Why Should You Read This Lens? 

• Because you need to create a new character for your story.
• Because you have a character who is "flat" and you want to "round them out".
• You have a character that you just want to give an interview too.

Profile Survey #1: The Basics 

• What is your character's full name?
• How old is your character throughout the majority of the story?
• Date of birth?
• Place of birth?
• Male or Female?
• Current Address?
• How many brothers/sisters does your character have? Older? Younger? Which one is he/she closest to?
• What is your character's overall health like?
• What type of personality does your character have?
• Zodiac sign?
• Chinese zodiac sign?
• Lives with?
• Marital status?
• Ethnic background?

Profile Survey #2: Lifestyle 

• Preferred nickname?
• Current occupation?
• Dream occupation he/she wishes to do?
• Occupation he/she finds the most revolting and would never do?
• Religion raised as by parents?
• Religion now conforms to?
• Political affiliation(s)?
• Type of education received? Current education level?
• Hometown?
• Has/wants children?
• Has/wants pets?

Profile Survey #3: Hobbies 

• What does he/she like to do in his/her spare time?
• How many hobbies does he/she have?
• Are these hobbies old (from childhood) or new?
• Do the hobbies take up a lot of time or cost a lot of money?
• Does he/she follow through on the hobbies or does he/she start a lot of projects and never finish any of them?

Profile Survey #4: Likes 

• What is your favorite thing to eat?
• What is your favorite thing to drink?
• What is your favorite movie?
• What is your favorite place to visit?
• What is your favorite tv show?
• What is your favorite fruit?
• What is your favorite vegetable?
• What is your favorite type of candy?
• What is your favorite pizza topping?
• What is your favorite color?
• What is your favorite book?
• Is there something you've always wanted to try, but never had the chance? What is it?
• What do you want most in the world? What is stopping you from getting it? How can you change that?
• Name one simple thing that makes you happy.
• Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
• If you had had to choose between eating a piece of apple pie of chocolate cake which one and why?
• Do you read books? If so, what sort?
• Which do you prize more: familial or romantic love? Why?
• What is the last thing you could imagine giving away?
• If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
• If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
• Boots or slippers? Why?
• What's your favorite type of weather?
• If there was one skill you wish you could have, what would it be?
• Boxers or Briefs?
• What is the coolest article of clothing you ever owned and how did it make you feel?
• What's better, the anticipation of a thing, or actually doing/having it?
• What is the greatest gift you have ever recieved?
• What is your favorite thing to do with your spare time?
• What is your ideal date?
• What is most valuable to you in the world?
• Who is the one person you couldn't live your life without?
• What's your favorite season and why?
• What would you like to learn more about?
• If you could have one superpower--any superpower you wanted--what would you pick?
• What type of fabric is your favorite and why?
• What is your favorite thing to cook, but not necessarily to eat?

Profile Survey #5: Dislikes 

Profile Survey #6: If I Were... 

• If I were a month, I would be
• If I were a day of the week, I would be
• If I were a time of day, I would be
• If I were a planet, I would be
• If I were a sea animal, I would be
• If I were a direction, I would be
• If I were a historical figure, I would be
• If I were a liquid, I would be
• If I were a bird I would be
• If I were a cat I would be
• If I were a dog I would be
• If I were a tree, I would be
• If I were a tool, I would be
• If I were a flower, I would be
• If I were a type of weather, I would be
• If I were an animal, I would be
• If I were a season I would be
• If I were a holiday I would be
• If I were a color, I would be
• If I were an emotion, I would be
• If I were a sound, I would be
• If I were an element, I would be
• If I were a car, I would be
• If I were a food, I would be
• If I were a place, I would be
• If I were a body of water I would be
• If I were a song I would be
• If I were a book I would be
• If I were a gemstone I would be
• If I were a metal I would be
• If I were a word, I would be

Profile Survey #6: If I Were... 

An Example of What Your Character's Answer's Might Look like:

Proflie Survey #7: Childhood Memories 

• What is your character's favorite childhood memory?
• What is your character's least favorite childhood memory?
• What was your character's worst childhood fear?
• Did he/she had a favorite toy as a child?
• What was your character's favorite childhood activity?
• What does he/she remember most about ________? (mother, father, grandma, etc.)
• Who was his/her best friend as a child? Are they still friends today?

Profile Survey #8: Fears 

• What is your worst/greatest fear? Why?
• Are you afraid of the dark?
• Do you fear spiders?
• Who do you fear the most? Why?
• What one event had the biggest impact of the fears you have today? How?
• Do you think you could ever overcome your fears?
• Do you sleep with the light on?
• Do you faint at the sight of blood?
• Was there someone whose life, perception of the world, or beliefs affected what you fear today?
• Who scares you more: God or Satan?
• Are you afraid to die?
• What fear do you have that hampers part of your life to the extent that you really wish you could put an end to this fear?

What Does Your Character Really Look Like? 

Do you really know?

• What is your character's hair color?
• What is your character's eye color?
• What is your character's skin color?
• What is your character's fingernail color?

