#character resource
Personality is the mostimportant thing about your character.
So, whenever I see character sheets, most people just put a little paragraph for that section. If you’re struggling and don’t know what your character should say or do, what decisions they should make, I guaranteeyou that this is the problem.
You know your character’s name, age, race, sexuality, height, weight, eye color, hair color, their parents’ and siblings’ names. But these are not the things that truly matter about them.
Traits:
- pick traits that don’t necessarily go together. For example, someone who is controlling, aggressive and vain can also be generous, sensitive and soft-spoken. Characters need to have at least one flaw that reallyimpacts how they interact with others. Positive traits can work as flaws, too. It is advised that you pick at least ten traits
- people are complex, full of contradictions, and please forgive me if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but even bullies can be “nice” people. Anyonecan be a “bad” person, even someone who is polite, kind, helpful or timid can also be narcissistic, annoying, inconsiderate and a liar. People are notjust “evil” or “good”
Beliefs:
- ideas or thoughts that your character has or thinks about the world, society, others or themselves, even without proof or evidence, or which may or may not be true. Beliefs can contradict their values, motives, self-image, etc. For example, the belief that they are an awesome and responsible person when their traits are lazy, irresponsible and shallow. Their self-image and any beliefs they have about themselves may or may not be similar/the same. They might have a poor self-image, but still believe they’re better than everybody else
Values:
- what your character thinks is important. Usually influenced by beliefs, their self-image, their history, etc. Some values may contradict their beliefs, wants, traits, or even other values. For example, your character may value being respect, but one of their traits is disrespectful. It is advised you list at least two values, and know which one they value more. For example, your character values justice and family. Their sister tells them she just stole $200 from her teacher’s wallet. Do they tell on her, or do they let her keep the money: justice, or family? Either way, your character probably has some negative feelings, guilt, anger, etc., over betraying their other value
Motives:
- what your character wants. It can be abstract or something tangible. For example, wanting to be adored or wanting that job to pay for their father’s medication. Motives can contradict their beliefs, traits, values, behavior, or even other motives. For example, your character may want to be a good person, but their traits are selfish, manipulative, and narcissistic. Motives can be long term or short term. Everyonehas wants, whether they realize it or not. You can write “they don’t know what they want,” but youshould know. It is advised that you list at least one abstract want
Recurring Feelings:
- feelings that they have throughout most of their life. If you put them down as a trait, it is likely they are also recurring feelings. For example, depressed, lonely, happy, etc.
Self Image:
- what the character thinks of themselves: their self-esteem. Some character are proud of themselves, others are ashamed of themselves, etc. They may think they are not good enough, or think they are the smartest person in the world. Their self-image can contradict their beliefs, traits, values, behavior, motives, etc. For example, if their self-image is poor, they can still be a cheerful or optimistic person. If they have a positive self-image, they can still be a depressed or negative person. How they picture themselves may or may not be true: maybe they think they’re a horrible person, when they are, in fact, very considerate, helpful, kind, generous, patient, etc. They still have flaws, but flaws don’t necessarily make you a terrible person
Behavior:
- how the character’s traits, values, beliefs, self-image, etc., are outwardly displayed: how they act. For example, two characters may have the trait “angry” but they all probably express it differently. One character may be quiet and want to be left alone when they are angry, the other could become verbally aggressive. If your character is a liar, do they pause before lying, or do they suddenly speak very carefully when they normally don’t? Someone who is inconsiderate may have issues with boundaries or eat the last piece of pizza in the fridge when they knew it wasn’t theirs. Behavior is extremely important and it is advised you think long and hard about your character’s actions and what exactly it shows about them
Demeanor:
- their general mood and disposition. Maybe they’re usually quiet, cheerful, moody, or irritable, etc.
