Character Profile
Earlier we
discussed knowing your characters—how they look, feel, and think; their flaws;
their goals and more. That’s a lot to remember about your major and supporting
characters. If you can remember all that from day to day and week to week you
have an amazing memory. But if you're like me, from one day to the next I can't
remember whether it’s my protagonist or antagonist that has curly long brown
hair and green eyes.
In order to
keep track of these details I use a tool from The Writer's Little Helper by James V. Smith, Jr. I expanded
on what Smith had to offer and call it a character profile. Smith keeps his on
a 5x8 index card. I keep mine on the computer, though sometimes print it out
for quick reference. If you are planning a series, this profile page is
particularly useful. After all, your fans will notice when your protagonist
visits her mother in book two, when in book one you briefly mentioned she was
an orphan. This profile will also keep you on track if your character begins to
take over and lead you down the wrong path.
I’m all
about making life simple. If you’d like to use my character profile rather than
create one of your own, email me at deb [at] debralbutterfield [dot] com.
Keep track of your characters.
Debra L.
Butterfield © 2012
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