Writing Exercise: The Police Sketch 

Let's Take That Last Quizz One Step Farther...

As a writer it is your job to let your readers know what your characters look like. But do you know how to describe your characters? Try this exercise to find out just how well you know what your main character looks like. In this example, imagine that your main character is the man the police want you to describe.

There is a serial killer on the loose. He is in your town. He has been on the news for several months. Everyone is on the lookout for him, but no one knows what he looks like. There are no living witnesses to describe him.

You are walking home, and witness this killer's latest attack. You lived, because he did not see you hiding in the shadows. You got a good look at him before he left.

Now you are sitting at the police station. Officers are gathered around you waiting to hear what you saw. A police artist sits across from you, waiting to draw the man as you describe him.

You got a good look at him. You can see his face in your mind. But can you give an accurate description of what he looks like?

The police man speaks to you: "Ma'am, would you please answer the following questions to the best of your knowlege? Try to remember any details that stand out. If you think of something I don't ask, please speak up. Let's see if we can't get an accurate drawing of this man...

What was his facial structure? 

Just the facts ma'am.

• Did he have high cheekbones? Shallow check? Flabby jowls?
• Wide, sturdy jaw? Narrow pointy jaw?
• Broad forehead? Wrinkled brow?
• A jutting chin? No chin? Square chin? A double chin? Does his double chin have a double chin?
• Does he have full thick lips or pale thin lips?
• Big nose? Small nose? Was it long or short? Rounded? Bulbous? Crooked? Did he appear to have ever broken his nose in the past?
• What about his eyebrows? Full? Thick? Thin? Fair? Dark? Bushy? Wide spread? Did they connect in the middle?
• Was there any facial hair? Sideburns? Bangs? Did he hair cover his eyes? Beard? Mustache?
• You didn't happen to notice what color his eyes were did you? Were they wide set? Close together? Large? Small? Round? Almond? Popeyed? Did he wear glasses?

Oh, that's fine. You did good. Now what about his hair? 

• Did he have hair? Was it think or balding? Did it look natural or could he have been wearing a wig?
• What color was it? Brown you say? Was it a light sandy brown or a dark chestnut brown or could it have been more of an auburn brown?
• Did it look natural? Could it have been dyed? Did you notice any highlights or streaks? Was there a root line? Was it going grey?
• How long was his hair? Crew cut? Short? Ducktail? Ponytail?
• Was it messy or did it seem rather neat? Greasy? Well groomed? Hair sprayed?
• Straight? Thick? Wavy? Frizzed? Natural curls? Permed curls? Dreadlocks?

You're doing good. Could you give us a body type now? 

• How tall was he? Tall? Short? Average? Could you tell his exact height?
• What about weight? Was he thin? Underweight? Overweight? About average? Athletic? Muscular? Pot bellied?
• Would you say he resembled more of a clean-cut business professional or a more rough rowdy type or something else? Why would you say that?
• Was he particularly handsome or a bit more plain or would you say he was down right ugly?
• Did you notice the way he walked? Did he have a limp? Did he move slowly or quickly? Long strides or little steps?

You're almost done. Just a few more questions. 

• How old would you guess he was? What made you think that?
• Did he have any distinguishing features? A mole? A birthmark? Any visible scars? Any deformities?
• Smooth skinned or wrinkled? Pale? Light? Olive? Tan? Dark? Did he have a suntan?
• Could you tell what race he was? What made you choose this particular race? Could he have been any other race? Why or why not?
• Did you notice if he had any tattoos? If so, could you describe them for us?
• What about jewelry? Did you notice any ear rings, nose rings, or other piercings? Was he wearing a watch? Wedding ring? Necklace? What did the jewelry look like?
• How was he dressed? What type of cloths was he wearing?
• Of everything you can remember, what one thing stood out the most about him? What would make him stand out in a crowd?
• If you would say he resembled someone famous, who would you say he most looked like?

Overview of "A Police Sketch" 

Now that you have finished reading that example, let's look at other ways you could use it, to help you describe your characters to your readers.

First off, you'll notice that I used a man in the example. If your main character is a woman, than just adjust the questions accordingly.

You may be saying, "But my main character isn't even a villain, let alone a serial killer!" Okay, so maybe turning your main character into a serial killer wasn't the best choice. Why did I pick a serial killer for this exercise? Well, because a serial killer is most likely to have a big "manhunt" out to find him; he's more likely to have never been seen; and once a witness does come forward, that witness is more likely to be run through the wringer, by the police, in a mass attempt to get an accurate police sketch of the killer. Long story, short, the end result will be a much more accurate description given by you the witness.

However, that was just an example. You could just as easily pretend that your main character is a missing person and you have no photo of him, so you must describe him to a police artist and once again, you'll have to describe him to the police artist with just as much detail as you would your readers.

It doesn't matter what you pretend your character is for this exercise, so long as you force yourself to write down a description of your character, that is so accurate that any one of your readers could draw his face and you'd say: Yep! That's him!

Don't Yet Have a Character? 

