Characters

How do you create a character that is relatable and human? How do you create a character that isn't a Mary Sue or a stereotype?

You might do your best to make sure that they have interesting traits, but you might also feel that your character is lacking something.

Characters are like icebergs. You only see what's above he surface, but there's definitely a lot more beneath that.
So, as a rule, your character should be about 70-80% of what's beneath the surface, and only 20-30% of what's visible.

It's up to you, as the author, to develop 100% of the iceberg of your character.

Don't start with the tip. Just don't.

It's up to you just how much of your character you would like to reveal, but if they are to hold any significance in your story, you need to develop it all.

Humans aren't merely what you see—their hair, clothes, bodies, or interests—they're full of personality, struggles, pasts, thoughts, and feelings that you might never see.

*Warning! This is a super long chapter!*

Childhood

•Where did your character live during their childhood?

•Who did they live with?

• How did the people they lived with treat them? How did they impact the character's life and personality?

•Who were your character's childhood friends? How did they affect your character?

•Did they go to school? What was the environment at their school like?

•What was your character's favorite toy or keepsake?

•What was your character like as a child?

•When did your character realize that their innocence was gone forever, if they had lost it then?

•When did your character know that their childhood was over and that they were no longer a child?

•What did your character fear most as a child?

•Who was their favorite person during their childhood?

•What was the one thing from their childhood that remained with them until adulthood (physical or conceptual)?

•What is their fondest childhood memory?

•What was their worst childhood memory?

•What event in their childhood affected them the most?

•What was their state of health as a child, overall?

Personality

•What is the character's biggest flaw?

•When did this flaw start to surface and become a major problem for them?

•What do they think about their major flaw?

•How does their major flaw prevent them from reaching their full potential?

•What are some other flaws that your character possesses?

•Overall, how do they act upon their flaws?

•How do they act when another character nitpicks at their flaws or confront them about them?

•What is the best positive trait that the character possesses?

•How do they feel about this trait?

•What are some other positive traits that the character possesses?

•How do these positive traits affect them negatively and get them into trouble?

•What traits (positive or negative) would they change about themselves in a heartbeat if they could?

•What traits (positive or negative) are they completely against giving up?

•What is their moral alignment? (Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil, Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil)

Physical and Mental Health*

•Do they have any mental illnesses?

•If so, what symptoms do they show? What symptoms do they have that no one would notice unless they were constantly around this character? What are symptoms that the character dies their suppress or hide?

•Has the character acknowledged their mental illness(es)? Have they been diagnosed professionally, or are they self-diagnosed? Does the character get (or attempt to get) professional help?

•What does your character think about mental illnesses and mental health, whether or not they have them? What do they think about various mental health professionals?

•How do others treat them because of it?

•Does your character have any physical illnesses or disabilities?

•If they do have a physical illness, what symptoms do they display? What symptoms do they refuse to let others see? What symptoms do they only let people they trust know about? What symptoms do people only see if they're with the character a lot?

•How do they deal with their physical illness throughout the day?

•Does your character have a high pain tolerance or a low pain tolerance?

•How does the character feel about their physical illness or disability?

•How do others treat them because of it?

•Does your character have any neurological disorders?

•If so, what symptoms do they show? What symptoms do they typically hide? What symptoms do they only allow certain people to see? What symptoms do people see if they're with the character a lot?

•For disorders that have a spectrum, what part of that spectrum are they on?

•How do they cope with their disorder(s)?

•How do they feel about their disorder?

•How do others treat your character because of it?

Life

•Is your character an optimist, realist, or pessimist?

•What is their life motto?

•What is their greatest fear?

•What is their greatest hope?

•How do they respond to crises?

•How do they respond when things don't go so well?

•How do they respond when things do go well?

•What does the character think about his or her self?

•What's their level of self-worth and self-esteem?

Interests, Goals, Ambitions

•What interests does your character have?

•What are their hobbies?

•How much time do they dedicate to pursuing their hobbies and interests?

•Does your character like to plan ahead, or just wing it?

•What are their five-year goals?

•Do they constantly change their minds about their goals, or do they stick to them?

•What is something they have always wanted to do, but never could?

•Do they want to incorporate their interests and hobbies into their career, or would they rather have those separate from their career?

•How long have they been pursuing their interests and hobbies?

•What is their dream job?

•What is their current job? Why?

Relationships

•What is their relationship status?

•Who were their former significant others or crushes? Why were they attracted to them?

•What is their attitude towards relationships, dating, and marriage?

•What do their relationships typically look like?

•Why didn't past relationships work out?

•Who is your character's closest friend?

•Why are they friends?

•Who are some of your character's other friends?

•What does their friendships look like?

•What is their attitude towards friendship?

•Who is a part of the character's family?

•Who is their closest relative?

•Is their family members biological, step, adoptive, foster, or a mixture of these?

•Do they live with the nuclear family or with the extended family? Or have they moved away from their family?

•Do they have children of their own?

•What family members do they rarely see/speak to or they have closed or lost touch contact with altogether?

•What family members does your character despise?

•Do they have any siblings? What does their relations with their siblings look like?

•How often does your character's family gather together?

•How does their family treat them?

•Who are the most toxic members of their family?

•Who does your character work with?

•Who is your character's favorite co-worker?

•Who is their least favorite?

•How does your character feel about their superiors?

•How do the people your character works with treat them?

•Does your character speak to their co-workers outside of work?

•Who are their most toxic co-workers?

External Features

•What's their name?

•What's their gender?

•How old are they?

•What age do they appear to be?

•What color is their hair? What hair cut do they have? What's the texture of their hair? Do they dye their hair?

•What's their race/ethnicity?

•What's their height?

•What's their body type and weight?

•What color are their eyes?

•What does the character wear?

•Do they care about their appearance? Do they practice regular grooming, wear makeup, etc.? Are they hygienic?

•Do they have any tattoos, piercings, or other body modifications?

•Are they missing any body parts? If so, do they have prosthetics or transplants?

•What are their most noticeable physical characteristics?

•What does the character think about their appearance?

•What do they think others think about their appearance?

•What do others think about the character's appearance or treat them for it?

•What does your character generally smell like?

•Does the character have any blemishes, dark circles under their eyes, etc.?

•What is the character's favorite outfit or accessory?

•What would your character change about their appearance if they could?

If you have reached this part of the chapter, I applaud you. This was all of the questions O could think of to help you develop your characters. Enjoy!

*When researching the various illnesses, disabilities, etc., please read sources written by people who have them, rather than listed symptoms alone.