#Writing a novel, part 8

 Using a character sheet

What is a character sheet and what does it look like? Well, a character sheet is a list of the characters appearing in a story. It contains the names and other information of all or a few of the players. When I start with a new story, I may not have a character sheet, but once I have my protagonist and I begin to know him/her a little bit better, I will start my sheet.

I’ll write down the name, his/her appearance, and any information I think is important to know. I may even write a bit of a background. The list may contain names of family members, relatives, and friends. In the beginning the list may be short, but as I get to know the person behind the name, the list becomes longer and longer.

How long a list is, depends on the importance of the character. A minor player may only have a name and a brief description of his/her appearance. Possibly a short history; and that isn’t even for certain.

Here is a list of things a character sheet may contain:

Name:

Gender:

Age:

Title: Economic status (rich/poor):

Location:

Birthplace (Date of birth):

Occupation:

Name of company if self-employed:

Name of employer (company):

Former job:  

Color of Skin:

Nationality:

Height:

Weight:

Eye color:

Hair color:

Length and style of hair:

Bald:

Glasses/contact lenses:

Beard or moustache:

Scars:

Tattoos:

Other outstanding features:

Languages spoken:

Education:

Sexual orientation:

Marital Status:

Name, age, occupation of husband/wife (if dead how and when?)

Names and age of children: (alive and/or dead):

Name of father (alive or dead?):

Name of mother (alive or dead?):

Maiden name of mother:

Grandparents from father’s side: (alive or dead?):

Grandparents from mother’s side: (alive or dead?)

Special people in his/her life:

Zodiac sign:

Religion:

Hobbies:

Manner of dress: (e.g. hat, coat, shoes/boots, jeans)

Manner of speaking and acting:

Special abilities and skills:

Problems: (e.g. alcohol, drugs, smoking, sexual):

Special memories:

This list is not written in stone. You can add anything else that may seem important. Or you can leave things out if they are not needed.

Next time: What a brief history of a character may look like.

More next time