Main Character Biography Development Guide

A ran into a friend of mine from a tutoring class on the bus to school. It turned out, he also writes creatively. I created this guide for those who need help creating characters.

On Character Development

Character development can make or break the success of a story. People like characters that are both intriguing and relatable. This condensed guide is meant to give you a jumping off point for creating unique and interesting characters.

Appearance: One of the most important aspects of character development lies in their physical appearance. The way a character looks will say a great deal about their personality. What kind of clothing does the character wear? What color and length is their hair? Are they heavy set or rail thin? Describe their physical appearance in as many words as you can.

Tip: Some writers find it helpful to create a rough sketch of their characters for visual affirmation.

Goal: Every character should have a primary goal that fits within the plot or narrative of your story. For example, in a science fiction novel, your main character may desire to get back to their home planet because they got stuck on Earth through a shuttle crash. Come up with at least three goals for each character and determine which one takes priority. Remember, situational roadblocks can alter your character’s main goal. Showing character growth through the change of a main goal can be one way to create more dynamic characters.

Hobbies & Recreation: We can often gauge someone’s personality by the hobbies that they participate in. What does your character do for fun? What kind of music does your character enjoy? Where does he/she spend his/her free time? Does he/she have a gambling problem? Create a list of at least three things that your character would do for recreation.

Aversions: Everyone has pet peeves. What turns off your character? Does he/she hate loud belching? Does cold weather bother him/her? Create a list of at least five aversions for your character.

Interpersonal relationships:  The personality and feelings of your character will determine how they interact with other characters. When developing your character, consider how the character thinks about the other characters in your story.

•          What character(s) does this character conflict with? Why?
•     What character(s) does this character get along with, like, or even love? Why?
•     What character(s) does this character hold neutral feelings for?

Tips:

•     You can ask your character questions and write down the answers you think they would give.
•     Try acting out your character and record it. Play it back to determine believability. 
•     Create a brief monologue for your character and read it aloud. Does it seem real?