In this article, we'll discuss:
- The trouble with traditional character sheets for writers
- The flaws with “flaws”
- A psych-centric model for character creation
- The importance of research
- Tips on writing diverse character casts, neurodivergent characters, queer characters, and more!
- A new, FREE character sheet for writers!
Table of Contents
In today’s episode of The Writing Basket, Ellie talks about the minefield of character sheets for writers out there, and why they miss the mark.
In so many ways, character sheets fail to give writers a comprehensive vision of the people they’re trying to create. From lists of likes and dislikes to arbitrary flaws and goals, character sheets often overemphasize personality quirks over analyzing the core of a human being. A psychological approach simply works better!
That’s why I created The Novelty Editing Character Sheet, which you can download for FREE at the end of this article! Based on the endless psychological jabber my girlfriend, a therapist, spews in my direction every day, The Novelty Editing Character Sheet can change the way you see your characters forever!
The Flaws with "Flaws"
The term “flaws” comes up so much when we talk about character creation. And yes, a flawless character is a dull character, but what exactly is a “flaw?” The term “flaw” simply doesn’t describe what’s actually going on in a character’s head. And if you don’t truly know a character’s psychology, how can you write them in an honest way?
It’s important to spend some time analyzing where characters’ feelings come from! After all, if you’re planning out a character based on a list of likes, dislikes, and preferences, how much do you actually understand that character? Not too much! So, what are traditional character sheets for writers missing? How do you get into a character’s head?
A Psychological Approach
Yes, psychology! While the field of psychology has a certain reputation for being vague and difficult to understand, the truth is, this “soft science” has a lot of hard truths about the human experience. It’s definitely a valuable thing to study when you’re writing a character!
So, if we’re basing a character sheet for writers off of psychological principles, where do we begin?
Simple! You describe the environment your character grew up in, and then you list a whole bunch of emotions and how your character has learned to cope with them over the years! With that all figured out, you have a lot of room to explore exactly how your character will approach any emotional situation that they’re thrust into, thereby giving you a surefire path to creating a fantastic character!
Second, you have to look at the character through the lens of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If one of the levels on Maslow’s Hierarchy isn’t being fulfilled, how can your character be happy? Well, they can’t! That’s why it’s important to lay out exactly what they’re lacking, and how they plan to get those things back.
After that, you can explore the character’s social situation—their friends, families, and their relationships. And finally, once you have all that done, then you can finally discuss the likes and dislikes all these traditional character sheets for writers tend to focus on.
The Advantages of This Approach
Okay, so all that might seem a little much. But it’s actually very important to understand your characters through and through! If you’ve got it, then you’ve got it. If you don’t, then you’ll struggle to make your characters feel as real on the page as they do in your head. It’s that simple!
So, if you’re ready, why not take a look at The Novelty Editing Character Sheet for Writers!
The Novelty Editing Character Sheet for Writers!
The Writing Basket mini-podcast tips listeners on writing, character development, and more! Episodes upload every Tuesday and Thursday!
Written by (and starring) Ellie Nalle
