Creating Fictional Characters—Part 5: Developing Background And Traits Using A Character Chart, Bio, Diary, or Interview
July 12, 2009 by Lillie
Table of contents for Creating Fictional Characters
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 1: Characters Are Story People
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 2: Finding and Creating Characters
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 3: Revealing Characters and Point of View
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 4: Fleshing Out Characters with Tags, Traits, and Relationships
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 5: Developing Background And Traits Using A Character Chart, Bio, Diary, or Interview
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 6: Putting The Right Words In Their Mouths
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 7: Giving Characters Goals and Motivation
- Creating Fictional Characters—Part 8: Developing Characters throughout Your Story
In previous installments in this series, we’ve talked about what the author needs to know about her characters. You should know things about your characters that you don’t necessarily reveal directly to readers—things that cause the character to behave the way he does. In some cases, you will show, not tell, your readers. In some cases, you will use the information to know what the character will do and to understand why.
Some important elements the writer needs to know about main characters that won’t always be told to readers (in no particular order):
- Appearance
- Lifestyle/Possessions
- Self-concept
- Relationships
- Habits
- Beliefs
- Traits
- Memories and feelings
- Motivation and goals
Writers use a variety of methods to define characters. Some of the most popular include:
- Character chart: a chart that lists important information about the character, ranging from physical appearance to defining moments in the character’s life. Examples of character charts can be found at
- Inspiration for Writers
- Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
- Charlotte Dillon
- The Epiguide.com Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
- Read Write Think Character Perspective Chart
- Writing Genre Fiction Character Chart
- My character chart (in Word format that you may freely use and distribute) and a character chart-in-progress for Act of Faith, my work-in-progress
- Bio: a narrative of past including every important year and event or a variation, a slice of life, as a typical day. For examples, see
- Diary: the character’s own thoughts. For ideas on using diary/journal entries to create characters, see
- Interview: ask questions of your character and/or the people around them.
- For ideas, read
- Sample questions to ask your character
- What one thing in your childhood made the biggest impression on your or influenced you the most?
- Who was the most important person in your life in your childhood? Who is the most important person in your life now?
- What is your favorite color, TV show, book, leisure-time activity, possession, music, food…?
- What is your job and how did you come to do that?
- What is the worst thing that’s ever happened to you? The best?
- Do you have a religious faith? If so, how important is it to you? What is your attitude toward religion?
- What do you do best? What would like to do well that you can’t?
- What is your earliest memory from your childhood?
- How would you describe your family and childhood? Your present relationships? Previous relationships?
- If you could do anything you wanted for the next month, what would you do? Who would you do it with?
- Where did you go to school? How far did you go in school? How did you feel about school?
- What are your hobbies? How did these come about?
- If you could change 3 things in your life or about yourself, what would they be?
- Sample questions to ask other characters about your character
- How would you describe Character in one sentence?
- What do you like best about this person? Least? Admire most? Least?
- What is his strongest character trait? Weakest?
- Act the part: This idea came from a comment on an earlier post in this series. David at Birmingham Accountant wrote:
I’m a bit of a ‘method actor’ when I’m creating characters. I’ll step into their world for a day or so and try to behave, react and speak just like my character. Really helps me get under their skin to see how they’d behave in a variety of situations.
How do you get to know your characters? Do you use a character chart, bio, interview, or diary? Do you put yourself in the role of character?
Amazing tips, like always. Characters are building in my head just by reading this instructions
. Didn’t know (till i imagined it) it could be so interesting to try to act like one of your characters. It’s a bit like playing god without real life consequences 
.
Andrej,
The acting idea was new to me as well. David mentioned it a comment on a previous post, an excellent example of how I learn from my readers!
Fantastic tips! Some of them them I already knew…but many were quite an eyeopener to me. Thanks for sharing!
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Barbara,
As I mentioned, I learned a new tip from a reader. David’s suggestion of acting the character’s role was something I hadn’t heard of before.
“# What one thing in your childhood made the biggest impression on your or influenced you the most?
# Who was the most important person in your life in your childhood? Who is the most important person in your life now?”
Hard questions, this takes time to think about
Pocket (if you wrote YourName@Keywords, I could address you as a real person, and you would still get your keyword link),
Those are hard questions and maybe some we should ask ourselves as well as our characters.
Do you recommend building characters without the context of a story? I have often spent hours just writing character’s traits and never using the character anywhere.
Most of the times I only write fan-fic so I get pre-built set of characters. What about writing a background story for the character? Thanks for the ‘interview questions’ they will make the ‘fictional’ characters more real.
jim,
No, I don’t recommend creating characters outside the context of story. I only create detailed character charts for the main characters. For secondary characters, I might have a short bio or just note some basic facts, depending on how they important they are in the story. I wouldn’t spend time developing a character until I was confident they were going to play a major role in the plot.
It is so great if you understand more about your characters then your readers do because you have the inside picture, like habits, appearance, and traits.
C,
The better we know the characters, the more real they can make their actions and dialogue.
ha. I like the idea of interviewing your character. I’m definitely going to do that with the story I’m currently writing. It’ll be a fun experience and give me good information in the meantime.
I just hope nobody watches while I do it because I’ll be laughing and looking like a crazy person
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S.,
A lot of things writers do would make people think we’re crazy if they saw us. And for mystery writers researching poisons or weapons … people may think they’re dangerous.
Lillie,
I like the point you make about how not all of the traits of the character need to be revealed in an explicit manner to the reader.
As each of us goes about our business in real life, we generally pick up or become aware of some of the background and character traits of those with whom we interact at various levels. But rarely if ever do we learn everything there is to know about them. Nor would we need to or want to, since there are some character traits about those with whom we interact that are simply not relevant to us.
Given this, along with a desire to portray characters in a manner which is realistic and relatable to our readership, not to mention the goal of keeping readers focused on the main plat, I would certainly understand why it would not be either necessary or desirable for authors to reveal every detail about the background of each of their characters.
That said, I can certainly understand the need for authors themselves to understand their own characters (or, at least, the main characters) at a deeper level since this would help the author to maintain a consistent and realistic portrayal of the character throughout the story.
Andrew´s last blog ..June contributors
Andrew,
You have an excellent understanding. Are you writing fiction? If not, maybe you should be!
Thanks Lillie,
My only fictional effort in recent times was first blogging effort, Another Ten Cents, I attempted to chronicle, in a humorous manner, a typical day in the life of an unsuccessful office worker.
Although that story was loosely based largely on my own personal experience, the narrator was a fictional character.
Apart from that, I have not really attempted any form of fictional writing in recent times.
Andrew´s last blog ..June contributors
Andrew,
You might want to try writing fiction again, though I know now isn’t the time for you to take on anything else. After you’re back in Australia, maybe give it a try.
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