Creating Compelling Characters

Every Character Needs…To be unique

To have a purposeFor things to get uncomfortable (conflict)

To change or grow during the course of the story

The DoctorAmyRory

Rory’s dad

Fight the Stereotype

Turn the stereotype on its head.Build flesh and blood people, who have depth

and are unique.

Everyone is the star

Character Worksheet-Helps me find who my

characters are-Quick reference-Always changing

-I do this sheet for all my important characters

Let’s take this step by step with one of my new

characters.

Who is he?Name: Prince Trevyn Echad Chorek Nathek Hadar of ArmaniaAge: 14Appearance (tags): tall & skinny, dimpled smile, long neck, wrinkled clothing, often seen running and yelling out, “Sorry!”Famous counterpart(s): a young Indiana Jones (Alfie Enoch)One-word descriptor: *Curious

Myers-Briggs-www.celebritytypes.com

-Pick a famous person or character

Use Personality Tests

Trevyn: INFPThe Healer/DreamerJ. R. R. Tolkien

Mason: INTJThe MastermindIsaac Newton

The 5 Love Languages

-Words of affirmation-Quality time

-Gifts-Acts of service-Physical touch

TrevynQuality time/gifts

Tags

Harry Potter: green eyes, lightning-shaped scar, glasses, messy hairHermione Granger: buck teeth, bushy hair, cleverRon Weasley: red hair, freckles, long nose, gangly, poor, shabby clothingRubeus Hagrid: huge, shaggy hair and beard, beetle-black eyes, loves animalsAlbus Dumbledore: long silver hair and beard, half-moon glasses, long fingers, sense of humor—twinkling eyesMinerva McGonagall: square spectacles, green clothes, hair in bun, severe/strictSeverus Snape: long greasy black hair, hooked nose, sallow skin, calculating, mean, talks slowlyDraco Malfoy: pale, blonde, pointed face, arrogant, rich

Identifiers for characters that set them apart from others*

Prince Trevyn’s Tags

Tall & skinny, dimpled smile, long neck, wrinkled clothing, charcoal-

smudged fingers, rolls of maps under his arm, often seen scaling walls or

running through the palace and yelling out, “Sorry!” after he has

knocked people over.

TitlesActual names:Prince Trevyn

His Royal Highness / Your HighnessThat boy (by his mother)

Your Magnanimousness (by Hinck)Trev (occasionally by Hinck)

Life roles:Prince, son, brother, friend,

firebrand, truth-finder, explorer, celebrity, potential husband

Important Backstory-Two months before Trevyn was born, some of his older brothers were sacrificed to the god Barthos. As the thirdqueen’s firstborn son, this made her an obsessively protective mother, smothering him.-His brother Willek, who is ten years older, was deeply affected by the deaths of his brothers. This caused him to be very protective of Trevyn.-Trevyn grew up in a castle filled with politics. His father has three wives and people are always looking for ways to get on Trevyn’s good side to gain power at court. Trevyn hates all of that.-As a lesser prince, the king decreed that Trevyn would become a priest.-Father Tomek took Trevyn out to sea for the first time when he was six. The sea became a safe-haven for him from his paranoid mother.-A year ago, a girl pretended to like Trevyn. He found out his brother Janek put her up to it with the promise that he’d get Trevyn to marry her, thus making her a princess. Trevyn hasn’t trusted girls—or his brother Janek—ever since.

Goals & MotivationsDay-to-Day Goal: Explore and perfect his maps of the coastlineStory Goal (external): Solve his mentor’s murderStory Goal threatened by: Evil priestsThe Push/Pull that makes him act: Room is ransackedSecond Goal: Spend time with MielleConflicts with first goal: Both goals demand his time. Plus he doesn’t want to put Mielle in danger.

Goal he lives by (*internal*): Freedom Emotional Life Goal: To matter. To be someone’s #1.How this shows: By proving to others that he is rightHe most values (take it away): FreedomWilling to die for: That his people would know the truthGreatest dream: To find new land beyond the bowlNoble Cause: To go where no man has gone before—and in that prove himself unique and worthyGreatest fear (make it happen): Being locked up/loss of freedom

More Goals & Motivations

Personality & AttributesPersonality descriptors: Impulsive, easy-going, creative, loyal, guarded, passive aggressive—purposely risks his life (No one would miss him, anyway)*Methods of action: Works best alone, perfectionist, must have meaning or he won’t do it, if someone says no… *Methods of evaluation: Observes, readsSkills: Artistic, detailed, fast, athletic, smartFlaws: Sensitive, evasive, emotional, hates criticism, acts indifferent towards his friendsTraits/Quirks: Acts disinterested, fearless, untrusting, doesn’t like to sit, never gets lostHobbies: Map-making, exploring, parkour, climbing, any life-risking activity, annoying his mother

Extra Conflict & Growth

Story change he must face: God is realHow can I make life worse? Take away all his real friends (Willek, Hinck, and Mielle)What can I threaten? The truth, his freedomWhat else can I take away? MielleSix things that need fixing: Impulsive, stubborn, powerless to make his own choices, has a subconscious death wish, untrusting (afraid to risk his heart), he acts indifferent to his friends (Hinck)

Six Things That Need Fixing*

Dramatica Theory’s Eight Archetypal Characters

Protagonist Antagonist Guardian Contagonist

Reason Emotion Sidekick Skeptic

Character Interactions

Protagonist/Antagonist: Trevyn / Prince JanekGuardian/Contagonist: Father Tomek / Trevyn’s motherReason/Emotion: Prince Willek / Miss MielleSidekick/Skeptic: Cadoc/Hinck

Character’s PastHappiest moment: When he took his first ride in a ship with his mentor and learned to draw a map of the coast .Dark moment: When his mother was cast aside from the king and took it out on him.Lie he believes: His live is meaningless—he doesn’t matter to anyone, except as a pawn.Mantra he lives by: Life is too short to worry about anything—enjoy today because tomorrow you might be in chains.*Interesting thing about his mantra—He’s forcing himself to believe it, but daily his instincts tell him differently. But the lie he believes about himself is stronger than the evidence that opposes this statement.