Be Your Own Character Generator:

• This guy reminds you of a ______________.
• He has _________ _________ eyes that are like two _________ __________.
• He has ________ ________ hair the color of _________.
• He is ______ and has a ______ build.
• His skin is _______.
• He has ________ ________.
• His wardrobe is __________ with lots of __________ in it.

Here is an example of what you will have when you get done:

Great Character Help Books on Amazon 

Creating Unforgettable Ch...

Creating Character Emotio...

45 Master Characters

Creating Characters Kids...

Cartooning Basics: Creati...

Get Help Creating New Characters: 

Seventh Sanctum

A site of generators to randomly produce concepts, characters, and descriptions for stories, role-playing games, and art, as well as have fun or combat creative block.

Copyright Info: 

The content of this lens was created by Wendy C. Allen compiled from posts on EK's Star Log, the official blog of author and artist Wendy C. Allen, a.k.a. EelKat. Reprinted here on Squidoo with permission.

EK's Star Log Copyright © Wendy C. Allen 2005-2007. Star Log, Space Dock 13, The Twighlight Manor Press, Moonsnails, Buried Treasure, Copper Cockeral, and Xavier's Nest Copyright © Wendy C. Allen 2005-2007. Twighlight Manor, EelKat, White Rock Asylum, Planet Ptarmagin, Crystonite Chronicles, Etiole, Sir Roderic, The Swanzen Family, and all other related characters, info, writings, names, images, and content Copyright © Wendy C. Allen 1978-2007.

All content written and designed by Wendy C. Allen unless otherwise stated. No part of this site may be reproduced or transmitted without the express permission of the author. All rights reserved.

Reuse of these names, characters, writings, and images are not allowed without prior authorization.

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Did you ever wonder why readers choose one book or author over another? Looking for more readers to read your own books? Think you might need to improve your writing skills some? Try this writing exercise to improve your own writing skills.

Accepting Your Writing Style

I think one of the hardest things for a new writer to do, is to just be themselves. To inspire them, I have reprinted here an article I wrote a few years back. May it inspire you to be yourself and do your own thing.

Reader Feedback 

Did you find this information helpful? Do you think you will be writing better stories and creating more realistic characters now?

Like this lens? Want to share your feedback, or just give a thumbs up? Tell us what you liked about this article. Think of something we should add? Just want to say hi? Submit a blurb today!

I'm looking for some great on-topic lenses to add to my lensroll on this lens and for the featured lens modules. Have you got a lens about writing advice? Feel free to leave a link to it in the comment box. Next time I log-in I'll stop by and check it out. I'll feature the ones that are on-topic for my lens, and lensroll most all lenses related to writing and publishing.

PS: Don't forget to leave a star rating too. (See top of page). Thanks!

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Character Profiles

Got an idea you'd like to suggest for this lens? I'd love to hear it!

qlcoach I always appreciate your amazing knowledge of writing, publishing, and the power of Squidoo! Five stars of course. Thanks for participating in our club too. Gary Eby, author and therapist Posted July 10, 2008

Wottonian Having all that character info is great but I'd be wary of pre-forming my character too much prior to writing. I'd not argue in the least that by the end/final draft I'd need to know all that stuff but to an extent characters for me form over time - largly due to interraction with other characters over time. It's a stale exercise for me to get too much into my character's head out of context of the story. By the end though, I aim to have discovered a great deal about my character - as too they have about themselves! I start with a broad idea, a picture in my head if you will, along with the broad type of person they are and the type of background that has shaped them. From thatcomes interraction, reaction and a rich, human character! Posted July 03, 2008

Claire Ziajka

Thankyou so much Ive been writing screenplays for years now and although they were solid characters i felt that when i did their profiles they seemed somewhat 2d this character excercise is a great help thankyou so much.

Posted May 18, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen Great Job! Characters can make or break a story. 5 stars Liz Posted May 16, 2008

Cae

This is going to help so much with rounding out my main character's girlfriend.... she's so 2-D right now... my fans will probably be forever grateful to you, as will I. :)

Posted May 03, 2008

Pepper

Thanks - so helpful!!

Posted April 14, 2008

EelKat okay, this is weird, but why are all those "New Text list" headings showing up on my page here????? They are not supposed to be there!!! Must go figure out what is going on here. Posted April 03, 2008

amandaquerque What an interesting lens! Thanks for joining the BIG LENSES Group Posted March 28, 2008

Edward Claus

Thank you so much for your help.
This has done a lot for my friend and I. We've been working on our novel, but needed character profiles that seemed... I don't know. Better, than the ones we usually use.

Posted March 16, 2008

Colette

Thanks! This was helpful and interesting.

Posted March 16, 2008

Nada

Yea, thanks...
this wos briliant...

Posted March 02, 2008

joey

great help!
tanx a bunch!

Posted February 14, 2008

Klara

I just wanted to say thank you, I'm in the middle of shaping my characters for NaNo, and this is just what I needed! Even just your titles helped me, and the Police-exercise is just great, I'll just it on all my characters!

Posted October 06, 2007

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