Create A Character Sheet.

[RicoLouis]

Name
Nick Name
Age
Body Shape
Build / Weight
Ethnicity
Gender
Height

---

Hair Color
Hair Length
Hair Style
Hair Texture (Straight, Wavy, Curly)
Head Shape
Distinguish Features (Beauty marks, dimples, freckles)
Face Shape
Ear Size
Eye Color
Eye Shape
Glasses
Mouth Shape
Nose Shape
Piercings

---

Ass Shape
Birthmarks
Breast Shape
Bust Size
Distinguish Features
Dress Size
Hips
Piercings
Scars
Shoe Size
Skin Tone
Tattoos
Voice
Waist

---

Sexuality

• Aggressiveness in Bed
• Dominance
• Experience
• Favorite Place To Have Sex
• Favorite Sexual Position
• Fetishes & Kinks
• Fidelity
• Likes and Dislikes
• Openness
• Orientation
• Role Playing
• Sex Toys
• Voyeurism

---

Aspirations & Dreams

• Dream Job
• Dream Vacation
• Dream Wedding
• Retirement Plans

Astrological Sign

Beliefs and Values

Character Tics

Criminal History

Crushes

Enemies

Family

• Children
• Deceased or Living
• Family Drama
• Family Finances
• Family Illnesses
• Family Tragedies
• Father
• Legal Troubles
• Location
• Mother
• Relationship To Family
• Siblings
• Order Of Birth
• Nieces and Nephews

Fears

Finances & Income

Fitness

Flaws

Friends

Gait

Habits

Health

• Addictions
• Allergies
• Blood Type
• Disabilities
• Exercise
• Eyesight
• Mental health
• Sports

History

• Accomplishments
• Childhood
• Education / Area Of Study
• Family History
• Home Town
• Incidents and Tragedies
• Marital Status
• Mistakes
• Relationships
• Regrets
• Secrets

Hobbies and Interest

Insecurities

Languages

Left or Right Handed

Likes and Dislikes

• Book Genres
• Collections
• Favorite Cars
• Favorite Celebrities
• Favorite Color
• Favorite Drink
• Favorite Food
• Favorite Games
• Favorite Hobbies
• Favorite Movies and Television Genres
• Favorite Music Genres
• Favorite Snacks
• Favorite Sports

Location – Country, city, state

Lucky Item

Mannerisms

Motivations

Nationality

Nervous Tics

Occupation

Personality

• Affection
• Aggressiveness
• Candor
• Charm
• Cleanliness
• Compassion
• Composure
• Courage
• Cunning
• Curiosity
• Decisiveness
• Disposition
• Humility
• Humor
• Imagination
• Introvert or Extrovert
• Loyalty
• Maturity
• Memory
• Optimism
• Patience
• Self-esteem
• Sensuality
• Tenacity
• Trust
• Vivacity

Pets

Physical Attributes

• Agility
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Speed
• Strength

Politics

Quirks

Relationship Status

Religion

Reputation / Street Cred

Residence

Role Models

Skills & Talents

Social Class

Style

Superstitions

Vehicle

Vices

 

[YDB95]

Typically I don't know all those details about my characters until I've written at least one story about them.

 

[Phantom300]

That... that's a Hell of a lot of information there. Not sure I could do all that about myself, much less someone I just made up for a story.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Typically I don't know all those details about my characters until I've written at least one story about them.

Every story I write, I start with a few details like: their names, ages, body shape, hair color, height, careers. And I also name any other characters that pop in and out of the story. Gradually, I might add a few more details, but I've never done anything nearly as detailed as your list.

 

[HectorBidon]

If I had to fill out that much paperwork in order to write a story I don't think I'd ever write another. Gumption trap for sure,

 

[KeithD]

Unfortunately, such detail encourages writers to then have to include it all in their story, which more often than not is very unfortunate. If you think you can avoid that pit and you enjoy such work, sure, go for it.

For series projects--and I have several series going in the marketplace, I often regret I haven't kept better records on characters and events--but nothing like what is being proposed here.

 

[SamScribble]

Typically, I start with a character's name - or part of it. Although I sometimes change the name before I reach the end of the story.

