On Writing - Character Sketches

Creating Compelling Characters: Tips for Writing Character Sketches

When writing fiction, our characters are everything. They connect readers to the story and drive the action forward. Crafting strong, multidimensional characters is key to an engaging story that feels real. Character sketches or profiles are a useful tool for developing characters and keeping track of details about them as you write. Here are some tips:

Get to Know Your Characters 
Treat your characters like people you want to become friends with. Before you start writing them into your story, take some time to get to know them better through character sketches and interviews. What did they dream of being as a child? What are their likes, dislikes, interests, quirks? Details large and small will make them well-rounded and believable.  

Details, Details, Details
As the saying goes, the devil’s in the details. The more specific you can be in your character sketches, the more real your characters will become. Move beyond generic attributes and generalizations. Fill out your character profiles with quirks, backstories, speech patterns, behaviors, interests, desires, fears - anything that makes them unique. 

Go Beyond the Basics
Start your character sketches with the usuals like name, age, physical appearance etc. But don’t stop there. Also consider perspectives and temperaments; personal histories; emotional wounds; dreams and motivations; important people, places or objects in their lives; even astrological signs or MBTI types if that suits your story.  

Get Inside Their Heads
The best character profiles tap into the psychological and emotional landscape of your characters. What singular event shaped who they are? What false beliefs do they hold about themselves or others? How do they handle conflicts, power, trust? Knowing their mental and emotional patterns helps make characters compelling.  

Keep Referring Back
Don’t relegate your character sketches to one-time use. Refer back frequently as you write your first draft. Check if your characters are behaving as outlined. Get to know them even better and see if more distinguishing details emerge that you can add to their profiles. Rich, vibrant characters take time to fully develop. Enjoy unraveling and revealing their unique layers bit by bit.

Writing intriguing, layered characters is a journey full of discovery - for both you and your readers. By using character sketches to map signposts along the way, you can craft characters who leap off the page, pull readers into their lives, and leave lingering, powerful impressions.  

My favorite sources:
The Creative Pen
www.thecreativepenn.com
Matt Bird's The Secret of Story
www.secretsofstory.com

​I hope you find these tips helpful! Let me know in the comments if you have any other character sketch strategies I should try. Happy writing!

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