character development tips

Nothing is keeping you from creating your own character, one that has truly never existed before, except yourself.

Oftentimes, a few very specific notes about a character can say more than volumes of generalizations.

A good metaphor can build a rich character image better than paragraphs of dry description.

Be careful of stereotypes, and don't just cobble your character together from books you've read or movies you've seen.

• Step 1: The Big Three

  Start by determining THREE ADJECTIVES that sum up your character FOR YOU.

  This tip comes first because it can be a focus in answering all of the other questions below.

• Step 2: Your Character's Background

  Here are ten questions that will give you a good start toward understanding your character's background:

  1. How old is he/she?

  2. Where was he/she born?

  3. What did his/her parents do for a living?

  4. What religion did his/her parents practice?

  5. What was his/her relationship with his parents like?

  6. Where did he/she live as a child?

  7. Was anything happening historically during his/her childhood?

  8. How did he/she spend his/her time as a child?

  9. Was he/she happy as a child?

  10. How did he/she decide what to be as an adult?

• Step 3: Your Character's Personality

  Here's ten questions that can help you define your character's personality:

  1. Are there any adjectives which embody their personality?

  2. Does their personality remind you of an animal or object?

  3. What are their goals and motivations?

  4. How far will they go to achieve their goals?

  5. What do they fear most?

  6. What do they love most?

  7. How competitive is your character in various aspects of their life?

  8. What are their best and worst qualities?

  9. How do they act when they first meet men? Women? Non-binary folx?

  10. How do others react to your character?

• Step 4: Painting The Picture

  Oftentimes, the visual image of a character can go a long way toward creating the whole character. Paint a picture in your head. Consider the following aspects of your character's appearance: height, build, eyes, hair, skin tone, and notable facial features.

  Further, how your character dresses can also reveal a great deal about them. We all wear uniforms, whether we admit it or not. The style, color, age, and associated stereotypes of a character's wardrobe can show allegiances, points of view, and personal self confidence.

• Step 5: Personal Connections

  For each stage in your character's background (childhood, teen years, college, young adulthood, etc.), think about the people who affected them. These could be friends, relatives, teachers, enemies, lovers, or whoever. Build an image of these people, and record some details about them. Imagine how they changed your character and where their relationship stands now.

  Also, define your character's relationship with the rest of the cast. Who are they close to? Who acts as a foil? Who contrasts with your character? Who is similar? This is also a good opportunity to consider what is going to make the other actors like your character. What qualities make them a character others will find as interesting as you do? What qualities may make people dislike your character? The answers to these questions can be pivotal in deciding how much fun you will have playing this character.

• Step 6: Pivotal Events

  Essentially, the idea is to build up an understanding of the pivotal events in your character's past. What was their first real encounter with death? With love? With betrayal? When and where did these events take place? Who was involved? How did these events change their point of view? Try role-playing these events with a partner to deepen your understanding of your character.

• Step 7: The Voice

  One of the most important steps in getting into character is mastering your role's particular voice. Does your character talk fast or slow? Does he/she talk a lot or hardly at all? Deep voice? High voice? Does your character speak with any sort of accent? What phrases or figures of speech do they tend to use? Do they view talking as a tool or as social interaction? Is their voice soft? Abrasive? Enthusiastic?

  If every character has a distinct and believable voice, it makes complex dialogue scenes clearer, especially if the actors are playing more than one character. It also makes slipping into your role easier once you've grown comfortable with it.

• Step 8: Posture and Expression

  Step back and take a look at your character. How do they stand? How do they sit? How do they walk? Relaxed? Slouched? Straight? Is there a particular stance they tend to take? If so, take a moment to assume that stance yourself and think about it. Oftentimes, putting yourself into a single pose which you associate with your character can instantly snap you into the role.

  Just as a character's bodily stance can reveal truths about them, so can their facial expressions. I once saw a character played whose entire personality centered around the way the actor clenched his teeth. That one simple gesture communicated anger, impatience, and even the character's personal philosophy. It also helped the actor stay in character.

• Step 9: Action & Reaction

  This game needs another person to play, preferably the Storyteller or a fellow actor. Have this other person present you with a situation and describe how your character would react to it. These situations could be actual events from your character's past or they could be purely theoretical. They should be situations which challenge the character's views of the world and their own moral code. This is also a good exercise to help you get used to playing your character.