I honestly am not sure how to feel about them. I know my characters in my head but my hubby says I need to write things down. I see hundreds of them online and have sifted through old writing folders from jr. high and high school and have found ones I've made. Everything online is either lean too basic, or too excessive. I find some here and there in the in betweens but they still lack some items here and there. No one sheet is perfect. What are you thoughts. How do you character sheet? Or do you set up your own with questions. I'm looking for a streamlined way to do this. Eventually I will do my own artwork for it as well. (Already have but better newer and fresher works.)
They're good for fleshing out characters, but they can bog you down in the creation process for too long if you're not careful. I personally don't have a problem with that, but I'm sure there's a lot of people who do. Heck, I have a questionnaire that's my go-to that has a whopping 365 questions! But they're detailed questions about things that people don't normally think about when it comes to their characters, so if you're the type that really wants to get in-depth to who your character is and make them as person-like as possible, then that's what it's for. I too am someone who has most of my characters fleshed out in my head, but I found myself forgetting major character ideas that if my fiance didn't remember, I sure as hell wouldn't have. To be fair I have over 100 characters to keep straight, but that just meant that I really needed to have at the very least a basic outline written down.
Don't you think 390 questions is excessive and a waste of time though? I fleshed a complete character out in a page in a quick biography. Everyone that has looked at it has liked it. It covers everything from personality, hobbies, looks, community, where they live/lived, social, mental health, health, backstory, family, home life, fears, goals, vices(habits), skills, work life, their intelligence level - what they study or know, and a few exploits. I had a teacher look at it one time and they said it was a complete and developed character and would be great in a story. It was only 462 words and I got more across in those well chosen words than a 16 page bio character sheet ever did.
I feel a lot of these sheets are disorganized as well. One example here: In that 390 boson questionnaire they placed in blood type in appearance? How can you see a blood type? That would be under physiological description though because it is a physiological thing. Anyway same question why do I need to know the characters blood type in a medieval setting? (If its not part of the story why waste time writing it in?) Blood groups and types weren't known or invented until 1900's. So when you get down to it a one size fits all sheet is kind of a bad thing. How would you or why would you cover blood type in a story in medieval times assuming ancient tech? Just one example though, everyone has different time periods, genres, or mixed time periods and tech, it all depends on the story. So shouldn't a character sheet be tailored to what you are writing about the story and what you will cover and possibly cover even if you don't? But not to the excess of wasting time.
So shouldn't a character sheet be tailored to what you are writing about the story and what you will cover and possibly cover even if you don't?
This is kind of the problem that I have with most character profiles. Asking me what my character's favourite video game is is kind of pointless if that character lives in a fantasy universe where video games don't exist, and it doesn't help me flesh out my characters. I kind of don't really use character profiles for that reason. Any information that I need for my characters is either stored in my brain, or in my google drive, or somewhere else online if I think I'm going to forget (And it's surprising the things that I forget about my characters. I'm constantly having to look up the hometowns and birthdays of my own characters).
So shouldn't a character sheet be tailored to what you are writing about the story and what you will cover and possibly cover even if you don't?
This is kind of the problem that I have with most character profiles. Asking me what my character's favourite video game is is kind of pointless if that character lives in a fantasy universe where video games don't exist, and it doesn't help me flesh out my characters. I kind of don't really use character profiles for that reason. Any information that I need for my characters is either stored in my brain, or in my google drive, or somewhere else online if I think I'm going to forget (And it's surprising the things that I forget about my characters. I'm constantly having to look up the hometowns and birthdays of my own characters).
Yeah I had posted a comment last night but I was afraid it was going to piss someone off. I essentially put it as I don't care if you've been to college or what your professor says, I don't care if you have a ph.d. I literally wrote a well rounded character covering everything that was needed for my story in 2/3 of a page or 462 words. I wrote a biography covering personality, mental health, health, looks, backstory, likes, dislikes, vices, virtues, titles, exploits, fears, flaws, family, social, community, friends, enemies, etc… you get the point, all in a short 4 paragraphs. I took it to a teacher in high school one year to ask her if that was rounded and a good start, she and everyone I've showed it to loved it. Its funny how writing it down into a story format biography is quicker and more concise and even expands on more than these 16 page character sheets. I was able to convey more of what I wanted to in 1 page than in 16 of generic questions.
