How to Write an Effective Character Sheet

Writing an effective character sheet is a necessary evil in the world of writing novels. Without a character sheet, it makes it very difficult to keep up with the people in your book, and how to make them react properly to the situations you create for them. Here is an effective method of how to write an effective character sheet for your novel.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Scratch Paper
• Hand Held Voice Recorder
• Pencil with Eraser

Using a Character Sheet Effectively

1. Write down all the characters that are to be in your novel. You should start off with name, personal measurements, personal motivations, and the part they will play in your book. This information certainly can change through the course of the book, but you have to start somewhere. Keep this sheet updated both on paper and in the computer. The reason is because the paper sheet will be referred to over and over again while you write.

2. Infuse life into the characters by relating their emotions to the character sheet. Characters must stay true to themselves and their nature for a novel to keep being believable. Those core beliefs should be added to an effective character sheet.

3. Speak about each character into a voice recorder before you write down your ideas. This will save you invaluable time with corrections. This voice recorder will also be your life line to your novel. Keep it with you all the time to take down ideas as they come to you at the weirdest times. Sometimes it is not practical to find a sheet of paper and paper gets lost anyway.

4. Add new information to characters on a regular basis. This character sheet will grow in size as you write your book. Some writers find this to be extra writing but this is time well spent. If you have a solid foundation about the characters in your novel, then writing the novel will flow much easier. You will see the motivations and reactions of your characters more readily.

5. Keep your character sheets long after you finish the novel. There are many reasons for this but some include: sequels, memory, reusing minor characters, spin offs, and finally examples and templates. An effective character sheet is a wonderful tool to help a beginning novelist.

Tips & Warnings

• Speak the information first for your character sheet.
• Write the information for your character sheet to have it readily on hand.
• Finally, put the information in a computer file once it is finalized.
• Do not feel as though you can not make character adjustments. It is all part of the creative process.

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