Character Development #2

I've found another way of defining your main character. It's mostly for main characters as it is fairly comprehensive.

I'm still getting into the Halloween spirit. I'm currently reading The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, which is kind of a cross between zombies and vampires, in my opinion. To keep it going, I've been watching horror movies left and right, last night was Quarentine, a zombie movie.

I've come to the conclusion that there are only so many different personas that zombies/vampires/witches etc can have while maintaining their horrifying image. I would love to see these creatures reinvented. (If you must, your vampire can certainly have a heart and a love interest, but I live no more than twenty miles from Forks which means I am TIRED of the Twilight saga so NO SPARKLING VAMPIRES!!)

Vital Statistics
• Name
• Nickname
• Reasons for name (if any)
• Age
• Sex
• Nationality
• Disabilities (if any)
• Glasses/contact lenses wearer?
Physical Appearance
• Height
• Build
• Weight
• Complexion
• Colour of hair
• Quality of hair
• Usual hairstyle
• Colour of eyes
• Facial features
• Distinguishing features
• Scars/birthmarks (if any)
• General health
• Style of dress
• Grooming
Early Childhood
• Birthplace
• Father’s parenting style/occupation/attitude
• Mother’s parenting style/occupation/attitude
• If no parents, why?
• Siblings (if any)
• Relationships with family members
• Family feuds (if any)
• Financial situation
• Happiest memory
• Childhood traumas
• Childhood even that still affects him/her
Biographical Details
• Education
• Occupation history
• Successes/achievements
• Failures
• Obstacles in life (a disability or family commitments)
• Special skills (if any)
• Gifts/talents
• Geographical history (residency abroad etc.)
Personal Life
• Past key relationships
• Marriages/divorces (if any)
• Sexual orientation
• Why did relationships end?
• Any recurrent themes
• Past convictions (if any)
• Hobbies
• Favourite food/drink
• Usual haunts
• Philosophy in life (carefree, cautious?) Why?
• Religion (if any)
Present Situation
• Marital status
• Quality of marriage/partnership
• Issues in marriage/partnership (infidelities?)
• Children/dependents
• Names of children/dependents, ages, sex
• Relationship with children/dependents
• Occupation
• Is s/he happy in occupation? If not, why?
• What would s/he rather be doing?
• Relationship with work colleagues
• Issues at work (if any)
• Financial situation
• Quality of home life
• Typical daily routine
• Type of car/s driven
Secret Life
• Phobias
• What is the worst thing that could happen to him/her?
• What is the best thing that could happen to him/her?
• Addictive behaviour (alcohol, gambling, etc)
• Personal detail most ashamed of
• What s/he would most like to change about them self. Why?
• What s/he mostly wants from life
• Personal goals
• Personal strengths
• Personal weaknesses
• Sexual transgressions (if any)
• Compulsions (if any)
• Obsessions (if any)


Using this, come up with a sci-fi/ horror creature. Even zombies have motives. As always, post what you wrote

Character Development: Names

So, you've got a character, but no name. Nothing sounds right. There are too many Tiffany's, Claire's, Thomas', etc, yet finding a random name on the baby websites just doesn't seem fitting after you've put so much work into developing these characters. What I like to do when chosing a name for my character is to pick one of their most important characteristics, whether its their strength or their evilness.

Once you've done that, search for names with that meaning. For example, in a novel I am writing, the main character is a young woman who is not well versed in relationships or life. After breaking up with her fiancee, she finds herself in the middle of the Bering Sea, battling herself and learning how to become the person she wants to be. When trying to name her, I felt that her greatest strength was her inner battle in order to become a better person.

After some research, I discovered that the surname Blair means "battlefield", which I thought was more than fitting. Therefore, my young woman who is struggling with herself is now named Blair.

If you are naming a lesser or support character, obviously you don't have to pay this much attention in naming them, but it is important to stray away from certain names.

For instance, if you are writing in a semiautobiographal nature, steer away from using your friend or family's real names. Not only could it upset them, but if you have something minutely negative to say about them, they may not appreciate their name being put on blast.

Finally, don't be afraid of being creative. A name doesn't need to have a specific meaning and if you plan on naming a vampire or a fairy, generic names may not apply.

Character Development # 1

For those of you who already have a story in mind, but might not be so keen on your character, let's start some character development.

A couple things to remember when you're creating a character:
-Everyone is unique. Make sure your character has quarks
-No one in the world is perfect, so don't forget to add their flaws also
-Be creative. Your character is your chance to be someone you're not. Don't
be afraid to make them slightly evil or a complete super hero.

While names are important, it's not the first place I like to start. Here is a good starting point:
Age:
Race:
Location:
Living situation:

Once the basics are in place, I like to add information on like I am scultping a person. After I have the basic body shape, we need to add more clay for limbs and a face.
Gender:
Hair color:
Eye color:
Face shape:
Body shape:

Once you have a picture of your character in your head, start describing their finer details. Do they have a big nose? Are their eyebrows slightly unkempt? Literally list all their features from head to toe OR if you are so artisticaly inclined, draw a picture.

Now it's time for the finer things.
Clothing style:
Hair style:
Car (if they drive one):
Job/Schooling:
Family:

The exciting part, in my opinion, is to shape their personality.
Pet peeves:
Sense of humor:
Smart?
Likes:
Dislikes:
Introvert or extrovert?
Protagonist, antagonist?

This is your main character so get to know them. You may want to imagine their bedroom, and things like favorite color, band, book, television show, etc. Dialog is important in a story, so don't forget to give them a specific speech pattern. Perhaps they have an accent or they use words like "dude" or "like" alot.

A person is complex, so any little detail you can think of is that much more realism in your character.

After I've got a pretty good idea of who your character is, it might be easier to give a name, which we will go through in the next post.