Everyday Canvas

Fiction Writing: Emotional Make-up of a Character

Some of the stories I come across on the net concentrate on physical appearance, social concerns, family ties, and personal habits of their characters. If they touch the idea of emotional makeup, it is either very subtle or not conclusive enough. Whereas, real people are, in fact, emotional beings. Their attitudes, self-image, general outlook on life, hopes, fears, motivations, traumas, ambitions, accomplishments, regrets, and obsessions are usually passed over or minimized. Is the person extrovert, introvert or in-between those two things? Does the character evaluate himself, learn something about himself, or come to an understanding of his own makeup by the end of the story? Will there be a change by the end of the story in the way he or she feels? These are all important concerns.

While putting together a character profile, I sometimes go to Buzzfeed, bite-charge.com, or some other site that has personality quizzes, and I take the quiz as if I am the character. I think it is one way to flesh out the character.

Also, I came across this emotional-bio chart. I am putting it here, in case I or any one of us may need it in the future. It you think of something to add to the questions, feel free to do so and maybe write it in a comment, please.

Emotional Mini-Bio Questions

• 3-4 Things this person values in life (family, revenge, success, love, God. integrity, power, peace, pride, privacy, quiet time etc.)

• 3 things he fears the most

• His underlying attitude about life (Things will end up okay; this too shall pass; all for number one; everyone is for himself; it's best to expect nothing so I won't get disappointed; it's better not to dwell in the past and to forgive and forget; if I work at it, I will definitely do it.)

• What does he need to know about another human being in order to accept him as "all right" and trustworthy?

• What would cause this person more pain than anything else possible?

• What would this person consider the most wonderful that could ever happened to him?

• What three words would she use to describe herself, accurate or not?

• How accurate is her self-description?

• What organization most embodies this person's values? (i.e. his church or temple, or other religious institution; mensa; DAR, Veteran Pride, PTA, Bridge Club, Knitting Group, Writers Group, Elks, Firefighters Assoc. AMA, APA)

• Does he belong to that group? Why or why not?