Many of these character development sheet should label themselves differently like maybe if they cover topic like video games, consider it a modern genre, and not suitable towards fantasy.
I went to college, but I honestly didn't believe everything I was told. I have noticed a trend with young adults these days, they literally take everything at face value, they do not fact check even though we are/were taught to, and most of them cluck "well my professor said." Well my professors said a lot of things I didn't agree with. lol Its almost like the professor has more sway over us than common sense does.
That Mary Sue litmus test I can bet a hundred buck by my searching and investigating the site it was done for someones masters program so they could get a ph.d. you should see how many names are on the work of it. Its a large indication. Tests like that can't be taken seriously because they are flawed from the start. You can't build a test that well… tests all genres its impossible to build correctly. I stacked some of the worlds best characters against that as a test and they all failed in some way or another. So the lesson is here not to take these seriously.
So if there is anything to be learned here is that character profile sheets don't equal well built. I think it has mostly the time we take to do the actual foot work.
I don't know, I just think character sheets are fun to do and have the possibility of asking you questions that you may not have thought about your character before. You don't have to sit down and fill them out line by line; I sure as hell didn't. But the 365 sheet had some fun questions that made me think, and that's ultimately the point: to make you think. It's a good resource for people who are just starting, just as is every writing material. You don't have to take it at face value; I really don't think that it's that serious. In the end, it's all about helping people make the best characters they can. Not everyone knows how to make a character right out the gate, so that's why these resources exist.
As far as things like the litmus test, I personally don't use things like that, and I have my own opinions about the backlash against "mary sues" and all that jazz, but I understand why it exists. Nine times out of ten, the kind of people who use those tests are people just starting out a.k.a people who are not expert writers. A character who scores over 100 points on such a test written by someone just starting out will most likely make for a bad story, so it's just around as a resource. Of course, taking it too seriously down the line is where the problems begin, but just taking it at face value for what it is, it's not a terrible thing to exist.
Is someone out there trying to force you to do these resources? I doubt it. We all make characters differently, so if you feel comfortable just freewheeling it, then that's ok. But you're a lot older than many of the people who use this site and have a lot more experience, so that might be where the disconnect is.
Is someone out there trying to force you to do these resources? I doubt it. We all make characters differently, so if you feel comfortable just freewheeling it, then that's ok. But you're a lot older than many of the people who use this site and have a lot more experience, so that might be where the disconnect is.
No its just annoying I guess, I see so many people waste time on them on DA and such.
I am almost 29 in a few days. So maybe I am older than a lot of you? I don't know. I may have that disconnect to like you say. I'll own up to it if that's the case. Honestly, its just a few trends I'v'e noticed among people my age. I may be slightly jaded too. I have been on a few writing forums and have had some bad experiences but who doesn't. Although never with my actual writing, it always seems like people in my age group are more interested in injecting politics where they don't belong. That aside, I guess I also see so many people with potential just getting caught up in the world-building process and never proceeding past it. Maybe its just hard for some people to get to the actual writing? I guess part of where this bias comes from is that all to often I see these people waste precious time. It's kind of sad. So many things online feel like the could be good resources but have ended up being times wasters for me as well. Its hard to see what can and isn't destructive to us until we have gone through it.
Like mary sue has spread like wild fire in its destructive force. I remember when I first heard that term in high school. I didn't think anything of it and never bothered to look it up at the time. Then years pass and I start to get the balls to write again after all these years. (I didn't have a lot of family support. In fact I was discouraged a lot from doing anything.) And in what was it 2016? I see the term everywhere while reading blogs on writing and finally have to confront what it is… Don't care for it, and in my opinion have found it to be more or a problem for people than helpful.
