Character Sketch 5/21
(taken from Columbia University Fiction Foundry)
Name of Character
Role in story | |
Physical description - age, height, weight, hair, skin, physique
- facial features
- clothing
- grooming
- distinguishing features or habits, mannerisms
- upon close inspection
- voice
- fragrance
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What other people notice about her/him | |
Background - Ethnicity
- Education
- Religion
- Personal experience
- Occupation, work experience
- Sexuality
- Residence
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Character traits - Strongest (or dominant) trait
- Weakest (or latent) trait
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Interests
- Vital secret
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Significant event that molded the character’s personality | |
Is the reader likely to have stereotypical expectations about this character? - How does the character defy the stereotype?
- How does she conform to the stereotype?
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Relationships - Best friend
- Other friends
- Family
- Enemies
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Essence of the character - Core need(s)
- Ambition in life
- What character does alone
- Will reader like or dislike the character and why.
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Character arc - Does the character change in the story? How?
- Epiphany
- How does the character grow?
- What does the character learn?
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Motivations/Ambitions - What does the character want?
- abstract
- concrete
- Does character have intermediate goals?
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Conflicts - What could prevent the character from achieving her objectives?
- Internal conflicts
- External conflicts
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Summary - If the story were principally about this character what would that story line be?
- Describe the character’sstory in three acts:
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Freestyle description of the character. | |
In the character’s own words: something the character says which is illustrative of her/his self-perception. | |