Posture:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Posture is how the character carries themselves. For example, perhaps they swing their arms and keep their shoulders back while they walk, which seems to be the posture of a confident person, so when they sit, their legs are probably open. Another character may slump and have their arms folded when they’re sitting, and when they’re walking, perhaps they drag their feet and look at the ground
Speech Pattern:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Speech patterns can be words that your character uses frequently, if they speak clearly, what sort of grammar they use, if they have a wide vocabulary, a small vocabulary, if it’s sophisticated, crude, stammering, repeating themselves, etc. I personally don’t have a very wide vocabulary, if you could tell
Hobbies:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Hobbies can include things like drawing, writing, playing an instrument, collecting rocks, collecting tea cups, etc.
Quirks:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Quirks are behaviors that are unique to your character. For example, I personally always put my socks on inside out and check the ceiling for spiders a few times a day
Likes:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Likes and dislikes are usually connected to the rest of their personality, but not necessarily. For example, if your character likes to do other people’s homework, maybe it’s because they want to be appreciated
Dislikes:
- a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Likes and dislikes can also contradict the rest of their personality. For example, maybe one of your character’s traits is dishonest, but they dislike liars
History:
- your character’s past that has key events that influence and shape their beliefs, values, behavior, wants, self-image, etc. Events written down should imply or explain why they are the way they are. For example, if your character is distrustful, maybe they were lied to a lot by their parents when they were a child. Maybe they were in a relationship for twenty years and found out their partner was cheating on them the whole time. If their motive/want is to have positive attention, maybe their parents just didn’t praise them enough and focused too much on the negative
On Mental and Physical Disabilities or Illnesses
- if your character experienced a trauma, it needs to have an affect on your character. Maybe they became more angry or impatient or critical of others. Maybe their beliefs on people changed to become “even bullies can be ‘nice’ people: anyone can be a ‘bad’ person”
- people are nottheir illness or disability: it should notbe their defining trait. I have health anxiety, but I’m still idealistic, lazy, considerate, impatient and occasionally spiteful; I still want to become an author; I still believe that people are generally good; I still value doing what make me feel comfortable; I still have a positive self-image; I’m still a person. You should fill out your character’s personality at least half-way before you even touch on the possibility of your character having a disability or illness
Generally everything about your character should connect, but hey, even twins that grew up in the same exact household have different personalities; they value different things, have different beliefs. Maybe one of them watched a movie that had a huge impact on them.
Noteverythingneeds to be explained. Someone can be picky or fussy ever since they were little for no reason at all. Someone can be a negative person even if they grew up in a happy home.
I believe this is a thought out layout for making well-rounded OCs, antagonists and protagonists, whether they’re being created for a roleplay or for a book. This layout is also helpful for studying Canon Characters if you’re looking to accurately roleplay as them or write them in fanfiction or whatever.
I’m really excited to post this, so hopefully I didn’t miss anything important…
If you have any questions, feel free to send a message.
- Chick
WRITING HELP/CHARACTER
- writing a bitchy character (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)
- writing a cocky character (1,2,3,4)
- writing a emotion character (1,2)
- How to play a hippie
- Playing the quiet character.
- Portraying the shopaholic.
- Portraying a mute character.
- Portraying a kleptomaniac.
- How to play the stalker.
- Writing distant, indifferent characters.
- How to write a character who stutters.
- Writing a character who is sassy.
- A guide to playing a southern character.
- Portraying characters with crushes.
- How to portray a teen mom.
- How to play a character who is mean.
- How to portray a character high on cocaine.
- Writing a character who is high on amphetamines.
- Playing an efficient male character.
- Portraying the asshole.
- Playing a character who suffers from shyness.
- How to play a mentally ill/insane character.
- Writing a character who self-harms.
- Writing a happy character.
- Writing a character who suffers from night terrors.
- Writing a character with paranoid personality disorder.
- How to play a victim of rape.
- How to RP a blind character.
- Writing a leader.
- Writing a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
- Writing a character with depression.
- Writing a character who is homosexual.
- Writing a character with schizophrenia.
- Playing a fe/male character.
- Writing a character with Nymphomania.
- How to write a worry wart.
- How to write a character with HPD.
- How to write a bad ass character.
- Playing a pansexual.
- Tips on writing a drug addict.
- Tips on writing the pregnant female.
