I’ve never known anyone who was what he or she seemed; or at least, was only what he or she seemed. People carry Worlds within them.

Neil Gaiman

Character Chart

• Character’s full name: 
• Reason or meaning of name:
  • What was the meaning that their parents/ guardians/ person who named them had in mind?
  • What meaning did you, the writer, have in mind?
• Character’s nickname:
• Reason for nickname:
• Birth date:
  • Astronomical sign? Astronomical chart? 
• Character’s Gender identity and pronouns?

Physical appearance

• Age: 
• How old does he/she appear: 
• Weight: 
• Height: 
• Body build:
  • Are they muscular? Lean? Thin? Fat? Longer torso? or legs?
• Shape of face:
  • How big are their facial features?
• Eye color: 
  • Does this eye color change?
• Glasses or contacts:
• Skin tone:
  • Race and ethnicity?
• Distinguishing marks: 
  • Freckles? Birthmarks? Albinism? 
• Predominant features: 
  • Scars? Missing eye? 
• Hair color: 
  • Is it natural or dyed?
• Type of hair: 
  • Curly? Straight? Wavy? Dry? Damaged? Greasy?
• Hairstyle: 
  • How is it cut? Do they have a hair routine?
• Voice: 
  • Do they have an accent? High pitch or low? Do they have any vocal tics or a stutter?
• Overall attractiveness: 
  • How do they view themselves? How do others view them?
• Physical disabilities: 
  • Current or permanent? 
• How do they dress:
  • Favorite Outfit? Least favorite thing to wear? How do they accessorize? Jewelry? Bags? Pins? Jackets?
• What is their favorite physical feature? Their least favorite?
• What do they think other people like about their looks? What do people actually like?

Personality

• Good personality traits:
  • What is something they like about themselves? Something other people like about them?
• Bad personality traits:
  • What do they not like about themselves? What is something others don’t like about them?
• Think of Inside out, what emotion is at the wheel? What emotion is frequently ignored or not felt?
• Sense of humor:
  • Dry? Immature? What makes them laugh? What jokes do they like to tell?
• Character’s greatest joy in life:
  • What is their favorite thing to do? Their prize possession? 
• Character’s greatest fear:
  • What keeps them up at night? What are some of their smaller fears? Is there a story behind their fear?
• What event could potentially ruin/ derail/ or drastically change your character’s life (for the good or bad)? 
• What environment, person, or thing puts your character at ease?
  • Why?
• What makes your character uncomfortable?
  • What makes them angry?
  • What makes them sad?
• What is the most important thing in their life right now?
  • What was important before or what led to this being important now?
• Do they like living?
  • Are they afraid to die?
  • What do they think comes after death?
  • Religious views? 
  • What do they think of the world?
• If they could have anything in the world, what would it be? What would they sacrifice for it?
• What is your character’s weakness? Who or what would they do anything for? 
  • Are they comfortable sharing their weakness?
  • Are they closed off? (to certain people or everyone?)
• Greatest strength:
  • What made them feel strong? What makes them strong but they don’t realize?
• Biggest regret:
  • Smaller regrets?
• What are they most proud of?
  • What makes them proud in general?
• What makes them embarrassed? 
• Character’s darkest secret:
• Does anyone else know?
• What would they change about themself?

Goals

• What does your character get out of bed for in the morning?
• What do they want to accomplish today? Tomorrow?
• What do they want their life to be like in the future?
• Do they have a plan for the future?
  • Are they currently working toward it? 
  • What is standing in their way?

Past

• Where did your character grow up? With who?
• Do they remember their childhood fondly? 
• Pets:
• What is the first thing they can remember?
  • Who do they remember the most?
  • What do they think of a lot now?
• Who did they look up to? Has that person changed?
• What did they want to be when they grew up?
• How much education do they have?
  • How did they feel about their education?
• Was their family poor or well off?
• Was their family religious? How did they feel about it?

Present

• Where does your character live?
  • How do they feel about their living situation?
• Does your character live with anyone? 
  • Do they like them? How long have they known each other?
• Do they have pets? How many? How old are they? How attached are they to their pets?
• Are they working? In school? Where? How do they feel about their job or school?
• Finances:
• How do they travel? Do they drive/ own a car?

Family

• Make a family tree (it doens’t have to be extensive, just the people your character knowns). 
• Give basic information about the family members and describe your character’s relationship with each of them.
• Who is most important to your character?
• Are there any family disputes going on?

Favorites

• Most and least favorite color?
• Favorite form of media:
  • Favorite music/ band?
  • Favorite movie/ director?
  • Favorite book/ genre/ author?
  • Theater?
  • Art?
• Food:
• Favorite meme?

Habits

• What are their favorite hobbies?
  • Do they play an instrument?
  • Are they sporty? Do they exercise?
  • Do they like to lay on the couch all day?
  • Do they have a blog?
• Describe their usual day:
• What do they do when they can’t do what they normally do? i.e. what do they do on their days off work? What do they do when they’re sick? 
• Spending habits:
• Do they smoke, drink, or do drugs?
  • What are their opinions of those things?
  • How often do they do them?
  • Do they shame others for doing them?
• What is something they are obsessed with doing? What do they hate doing? What are their nasty habits? What are their good habits?
• What do they feel they are good at doing? What are they actually good at doing?
• What do they think they suck at? What do they actually suck at? 
  • Is there something they think they are good/ bad at but are actually bad/ good at?
• Do they have any nervous tics? Do they get antsy easily? 
• What is their normal posture? How does their posture change with their emotions?
• Describe their mannerisms and peculiarities:

Traits

(Are they only one of these things or a combination of both?)

• Optimist or pessimist?
• Introvert or extrovert?
• Daredevil or cautious?
• Logical or emotional?
• Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat?
• Prefers working or relaxing?
• Confident or unsure of himself/herself?
• Do they like animals or people more?
• Do they have any mental illness? How are they dealing with it?

Relationships with others

• How do they think about people?
  • Do they think people are generally good or bad?
• Is the character emotionally vulnerable or do they put up a wall?
• Who (in can be an individual or group or both) does your character hate the most?
• Who do they love the most?
  • Who is their closest friend(s)? 
  • Do they live close by? 
• What is your character’s sexuality?
  • Do they have a crush? A partner? Several partners? 
  • Are they monogamous or polyamorous? Are they cheating on their partner? How do they feel about their partner(s)?
  • How long have they been together?
  • How long has your character known about their sexuality/ gender? How long have they been out? Or who knows?
• Who does your character ask for help/ advice? 
• Who does your character feel responsible for or takes care of?
• Who makes your character feel shy or uncomfortable?
• Is there someone your character openly or secretly admires?
• Who is the most important person in your character’s life before the story starts?
  • After the story starts? 

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