 

[SimonDoom]

I can't see this being useful for a short story. Or for that matter, a novel. It might make sense to outline the 5 or 6 most important traits that are important to the story, but for the rest I think you should just trust your gut as you write.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Unfortunately, such detail encourages writers to then have to include it all in their story, which more often than not is very unfortunate. If you think you can avoid that pit and you enjoy such work, sure, go for it.

For series projects--and I have several series going in the marketplace, I often regret I haven't kept better records on characters and events--but nothing like what is being proposed here.

I was thinking the same thing. If I had this much detail prepared for a story, I might be tempted to try and squeeze in as much as I could, since I've got everything at my fingertips.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Yimminee Yipes! That's an impressive dataset. Way too much for me, but if it works for you, go for it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Each to their own, but if I was using a template like this it'd be on a "fill it in as it appears in the story" basis, as an aid to memory, rather than for planning out a character up front.

The Scrivener template I use for long stories does include a "character sheet" description:

Character Name
Role in Story
Goal
Physical Description
Personality
Occupation
Habits/Mannerisms
Background
Internal Conflicts
External Conflicts
Notes

But it's rare that I will fill in anything beyond name, about a sentence for "role in story", and a couple of lines for key dates e.g. birth, studies, jobs. Generally I find it easier just to tag each scene where that character appears, and then when I want to refresh my memory I can just pull up those scenes.

 

[NewOldGuy77]

Name
Nick Name
Age
Body Shape
Build / Weight
Ethnicity
Gender
Height

---

Hair Color
Hair Length
Hair Style
Hair Texture (Straight, Wavy, Curly)
Head Shape
Distinguish Features (Beauty marks, dimples, freckles)
Face Shape
Ear Size
Eye Color
Eye Shape
Glasses
Mouth Shape
Nose Shape
Piercings

---

Ass Shape
Birthmarks
Breast Shape
Bust Size
Distinguish Features
Dress Size
Hips
Piercings
Scars
Shoe Size
Skin Tone
Tattoos
Voice
Waist

---

Sexuality

• Aggressiveness in Bed
• Dominance
• Experience
• Favorite Place To Have Sex
• Favorite Sexual Position
• Fetishes & Kinks
• Fidelity
• Likes and Dislikes
• Openness
• Orientation
• Role Playing
• Sex Toys
• Voyeurism

---

Aspirations & Dreams

• Dream Job
• Dream Vacation
• Dream Wedding
• Retirement Plans

Astrological Sign

Beliefs and Values

Character Tics

Criminal History

Crushes

Enemies

Family

• Children
• Deceased or Living
• Family Drama
• Family Finances
• Family Illnesses
• Family Tragedies
• Father
• Legal Troubles
• Location
• Mother
• Relationship To Family
• Siblings
• Order Of Birth
• Nieces and Nephews

Fears

Finances & Income

Fitness

Flaws

Friends

Gait

Habits

Health

• Addictions
• Allergies
• Blood Type
• Disabilities
• Exercise
• Eyesight
• Mental health
• Sports

History

• Accomplishments
• Childhood
• Education / Area Of Study
• Family History
• Home Town
• Incidents and Tragedies
• Marital Status
• Mistakes
• Relationships
• Regrets
• Secrets

Hobbies and Interest

Insecurities

Languages

Left or Right Handed

Likes and Dislikes

• Book Genres
• Collections
• Favorite Cars
• Favorite Celebrities
• Favorite Color
• Favorite Drink
• Favorite Food
• Favorite Games
• Favorite Hobbies
• Favorite Movies and Television Genres
• Favorite Music Genres
• Favorite Snacks
• Favorite Sports

Location – Country, city, state

Lucky Item

Mannerisms

Motivations

Nationality

Nervous Tics

Occupation

Personality

• Affection
• Aggressiveness
• Candor
• Charm
• Cleanliness
• Compassion
• Composure
• Courage
• Cunning
• Curiosity
• Decisiveness
• Disposition
• Humility
• Humor
• Imagination
• Introvert or Extrovert
• Loyalty
• Maturity
• Memory
• Optimism
• Patience
• Self-esteem
• Sensuality
• Tenacity
• Trust
• Vivacity

Pets

Physical Attributes

• Agility
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Speed
• Strength

Politics

Quirks

Relationship Status

Religion

Reputation / Street Cred

Residence

Role Models

Skills & Talents

Social Class

Style

Superstitions

Vehicle

Vices

Nice concept, but worse than a passport application!

I start with name, physical description, family members, and background.