So I've been trying something. I don't believe in horoscopes and astrology but I decided to- as an experiment build a character solely on astrology and the Chinese zodiac. What would normally take me an hour to flesh out a character, has ended up becoming several hours. Cross research involved and such. The thing is, I wouldn't totally discount this method, but I'm going to say its not for me. Its time consuming. What are your guys's thoughts on this?
I made this for short and to the point people based off of 3 I made in jr.high/high school, and off of my 462 worded biography of a character. For people who don't want to waste time on ssn, or stupid things that don't matter. I threw in blood type and astrology crap because it is a popular demand.
Edit: Suited for fantasy but I assume you can use it for paranormal too.
I've never done a character questionnaire before. Are they to help you get a better understanding about your character or a way to actually construct your character?
Personally I think I'd get pretty bored after a while but it sounds likes it's worth giving it a go anyway even if it only helps a little bit.
On the construction side of things, simple listing and then a long personality description that links with a long history section like with this character https://toyhou.se/1679184.mara
This html is a very good template for in depth characters. The mood board is just a bit of fun.
I've never done a character questionnaire before. Are they to help you get a better understanding about your character or a way to actually construct your character?
Personally I think I'd get pretty bored after a while but it sounds likes it's worth giving it a go anyway even if it only helps a little bit.
On the construction side of things, simple listing and then a long personality description that links with a long history section like with this character https://toyhou.se/1679184.mara
This html is a very good template for in depth characters. The mood board is just a bit of fun.
A lot of people subscribe to the belief of character sheets. It depends I guess mostly on how you work best. Some people find it easier since the questions are provided for them, for others it gives them an idea of what kinds of questions to consider when building a well rounded, and fleshed out character.
Aside from this having a finished character sheet that is carefully built it can make your writing easier by pre choosing descriptor words and such but it is up to you as the writer to expand on the character development properly when writing. You can see what you want on/through a CDS but if you don't put your words to paper as well, your expectation versus your result will be different.
This is just my opinion though. What I do like character sheets best for, in case you have noticed my prior negative comments towards them, is that they are amazing garnish or relish or what have you if you like to draw and make character concept art with notes. I find it to be a cool style. A few examples: https://www.deviantart.com/ricardo-vhultos-art/art/Cyborg-Mummy-Concept-Art-650114750 or
I find it to look great for art book souvenirs too. So while my above statements find them a waste of time (Again opinion.) I will still use them for art purposes later for flavor, when I get to the drawing aspect of my story-verse. So fan of it for art, not so much for writing. My opinion could change though over time if I find something I like. I do like the one based off of the ones I created, because its short and to the point.
I agree with you last point because I use a similar method for development myself. Designing the actual looks, and clothing can lead to personality. (Our dress correlates to our personality to a degree.) Color will help with mood for sure.
I come up with the basics for my character at this stage they are pretty flat. Then I start to compile ideas for adventures while they are a flat character. This will give me ideas for weaknesses and strengths, flaws and vices, and virtues. Traits can be built off all of that afterward. Complimentary, a walking contradictory? etc…
Like for example a lot of people miss with soldier characters, but I think they know this on a sub-conscious level is that once you get involved in that extreme of a lifestyle its very hard to be normal in regular society, integrate and such, especially if you've been at it for a while. Some of them get so changed by war they feel more comfortable with their buddies on base or war, and their family life is left to erode. Its not that they don't want to its that they can't anymore. Alienating, off… ptsd can have a major effect but doesn't have to. Believe it or not but there are people out there that can handle war extremes and compartmentalize, people don't always have to come out with mental illnesses. some go home normal, other while able to integrate on some level just may be addicted to the adrenaline.
The juicy conflict of character weakness and desire/goals in such a simple scenario that I just wrote can now fully become a complex scenario, on its own standing alone its not a whole lot. After that I can start playing (roleplaying) the ideas, and get a feel for what I may want this person to be like, flesh out how they would react, and respond how they might. Their verbal types, and most everything else follows in suit. Sometimes its the other way around and instead of fleshing and character out based off of story ideas and adventures, I will flesh them out first then story. When this happens its usually because I already have a character in mind that may be based off of other character ideas I've seen, or people in real life.
