Fiction Writing Focus: Creating Vivid Characters

Dear Fellow Fiction Writers,

How vivid are your characters?

We all want characters with depth, who everyone's simply dying to know...characters who we love to love--and love to hate...the characters that everyone reader wants to spend time with...and to follow into the next chapter. And next book. And through the whole series.

Character prompts help us to craft such a character. A thorough write-up of your character's qualities and quirks gets us into the character's head, heart, and actions. We absolutely NEED to know our characters intimately. After all, if we don't know your characters intimately, then how can we write our character's lives and thoughts vividly?

Here's a list of items to use for developing your characters:

Character's Name:
Age:
Height:
Weight and build:
Movement/gait:
Color of hair:
Color of eyes:
Special physical characteristics/traits:
Gestures:
What others notice first when meeting character:
Education:
Educational experience, overall:
Sexuality:
Place of birth:
Family ethnicity:
Family history (dark and light):
Best friend, growing up:
Best friend, present:
Enemies of the past:
Enemies of the present:
Favorite food(s):
Favorite drink(s):
Favorite clothing:
Clothing quirks:
Eating habits:
Sleeping habits:
Work habits:
Living quarters:
Family members:
Family peculiarities:
Significant past event influencing character:
Inner needs that have not been fulfilled:
What drives your character, positive:
What drives your character, negative:
What your character will typically do, when put in a hard place:
The worst fear:
The highest motivation:
Lifelong dream:
Strongest positive personality trait:
Strongest negative personality trait:
What makes my character smile:
What makes my character laugh:
What makes my character rage:
What makes my character cry:
Core spiritual worldview:
Political awareness and "bent":
What character does in his/her "down time":
If my character had a free day, he/she would:
What he/she does when alone for more than an hour:
Greatest fear, physical event:
Greatest fear, emotional:
Most passionate about:
What he/she would do with unlimited resources:
Injustice that he/she would "right":
When the worst thing happens, what will my character do first?
When the worst thing happens, what will my character do next?
When the worst thing happens, what will my character finally resolve to do?
Single sentence describing the character:
What readers will feel about this character:
Character arc: change that will take place in the character's inner thoughts:
Character arc: change that will take place in the character's outer actions:

Keep a notebook section filled for each character, and refer to your notebook often. Add new thoughts when they come; refine your thoughts as you go. Make sure that your character is well-defined, and you'll be able to strongly convey your character's "reality" to your reader....building a fondness that draws the reader into your story with passion and connection.

Together, writing with passion and skill --
All best,
Erin