Character Profiles Fixed My Fiction

Aquarium lurking, interviews, and the work before the writing

Me, in an aquarium bathroom, for “research.”

You’ve probably heard the debate about “pantsers” vs. “plotters” in novel writing. “Pantsers” fly by the seat of their pants, jumping in and writing their novel with little advance planning. “Plotters” outline and plan and character sketch in advance. In novel writing, I was always a plotter.

But for some reason when I wrote short stories, I didn’t think I needed to be. All the careful outlining, character sketching, and advance preparation I did for my novels went out the window. I thought, because it was a shorter form, I could wing it. And sometimes I could. But most of the time, my short stories fell flat.

Finally, one professor helped me identify the main issue—character. I had written a short story about a girl working at an aquarium, feeling stuck in her life after her father’s passing. My professor, Jason Mott, a novelist and National Book Award winner, began workshop by asking me some questions.

“So, what was Star’s relationship with her dad like?”

I hesitated, “She loved him?” I said, knowing it was pathetically vague.

“Okay. What about her brother. What makes Star different from him? Why was he able to move on and not her?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, casting around the classroom like the answer might be written on the wall. I felt embarrassed. How had I not already thought about these questions?

Jason, being the very kind professor he always is, quickly took pity on me and asked me easier questions about Star. Her likes, dislikes, what she wants in life etc. But I couldn’t answer those either.

I left class with an assignment. I needed to get to know my character better. Jason sent me a character worksheet (included below), and told me that many of my questions and issues with the story would likely be fixed if I completed the worksheet.

At the same time, I was enrolled in a nonfiction workshop. This professor emphasized the importance of research, interviews, and actually going to the places you’re writing about to bring your pieces to life.

(Above: the very cute otters at the aquarium which I just had to add in my story)

I decided to combine each of their advice and visit the local aquarium. I happened upon two young girls working the touch pool and began to chat with them. I peppered them with questions: “What was it like to work at the aquarium?” “What made them decide to work here?” “Which fish or creatures were their favorite and why?”

Then, I took their answers and plopped down in front of the two-story, floor-to-ceiling shark tank, watching the hammerheads and nurse sharks circulate in the eerie blue water as I filled out Star’s character profile on my laptop. Jason was right. Many of the knotty problems in the story untangled easily as Star developed. And the details I gleaned from my aquarium visit fleshed out her character and the setting. Sure enough, when I submitted this new draft of the story for publication, it was accepted at Cleaver, a well-known literary magazine, and will be published in a few weeks!

Now, rather than writing a shitty first draft before I take the time to complete a character profile, I always start my writing process with a profile, and my stories are so much better for it.

Writing Prompt:

Find a story of yours that you have relegated to your drafts—one you were excited about, but for whatever reason just couldn’t make work. This could also be an idea that you’ve been excited about for a long time, but just haven’t been able to figure out how to get started. Fill out the below character worksheet for your protagonist. You will get annoyed. You will think, “Do I really need to answer this question?” or “Can’t I just skip this?” or “Fuck it. I’m just going to start writing my story.” I felt all of this the first time I used this worksheet, and I still feel mildly annoyed every time I fill it out. But by the time I’m done, something magical has happened. I understand my character—and usually, I’ve learned something very important about my story that I didn’t previously realize. So be patient, trust the process, and get to know your character deeply before you dive into stories. Trust me, your stories will thank you.

Character Worksheet:

Name:

Birthplace:

Birth date:

Age:

Height:

Weight:

Hair color:

Eye color:

Other general physical traits (observable):

General physical traits (intimate):

Scars or handicaps (physical, emotional, or mental):

Style of dress:

Education:

Occupation or work experience:

Income:

War service:

Marital status:

Ages and names of children (if applicable):

Parents (names, physical traits, other info):

Siblings (names, physical traits, other info):

Best friend:

Other Friends:

Enemies (and why they are):

Conflict or issue:

Development or worsening of the issue:

Basic nature of character:

Strongest and weakest character traits:

Sees self as:

Is seen by others as:

Sense of humor—type:

Ambitions:

Philosophy of life:

Favorite colors:

Hobbies, pastimes, diversions:

Music, art, reading materials preferred:

Sports (participant):

Sports (spectator):

Description of home (physical, mental, and emotional atmosphere): .

Most important thing(s) to know about the character:

One-line characterization:

What trait will make the character come alive for the reader, and why?

Why is the character worth writing about?

Why is this character different from other characters?

Do you like or dislike this character, and why?

Will the readers like or dislike the character, and why?

Characters that are remembered are those who are strong in some way: saints, sinners, or a combination of both. Why will this character be remembered?

The extremely depressing touch pool, which became the inspiration for the story’s title, “Touch Pool,” as well as the opening scene.

Sound off in the comments about your experience using this worksheet! Did it help? Did you hate me a little bit while you filled it out? Have you ever used character worksheets in your writing before?