them happy? Sad? Angry? , Sometimes the name comes easily.
Sometimes it is the hardest part of the character to nail down.
While names can change throughout the writing process, there are a couple different avenues you can take when naming characters:
Search the internet for baby names websites.
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. , Why is this character important to your book or novel? If you're writing a character sketch about someone it generally means they are vital to your story, since minor characters rarely require a character sketch.
What is their relationship to the protagonist? How do they get involved in the story? How do you see them contributing to the novel? 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., Where did they grow up? What were their parents like? You may never use this information again, but you, as the writer, need to know these things to write a believable voice.
Simply thinking about their childhood tells you something about their accent, values, philosophy (or lack thereof), etc.
If you're struggling to come up with a backstory, start with a simple question.
How did the character get to where they are when the story begins? Think of friends or acquaintances similar to your character.
What is their backstory? Read biographies or real-life character sketches for inspiration. , What does your character want above all else? What guides them or pushes them to act? This can be their principles, their goals, their fears, or their duty.
The best characters have agency.
That means they take steps to get what they want instead of simply reacting to the world around them.
This doesn't mean you can't have lazy or simple characters
-- The Dude from The Big Lebowski just wants to relax, after all.
Don't mistake a desire to keep things the same from a lack of desire
-- all characters desire something that drive them through the story.
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?, This is going to change depending on your story.
What small bits of the character make them unique? How do they differ from other characters, and how are they similar? This information may not make it into the final project, but it helps you develop a fuller, rounder character.
Some places you might start include:
What are their favorite books, movies, and 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? , Consider this the character's thesis.
It will be your overall distillation of the character, and everything that your character does should be a reflection of this sentence.
If you're unsure how a character would react to a situation, you can always turn back to this compact description to give you guidance.
Look at some examples from literature and TV for guidance.
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. -
Step 3: Think about your character's overall emotions and feelings.
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Step 4: Come up with a name for your character.
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Step 5: Determine the character's relationship to the story
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Step 6: or main character.
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Step 7: Develop your character's backstory.
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Step 8: Find your character's overarching motivation.
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Step 9: Fill in any other details that pop into your head.
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Step 10: Distill your character's personality into one or two sentences.
Detailed Guide
There is no right way to begin a character sketch because characters can pop into your head in any number of ways.
You might see their physical appearance first, you could think of a profession or character type you want to use, or you could decide to base a character off of someone you know.
When designing characters, set aside some time to let your imagination run, finding your initial image of the character and taking off from there.
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.
It is far easier to think in visual, concrete terms than put together abstract concepts like "friendly," or "intelligent." Most writers, and all readers, generally need some sort of image of the character that they can relate to.
If you're artistically inclined, you could even draw out the basics of your character first.
Even if the description is sparse ("young, white male") in the final book, movie, or play, a proper character sketch requires:
Age Gender Height and weight General ethnic background (ie. "tall, blonde Scandanavian-type") Defining physical characteristics (hair, beauty, glasses, typical clothing, etc.) , Complex characters display a wide range of emotions, but almost all people and characters can be simplified to 1-2 base feelings.
Overall, how does your character view life: optimistic, greedy, humorous, angry, oblivious, thoughtful, timid, creative, analytical? You want a simple guidepost when writing out the character
-- a jumping off point that allows you to explore the other, more complex emotions when you start writing.
What would their astrological sign be? How do they deal with hardship? What makes them happy? Sad? Angry? , Sometimes the name comes easily.
Sometimes it is the hardest part of the character to nail down.
While names can change throughout the writing process, there are a couple different avenues you can take when naming characters:
Search the internet for baby names websites.
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. , Why is this character important to your book or novel? If you're writing a character sketch about someone it generally means they are vital to your story, since minor characters rarely require a character sketch.
What is their relationship to the protagonist? How do they get involved in the story? How do you see them contributing to the novel? 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., Where did they grow up? What were their parents like? You may never use this information again, but you, as the writer, need to know these things to write a believable voice.
Simply thinking about their childhood tells you something about their accent, values, philosophy (or lack thereof), etc.
If you're struggling to come up with a backstory, start with a simple question.
How did the character get to where they are when the story begins? Think of friends or acquaintances similar to your character.
What is their backstory? Read biographies or real-life character sketches for inspiration. , What does your character want above all else? What guides them or pushes them to act? This can be their principles, their goals, their fears, or their duty.
The best characters have agency.
That means they take steps to get what they want instead of simply reacting to the world around them.
This doesn't mean you can't have lazy or simple characters
-- The Dude from The Big Lebowski just wants to relax, after all.
Don't mistake a desire to keep things the same from a lack of desire
-- all characters desire something that drive them through the story.
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?, This is going to change depending on your story.
What small bits of the character make them unique? How do they differ from other characters, and how are they similar? This information may not make it into the final project, but it helps you develop a fuller, rounder character.
Some places you might start include:
What are their favorite books, movies, and 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? , Consider this the character's thesis.
It will be your overall distillation of the character, and everything that your character does should be a reflection of this sentence.
If you're unsure how a character would react to a situation, you can always turn back to this compact description to give you guidance.
Look at some examples from literature and TV for guidance.
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.
About the Author
Patricia Morgan
Creates helpful guides on lifestyle to inspire and educate readers.
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