How to Write a Character Sketch

I've had some boosts in traffic lately due to my how-tos on various types of writing, so I thought I'd continue the tradition. Here's another kind of writing I get asked about all the time: the character sketch. It's a crucial element of good fiction writing to have a thoroughly researched, in-depth portrait of the characters making up your story. The thing to remember about a character sketch is that you don't want to end up including all this detail in your story -- it will overwhelm the reader and bog down the story -- but knowing this backstory yourself will make your writing of the character more nuanced, realistic, and true to the character. So let's do it!

How to Write a Character Sketch, Part I

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Writing a character sketch is sort of like method acting; you've got to know your character inside-out, not outside-in, and write accordingly. No need to get all Freudian, but we are all bundles of complex psychology and a lot of things in our past and our personality dictate our behavior and our choices. So how do you create a realistic character? By imagining a person who could really exist. The best way to start out with a character sketch is by answering a series of question about your character that will force you to be specific.
Name:
Parents (alive, dead, divorced, unknown, etc.):
Favorite color:
Style of dress:
Hometown or region:
Political leanings:
Marital status:
Favorite food:
Most embarrassing moment:
Greatest fear:
Strongest desire:
Job:
Where he/she wants to be in five years:
Guiltiest pleasure:

Try thinking of your own questions in this vein and add on as many as you want; these are just to get you started. As you think of answers to these questions, you'll find yourself getting a mental image of who your character really is. In a way, our identities are just bundles of the little details that make us up, from our psyches to our backgrounds to our likes and dislikes, so this is a very organic way to make a realistic character come to life. Take your time with this project, and tune into Creative Writing Corner later on for part two of how to write a character sketch, and what to do with what you've got.

Comments

[Lilu]

Hi! I'm 13, and I'd love to become a writer. Just to tell you how amazing your site is.. I'll be logging back on!

Maybe you should have an article on more physical aspects of writing, such as How Many Lines To Write A Day and Taking Breaks Frequently etc.

Lilu XX Contact me by email if you want :)