- Writing insane characters.
- Playing a character under the influence of marijuana.
- Portraying a character with diabetes.
- How to play a prankster.
- Playing a character who has been adopted.
- Portraying a vampire.
- Playing a character with an eating disorder.
- Portraying a character who is anti-social.
- Portraying a character who is depressed.
- How to portray someone with dyslexia.
- How to portray a character with bipolar disorder.
- Portraying a character with severe depression.
- How to play a serial killer.
- Writing a tomboy.
- Playing a pyromaniac.
- How to write a mute character.
- How to write a character with an OCD.
- How to play a stoner.
- How to write an asexual character.
- How to play a bitchy/vicious character.
- How to play a character with HPD.
- Playing a pregnant woman.
- Playing the burn-out.
- Writing a “nice” character.
- How to play a gentleman.
- How to play a shy/introvert character.
- How to play a naive character.
- Playing characters with memory loss.
- How to write a character who smokes.
- How to write pirates.
- How to write characters with PTSD.
- How to play a character who isn’t ready for sex.
- How to play the geek.
- Playing the manipulative character.
- Portraying a character with borderline personality disorder.
- Playing a character with Orthorexia Nervosa.
- Writing a character who lost someone important.
- Playing the bullies.
- Portraying the drug dealer.
- Playing a rebellious character.
- How to portray a sociopath.
- How to play a swimmer.
- Portraying a ballerina.
- Playing a promiscuous male.
- Playing a character with cancer.
- How to portray a bubbly character.
- How to portray a power driven character.
- How to portray the shy character.
- Playing a character under the influence of drugs.
- Playing a character who struggles with Bulimia.
- Portraying a hippie.
- Portraying sexually/emotionally abused characters.
- Playing a character with asthma.
- Portraying characters who have secrets.
- Portraying a recovering alcoholic.
- Portraying a sex addict.
- How to play someone creepy.
- Portraying a foreigner.
- Portraying an emotionally detached character.
- How to play a character with social anxiety.
- Portraying a character who is high.
- How to play a strong, female character.
- Writing a character with a hangover.
- Playing angry characters.
- Playing a character who is smarter than you.
- Playing and writing autistic characters.
- Portraying a trans character.
- How to portray a dominant character.
- Playing a character who is faking a disorder.
- Playing a prisoner.
- Playing the opposite sex.
- Portraying a character who has PTSD.
- Playing a character who stutters.
- How to play a depressed character who self-harms.
- Portraying the “dumb” character.
- How to portray a lesbian.
- How to play a blind character.
- How to play a sexual assault victim.
- Writing a compulsive gambler.
- Playing a werewolf.
- Writing a character who is drunk.
- Playing a Brit.
- Portraying a character with amnesia.
- Playing heroes.
- Portraying a witty character.
- How to play a vampire.
- How to play a character who is manipulative.
- Portraying the natural born leader.
- Portraying the character who is flirtatious.
- Writing a nice character.
- How to portray a character who has asthma.
- Playing a character with ADHD.
- Amnesia
- Children
- Losing Someone(2)
- Physical Injuries(2,3)
- Sexual Abuse(2)
- Fight Scenes(2,3,4)
- Horror
- Torture
- How to Describe the Body Shape of Female Characters
- Character Appearance Help
- Words to Describe Voice
- Character Development Exercises
- Art of Character Development
- Introducing Characters
- Characters You Need to Reinvent
- Making Characters Likable
- Heroes and Villains
- Understanding Body Language
- Mental Illness in Writing
- Conflicts and Characters
How about some writing resources for those post-NaNoWriMo blues?
♔ ELLIOTOFRPS does a —— masterlist of phobias / fears ♔As requested, i made a masterlist of exactly 194 phobias with their meanings, and in alphabetical order. You’ll find the most common and least common phobias and you can message me if you have any questions, if you want to learn more, if you have other phobias i should add, etc. Warning: Includes phobias related with sexual content, death, toxics, alcohol, nudity, injuries, pain, etc. This took forever, so a like or reblog would be nice.