There is a huge difference between keeping notes about a character and using a character sheet. A character sheet is a prefabricated template with standardized questions and fill-in fields. Many of these questiosn will be irrelevant for most characters, and there will be character data not anticipated when the template is designed. Furthermore, character sheets nearly always contain fields for characteristics that can and should change over time.
I didn't know character sheets existed in the sense you described them, Cogito. By character sheets, I therefore meant character notes. By the sounds of character sheets, I would imagine they are way too rigid to be of any real use.
think of it as an interview, when you interview someone you only get so many attributes normally the best top attributes making the person into a demigod instead of a regular person. you don't want to interview this character you want to make them into your friend or your enemy you ether love or hate the person. some people give the character sheet a bad name but it is just a very shallow tide pool when you want to see the ocean. your character is typically based on you or your interpretation of friends, people you don't like, family, fabled hero, or super ego, not a few opinions and facts. I only ever use a character sheet to describe small characters that only function very little in the story, never a main character
I see a character sheet as a point of reference. Part of the creation process for this is to know your characters. And how can you know what your characters will say or do if you don't know where they're from, what they've lived through, etc? The test of character flatness is in the story, not the references.
I enjoy using character sheets, but not all the time. For some stories I like to sit down and list information about a character and then free write a few paragraphs about various things relating to the character, but sometimes I find it's easier to just write and develop the character as I go along. I don't think they're a bad idea like some here are suggesting. It's a matter of what works for different people. There's no one size fits all writing strategy. If it works for you, great. And if it doesn't that's fine too. I can understand if people don't like the idea, but I do wish they would refrain from putting down techniques that work for some writers just because they don't like it. If you don't like it that doesn't mean it's a terrible or stupid idea. It just means that it doesn't work for you. ~Eliza
I've never used a character sheet, though I do keep notes on several characteristics that pop up as I write for continuity purposes. If it works for you, great. Just keep on writing.
just because you use a character sheet, it doesn't have to mean you're making the character plain, not as long as your careful ayway...
No, it doesn't. But relying on the character sheet and nothing else will make the character one-dimensional; the character sheet does not make the character plain, but it doesn't make him/her interesting either. You need to use other methods if you want the character to be interesting on any level.
It's a raw note method for facts about characters to help you keep them straight. Knowing that five foot six doesn't make them any less or more interesting, but it does help you keep yourself accurate. Taking a tool and assuming that just because someone uses it they're using it wrong is kind weird.
I have to agree with you. And as for character sheets, I don´t use them except for rpgs but now that I´ve seen how complete this one looks, I might as well use it. Why? Simple. It´s good to be discovering your characters as you write, you can even get surprised at how much you get to know them as they progress in the story. However, a sheet like this can be of great help if you are in a pinch about a character´s details. Not to base your whole story on it but just as support for when you need it. Also, it helps organize facts about your character that you can expand later on in the story, saving you time and writer´s block.
I dont see anything wrong with having a set of notes about the character. Having an idea of who they are, what their past has been, what they want to do with life etc. You might use none of the info but it helps me to "get into character" at the start. You cant simply sit down and write a book knowing that your main character is Joe, 40 years old living in suburbia. You need more than that. However as the story progresses and events start occuring you can say how has this affected them.
I use them. And mine is quite similar to yours. But I write about supernaturals (Vampires, Werewolves, Witches) and every last one has their own unique way of behaving or doing what they do.
I never use them (I feel that I'll never need the measurements for my characters height or weight), because they tend to force ideas out of my brain, making the characters rather bland. For a while I used to keep short characters sketches (narratives describing where they were born, back story, etc.), but they figured to be too much work, since I keep the general idea of characters in my brain anyway. My logic is that if the aspect of the character is interesting and important enough, I'll remember it anyway.
A profile sheet is probably more useful to create than to actually refer to. Filling it out forces the writer to at least define the character in some detail. Once the writer has filled out the sheet he/she probably won't need to refer to it again, but going through the exercise was probably useful.
Actually, I filled one out on a character once. Not to actually use it, mind you, just to see how it fell out. I'd never done one before (nor since). I'm not saying don't use it, if you feel it helps you. But, from my perspective, since characters like 'real' people change as they grow and experience life, a character sheet would be rendered useless (and sooo 20th century) after the first chapter. I think they hinder, more than enhance, the building of a character.
Hell no. Doesn't help me so I just don't. I do let them take Briggs Myers type indicator test and tests them for metal illnesses every now and then. Mostly because its fun and can get some nice inspiration and feedback.
I don't use character sheets but I will sometimes write short stories about my characters so that I can get a clearer idea of who and what they are. I like to develop ideas or stories about them that will never appear in the main story. I am now thinking about creating a website with these stories on.
Yea. But seriously. Both method gives you high quality feedback based on the traits you already know/decided that the character have. If you find some affinity you will have tons of real researcher and literature to be inspired by, and find put what sort of traits and quirks often come along with traits the character already has.
It's not really a bad idea to use that kind of profeile sheet. Especially if one's writing a long story, that shows a lot on the characters. Although, not in every story will one care about a characters gemstone. For me it depends a lot on how I prepare the characters. In many cases I just figure them out as I write, but in some cases, I have to write down absolutely everything I know about them first.
My latest character profile 'files' go something like Full Name DOB Place of Birth Family Education Employment That's how I start a character and then I start to write. As the character develops within the story, I fill in additional information on the biography so I know exactly what a character has done in the story and/or the past. For example, if it becomes apparent that in the past, Sergeant Freddy Archer once risked his life to save the life of someone in a car accident or in current context, while he's getting naked to have a bit of fun with Suzy from next door she notices a scar on his left calf about 4 inches, that information gets adds to the profile while the story is being written for reference in future chapters / novels. Anything more than that to start with and you don't have a character, you have nothing more than a plot development tool.
it was a really good idea thanks w176, couple of my characters took one last night, its helped a lot with my second book distinguishing my new characters.
me too lol I found varying character easy enough in book one, but its harder this time round. Its the women I struggle with. All the middle aged women are too much like me lol
I think it's easier to just write a brief biography of each character using his or her particular voice/dialect. Just make sure that you focus on personality traits rather than astrological signs, favorite foods, birthmarks, etc. Nobody cares if Captain Ahab was a diabetic or Rhett Butler had an ingrown toenail. Sometimes less is more.
