Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Character Chart
Character Chart
Name origin:
Nickname (if any, if so, explain its origin – e.g. who created it?):
Birth date:
Place of birth:
Ethnic background:
Religion:
Current address:
Describe the area in which s/he lives (big city, town, rural, other):
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___ Carefully planned ___ Comfortable
Income level:
Education:
Does s/he drive? What kind of car does s/he own, if any? (Make, model, color, age, etc.):
Marital status:
If married or currently romantically involved, with whom, and for how long?
For current spouse/partner, what does the character call him/her (pet names, nicknames, etc.)?
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Any children (include names, ages, other parent if different from current partner)?
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Height:
Weight:
What is his/her body type (skinny, slim, athletic, curvy, overweight, muscular, etc.)?
Eye color?
Skin tone (pale, ivory, ruddy, tan, olive, brown, black, etc.):
Face shape (round, oval, chubby, thin, long, square, heart-shaped, etc.)?
Whom does s/he most look like (e.g. famous person or relative)?
PRICE:
__ Expensive __ Average
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__ Inexpensive __ Cheap
STYLE:
__ Sloppy
Other accessories:
Natural hair texture (thick, thin, wiry, smooth, wavy, curly, nappy, etc.):
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Natural hair color:
Voice tone (shrill, high, average, deep, squeaky, hoarse, harsh, authoritative, cultured, etc.):
Describe general vocabulary or speech pattern (e.g. educated, precise, pretentious, average, childish,
uneducated, vulgar…):
Mannerisms/demeanor?
___ Cool/confident
___ Volatile/moody
___ Nervous/fidgety/shy
___ Other?
Typical posture:
___ Relaxed
___ Other
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Gestures:
___ Wildly/weirdly
Common gestures (e.g. nail-biting, hair patting, drumming fingers, clenched fists, hands in pockets, etc.):
Finances: (prudent/cautious, average w/some debt, lives paycheck to paycheck, deep in debt, criminal
activity, etc.):
Describe any personal habits, e.g. smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, etc. Are any of these
addictions?
Morning Routine:
Describe the character's morning rituals. Who else is sleeping in the same bed? What time does he/she
wake up? Is he/she cheerful in the morning? What wakes him/her up -- alarm, spouse/lover, kids, pet?
What does he/she do during breakfast-read, watch tv, feed kids, etc.
Afternoon/Workday:
Now describe the character's workday or afternoon behavior. Does s/he work outside the home? How
does he/she get there? Does he/she anticipate, dread, resent the work ahead? Does s/he give the job
genuine attention and effort? Does s/he enjoy this work? Is s/he good at this job? What would he/she
rather be doing? How long and hard is the work day?
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Does s/he stop for lunch? Where?
Dinner:
Does s/he eat at home or go out a lot? If the latter, what is/are his or her favorite restaurant(s)? At
home, who prepares the meal? Who does he/she eat it with? What does it typically consist of? What
goes on during dinner -- tv, conversation, fighting, reading, etc? Who cleans up?
Evening:
What does your character do on a typical evening? Where? With whom? How much does he/she enjoy
it? What is the ideal evening for him or her?
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Bedtime:
Does he/she go to bed at a consistent time? Alone or with someone else? Does s/he usually fall asleep
right way, or is s/he an insomniac? Does he/she dream -- a lot, a little, never? Are most of his/her
dreams scary, pleasant, sexual, imaginative? Are there any recurring dreams? Does s/he sleep well or
poorly (e.g. tossing & turning)?
Skills/Talents:
THE PAST:
Was his/her childhood happy? Troubled? Dull? (And does the character remember it accurately?)
Earliest memory:
Saddest memory:
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Happiest memory:
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Significant past jobs:
Is it a positive/negative memory?
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How is s/he still affected, if at all?
FAMILY OF ORIGIN:
Father's name:
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Describe the father's relationship with character:
Any siblings (include age and birth order, i.e. relative to main character):
Nieces/Nephews, if any:
In-Laws, if any:
Other than the above, who else in the story is part of his/her extended family (e.g. cousins,
aunts/uncles, grandparents, etc.)?
Friends?
Strangers?
Spouse/Lover?
Past spouse/lovers?
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The opposite sex?
Children in general?
Underlings at work?
Competitors?
Any secret attractions? If so, does the other person know it? Has there been any actual
romantic/sexual activity?
In romantic relationships, is s/he generally monogamous or uncommitted? (If the latter, is s/he honest
w/ partners?)
Is his/her sexual behavior inhibited, average, experimental, or reckless? Has this changed (and if so,
why)?
Who's the most important person in his/her life right now, and why?
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Person s/he most misunderstands or misjudges:
Has s/he's lost touch with anyone who was once significant in his/her life? If so, why?
Most uncomfortable when ... (in a crowd, alone, speaking in public, etc.:
What does s/he most value/prioritize? (family, money, success, religion, etc.)
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Is s/he generally compassionate, sensitive to others?
Or self-involved/selfish/oblivious?
Personal philosophy:
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Are these feelings accurate?
How does s/he think others perceive him or her? (And is this accurate?)
Biggest regret:
Other regrets:
Proudest accomplishment:
Other accomplishments:
Biggest secret(s):
What usually causes the problems in his/her life (romance, finances, friends, colleagues, personality
flaws, health, etc.)?
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How does s/he react to change?
Quirks:
What would s/he most like to change about her-/himself, and why?
Does s/he plan to achieve these goals, or does s/he think they're unrealistic?
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Which person in his/her life would s/he least want to emulate?
LIKES/FAVORITES:
Food:
Drink:
Color:
Book:
Film:
Music/Song:
TV:
Sport:
Motto/Quote:
Hangout(s):
Possession:
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