 

[stickygirl]

How interesting! Don't you know your characters every facet in your mind, better than you know a real person? They're our inventions, surely extensions of ourselves, so why the need for a list? I'm intrigued by the OPs methodology here.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

As I've used the same characters more and more, and minor characters have joined in, I could probably do with filling one in now *after* writing roughly a whole novel with a few of them, to help with future consistency.

But my reaction to the list was "surely we need to address the key questions of whether they prefer tea or coffee, with or without sugar, and do they prefer biscuits or savoury snacks?"

I'm still not sure when some main characters birthdays are - by definition, not in months I've written about so far.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Seriously? WTF.

I don't need that information about real people, let alone fictional ones.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

Name
Nick Name
Age
Body Shape
Build / Weight
Ethnicity
Gender
Height

---

Hair Color
Hair Length
Hair Style
Hair Texture (Straight, Wavy, Curly)
Head Shape
Distinguish Features (Beauty marks, dimples, freckles)
Face Shape
Ear Size
Eye Color
Eye Shape
Glasses
Mouth Shape
Nose Shape
Piercings

---

Ass Shape
Birthmarks
Breast Shape
Bust Size
Distinguish Features
Dress Size
Hips
Piercings
Scars
Shoe Size
Skin Tone
Tattoos
Voice
Waist

---

Sexuality

• Aggressiveness in Bed
• Dominance
• Experience
• Favorite Place To Have Sex
• Favorite Sexual Position
• Fetishes & Kinks
• Fidelity
• Likes and Dislikes
• Openness
• Orientation
• Role Playing
• Sex Toys
• Voyeurism

---

Aspirations & Dreams

• Dream Job
• Dream Vacation
• Dream Wedding
• Retirement Plans

Astrological Sign

Beliefs and Values

Character Tics

Criminal History

Crushes

Enemies

Family

• Children
• Deceased or Living
• Family Drama
• Family Finances
• Family Illnesses
• Family Tragedies
• Father
• Legal Troubles
• Location
• Mother
• Relationship To Family
• Siblings
• Order Of Birth
• Nieces and Nephews

Fears

Finances & Income

Fitness

Flaws

Friends

Gait

Habits

Health

• Addictions
• Allergies
• Blood Type
• Disabilities
• Exercise
• Eyesight
• Mental health
• Sports

History

• Accomplishments
• Childhood
• Education / Area Of Study
• Family History
• Home Town
• Incidents and Tragedies
• Marital Status
• Mistakes
• Relationships
• Regrets
• Secrets

Hobbies and Interest

Insecurities

Languages

Left or Right Handed

Likes and Dislikes

• Book Genres
• Collections
• Favorite Cars
• Favorite Celebrities
• Favorite Color
• Favorite Drink
• Favorite Food
• Favorite Games
• Favorite Hobbies
• Favorite Movies and Television Genres
• Favorite Music Genres
• Favorite Snacks
• Favorite Sports

Location – Country, city, state

Lucky Item

Mannerisms

Motivations

Nationality

Nervous Tics

Occupation

Personality

• Affection
• Aggressiveness
• Candor
• Charm
• Cleanliness
• Compassion
• Composure
• Courage
• Cunning
• Curiosity
• Decisiveness
• Disposition
• Humility
• Humor
• Imagination
• Introvert or Extrovert
• Loyalty
• Maturity
• Memory
• Optimism
• Patience
• Self-esteem
• Sensuality
• Tenacity
• Trust
• Vivacity

Pets

Physical Attributes

• Agility
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Speed
• Strength

Politics

Quirks

Relationship Status

Religion

Reputation / Street Cred

Residence

Role Models

Skills & Talents

Social Class

Style

Superstitions

Vehicle

Vices

Yeah, but what about spell slots?

 

[Defluer]

Yeah, but what about spell slots?

Yeah, I guess the LRPG-WHB Literotica Role Playing Game Writers Handbook would have all the rules on what bonus the character's astrological sign gives to to the Personality Skills.

But seriously, I mostly do what everyone else does. With a weird Guy from Defluer only trait. I have a table at the bottom of my story with character names but under each name, with information filled in as I write it, I... I have a nudie picture found on the Internet of any female character involved in the sex. This gives me a lot of the pertinent details (to a sex story) and since I don't gravitate to porn stars for these pictures, not all my characters are such. Some details change but mostly... I write them as I literally see them.

