THE ULTIMATE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHEET
MAIN CHARACTER WORKSHEET:
THE BASICS:
- Name of Main Character
- Job/Position
- Educational Background
- Physical description – (age, body type, build)
- Relevant Background:
- What background information is needed for the story setup?
- What background information is crucial to the story itself?
THE INCITING INCIDENT:
- Will the character try to avoid entering the storyline? If so, how will this play out?
- What will happen in the story that will convince or make the Character agree to move forward into the storyline? What will be the inciting incident?
CHARACTER MOTIVATIONS:
As a newbie, it took me awhile to remember that a character needs to have an arc over the storyline. So it’s important — and time saving — to know what that arc will be before you even begin the draft. This character sheet can help you find this so you know where you are starting from and where you want to end up. The following questions should help you focus on what this character arc will be:
- What does the character want?
- Who and/or What is standing in his/her way?
- What fear is in the way to conquering this obstacle?
- How will the character conquer him/herself
- How will this play out over the four parts of the story?
CHARACTER ARC IN FOUR PARTS:
I write in a four-part story line as opposed to the 3 part storyline. So I break the character arc into these specific parts:
MINOR CHARACTER:
For minor characters, you only need to answer a few questions. It helps to know what role these minor characters will play and what, if any, background information is needed to support them in the storyline:
- Name
- Role in Story
- Any background that is needed to move the story forward?
- How will you add background or character traits of this minor character?
- Will there be any character arc?
- If so, what is it in one sentence?
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