How Detailed Are Your Character Sketches?

[VWeathers]

I've been having a lot of fun doing character sketches. I'm just wondering a few things.
1. How detailed do you get? I less more? or Do you find it helpful to develope a detailed "past" for your characters?

2. Do you do a sketch completely before starting or begin the sketch and then add elements as you write?

3. Do you do a sketch for every character?

Just wondering...:o

[Elondra]

Great questions!

I personally get very detailed. My characters are what drive my stories, so I try to make them as realistic as possible. I have a strong base when I start and then add elements as I go along. lol, I have a lot of fun "discovering" my characters - sometimes they surprise even me!
I sketch a little for each character. For me, when the lesser characters are 1 dimensional, it breaks the story's flow. Though, I think sometimes I get a little too carried away with their back stories ;)

[VWeathers]

Thank you. I am glad to hear that it is important because I enjoy it. I don't want to feel I am misusing my limited time.

[Elondra]

You're welcome :) If you enjoy it that's great! I don't think there really can be a level of misuse - they're your own characters and you can shape them as much as you like :D The only thing I can think of that could be detrimental is writing the character into a corner later on in the story. I've found I just had to be open to changing a few details if the need arises

[whitehawke]

Hi there. I just moved your thread over to the "Writers Lounge" so people will know where to look for threads on writing. ;)

[Tarin]

1. How detailed do you get? I less more? or Do you find it helpful to develope a detailed "past" for your characters?

Pretty detailed. And I'm a huge believer in backstories. I'm like Elondra... sometimes my backstories become so monumental that they take over!:eek: :p (I love it when that happens!)

2. Do you do a sketch completely before starting or begin the sketch and then add elements as you write?

I always complete my character sketches before I begin the story. I'm an outliner, so I like to have all my ducks in a row before I begin the actual writing process.

Occasionally, however, after I've begun writing, I will have a character who becomes more important than I had originally intended. In that case, I might go back and create a character sketch for him even though I've already started writing.

3. Do you do a sketch for every character?

I sketch all my viewpoint characters, which usually includes two or three "heroes" and at least one villain.

[Naomi Musch]

Great thread!
I vary the length of my character sketches. Sometimes I know my character from inception and then I don't need to sketch much except for maybe a few small reminders to myself. The less I know about a main character, the more in depth the sketch, and more backstory. I like to put myself in that character's voice and journal about "my" life: likes, dislikes, dreams and ambitions, what I think about other characters, etc. This helps bring dimension to unfamiliar or flat characters.

Strangely, perhaps, I find it easiest, sometimes, to develop the minor characters because I'm not so obsessive about them. I occasionally have minor characters step in and become so alive and likeable (or unlikeable), that I want to make them more important to the story than they are. I love writing from the villain's p.o.v. Villains are often such strong characters that they come more easily.

Usually, once the story is flowing, characters abide less by their sketch, kind of taking on personalities all by themselves. I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!

[ProfessorAlan]

The key things I need to know for my main and POV characters are their motivations, and the change they undergo in the course of the story.

[VWeathers]

Do you find naming your characters to be difficult or does it come easily? Is there a certain process you use?

[DrRita]

I've been having a lot of fun doing character sketches. I'm just wondering a few things.
1. How detailed do you get? I less more? or Do you find it helpful to develope a detailed "past" for your characters?

2. Do you do a sketch completely before starting or begin the sketch and then add elements as you write?

3. Do you do a sketch for every character?

Just wondering...:o

I do a detailed character sketch but don't focus on the looks etc. I'm more interested in developing the character's inner personality and spend a lot of time doing that. I do have an idea what he/she looks like and some background info like job/genealogy/childhood but mostly as it relates to his/her character traits. Here's one of the development tools I use to start me off.

CHARACTER SKETCH TEMPLATE



Name:

Age:

Any physical characteristics necessary to the characterization: (scars, handicaps, oddities)

Education, Occupation, Interests, Hobbies:

Identity: (family, heritage, ethnicity; anything that will gives the character his/her
identity)

Character traits and weaknesses:

Basic Nature:

Ambitions, goal, dreams:

World View: (Philosophy of life, opinions, beliefs, religious and political views, moral
views, views on gender, race, etc.)

View of self: (how the character sees him/her self, be honest!)

As viewed by others:

Likes/dislikes/hates/fears/pet peeves, etc:

Present problems: issues, sins, situations, etc.

Achievements and disappointments: (what makes this character most proud of him/her
self, what make him/her most ashamed)

Redeeming/condemning qualities: (qualities that make the character loved/hated
note: the redeeming qualities in your protagonist must out weigh the bad and vice a versa in the antagonist but each must have both)

Write a scene in first person from this character’s POV.

Write a scene in which this character has to make a moral choice under extreme pressure.

(note: in these two scenes you should be able to discover your characters true nature)

[Tarin]

Do you find naming your characters to be difficult or does it come easily? Is there a certain process you use?

There's a whole a thread devoted to this right now! Check it out here (http://christianwriters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11257).

Write a scene in first person from this character’s POV.

That's a great idea! Definitely going to be adding that one to my novel prep!