My character profile

I haven't done much writing recently. Even my poems are struggling. What better way to blag my way through a blog post that show you my method for creating characters? I'll use myself as an example so you can see what sort of thing I do. Note: depending on the character's significance/story length, I'll add or take away some of these questions.

NAME: Terri Cerés

AGE: 19

HEIGHT: 5’7”

WEIGHT: 141lbs

BIRTH DATE: 13th August 1994

HAIR: Thick afro, dark brown with one patch dyed light brown on the left

EYES: Brown, likes to think orange

BIRTHPLACE: London

OTHER FACIAL FEATURES/OTHER APPEARANCE DETAILS: Wears large, dorky glasses, trying to overcome spots, three piercings in left ear, two in the right

DRESS (Style, colours): Brightly coloured clothes, casual shirts and trousers, sometimes wears dresses/skirts but not often

DESCRIPTION OF HOME: Two storey council house, old but well-decorated. Cluttered with random items

DOMINANT CHARACTER TRAIT: Imaginative

SECONDARY CHARACTER TRAIT: Ambitious

SPEECH: Talks fast when she gets going but is often the listener, rather than the speaker. Cannot do accents

BEST FRIEND: [Name]

OTHER FRIENDS: [Name], [Name], [Name], [Name], [Name], [Name], [Name]

ENEMIES and WHY: Swans. Two chased her and a dog she was walking and she swore them her nemesis from that day

FAMILY: Mother, father, three brothers (one older), two half sisters (both younger)

Sees self as: Someone who doesn’t understand humanity

Is seen by others as: A weirdo

Sense of humour: Often makes rubbish jokes but is funnier when she isn’t trying

Temper: Not easily angered but can hold a grudge for years

Basic nature: Easy-going

Ambitions: Become a published author, poet and playwright (that’s a new one), meet Barack Obama, win a Nobel prize for literature

Educational background: Studying BA English Literature, in her second year

Philosophy of life: Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right then it’s not the end.

Habits: Biting the skin around her nails, walking into things, adjusting her oversized glasses

Talents (when character looks good): Writing, drawing, cooking, making others laugh

Hobbies/pastimes: Reading comic books, playing tennis, chilling with her brothers, learning Japanese

Choice of entertainments: Watching cartoons/anime, going to the cinema

What trait will make character come alive? She’s actually real

Why is character likeable? Lord knows.

Why is character loveable? Ditto.