 

[JGittes]

Each to their own, but if I was using a template like this it'd be on a "fill it in as it appears in the story" basis, as an aid to memory, rather than for planning out a character up front.

The Scrivener template I use for long stories does include a "character sheet" description:

Character Name
Role in Story
Goal
Physical Description
Personality
Occupation
Habits/Mannerisms
Background
Internal Conflicts
External Conflicts
Notes

But it's rare that I will fill in anything beyond name, about a sentence for "role in story", and a couple of lines for key dates e.g. birth, studies, jobs. Generally I find it easier just to tag each scene where that character appears, and then when I want to refresh my memory I can just pull up those scenes.

The Scrivener template is similar to a character organizing device, 'Character Spider Diagram,' that was handed out during a novel writing workshop I took a couple of years ago. Each character has their name, circled, with a few bullet points below each of the characteristics on the Scrivener list, then a line connecting the characters to whom they associate. When your diagram starts looking like Nash's (Russell Crowe's character) wall scribblings in 'A Beautiful Mind,' it's time to simplify or hope you're related to Tolstoy or Dickens.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

Yeah, I guess the LRPG-WHB Literotica Role Playing Game Writers Handbook would have all the rules on what bonus the character's astrological sign gives to to the Personality Skills.

But seriously, I mostly do what everyone else does. With a weird Guy from Defluer only trait. I have a table at the bottom of my story with character names but under each name, with information filled in as I write it, I... I have a nudie picture found on the Internet of any female character involved in the sex. This gives me a lot of the pertinent details (to a sex story) and since I don't gravitate to porn stars for these pictures, not all my characters are such. Some details change but mostly... I write them as I literally see them.

I admit I was being a bit facetious, but my point is mainly that on a character sheet you put the information you need - especially for purposes of coherence (so a character you described as having emerald green eyes before doesn't wear a blue dress that complements her eyes a dozen pages later).

 

[MrPixel]

What's the point in pre-announcing what should be opportunities for story development? I uploaded a meet-the-characters "story" for my main series in prose form, but only to set basic context.

Such a database entry might make some sense for yourself in terms of keeping your story line consistent or, maybe, a template to be filled-in as you develop the character, but beyond that, it's a whole bunch of work that might not apply to anything once you're done. I write for fun, not to do the same sort of scutwork/drudgery that I retired from.

Besides, I know my characters better than that. I live with them every day.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

When I'm using yWrite I do fill out the character sheets, yet I only use it for long stories... over 80,000 words.

What you have described would take 80,000 words in just character descriptions alone.

For short stories I just make a list of the peoples names as I think or them. And for red shirts, they don't even get a name.

 

[Defluer]

I admit I was being a bit facetious, but my point is mainly that on a character sheet you put the information you need - especially for purposes of coherence (so a character you described as having emerald green eyes before doesn't wear a blue dress that complements her eyes a dozen pages later).

Oh yeah, I get it. I'm decent at remembering but not so decent at remembering to put it on my Character Info table. Which I need when I put the story down for X amount of time and then come back to it.

What I really need is a macro that fills it in later. Just put some brackets and like C1 for Character 1, then fill that field in and it automatically inputs it, or during the editing process it has synonyms lined up for you. Emerald, Jade, ETC. I'm sure somebody made something like that but I'm too cheap to buy it.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't use a formal template, but before I start a story I prepare a document I usually call [Story Title] Summary, and in it I have separate sections for 1) proposed story title, 2) tagline ideas, 3) quick story summary, 4) list of main characters with quick descriptions and summary of their motivations and personalities. Then I have an outline that for some stories is sketchy and for others more elaborate. For instance, for my summer story, which I'm working on now, I prepared a more elaborate summary than for any of my other stories because the story is very long and much more structured than others. It takes place on a Hawaiian vacation with four characters over seven days, and the POV of each character comes into play in alternating sections, so I really wanted to work out how each character is different and has different motivations to compare and contrast how each perceives and experiences the events of the story.

Whatever works for you, do it.

 

[TadOverdon]

I find this stuff out as I go.

 

[Blind_Justice]

I do write cheat sheets for my characters, but the one the OP posted... is a bit much. That level of granularity CAN be useful - for the main character in a decades-long D&D campaign or an epic of Wheel Of Time proportions.