Mark Mathes: Build Your Characters. Use a Character Sheet.
- Sarasota Fiction Writers
- Apr 24
- 4 min read
How to describe your characters in every dimension.
How do you describe a character real or imagined, in fiction, non-fiction or journalism? Bond, Bosch or Reacher, here are some questions to build your character. I update this regularly, so check back.
Feb. 20, 2025
Physical characteristics, appearance
Describe a character physically by showing her in action, saying something, doing something or interacting with others.
When you first meet. Impressions: cheerful, resolute, stern, optimistic, empathetic, passionate, analytical, earnest? Some combination?
Dominant characteristic.
Humor? Anecdotes
Mannerisms. Accent. Tone of voice. Profanity. Vulgarisms.
A habit that defines him.
Slang? Jargon? Large vocabulary? Racism? Sexism?
Languages: Did he speak/read Spanish? Other languages?
Appearance: Height, weight, hair and style. How she stands and moves.
How was she named?
Posture: sit, standing. Slouch?
How does she walk, run, jog?
Facial features. Eyes/glasses/contacts, nose, ears, cheeks, chin, eyelashes, eyebrows, complexion, teeth. Facial hair: beard, goatee, mustache, sideburns.
Tattoos, piercings, scars: symbolic? The story behind the tat?
Right-handed, left? Aroma. Hygiene. Cologne or scents?
Jewelry, type of watch, gadgets and personal electronics.
Describe wardrobe. Hats: what kind? Shoes vs. boots? Shorts vs. long pants. T-shirts? Polo?
How you could tell her profession. Did she wear aviator-style sunglasses? Healthcare device in pocket? Outdoor tan? Clothing with company logo?
Go beyond physical features you see and the facts.
Family: parents, grandparents, children, blended family.
Former spouse(s). How do they get along?
What led to their divorce?
Disability?
What makes this character attractive, handsome?
Favorite foods and snacks. Table manners.
Does she cook, if so what specialties?
What kind of character leads with his nose? A busybody? Does extended chest exude confidence and authority? Chin down make the character reluctant? Hand gestures = expressive, engaged?
The body leads. The intellect and emotions follow.
Home, office, workplace
Describe home: single-family, condo, apartment, mobile home.
How long living there? Why?
Dreams, plans to move elsewhere
Obsessively clean, disorderly, signs of hoarding
Where did the character grow up. How is this different?
Who does she live with?
Favorite area or room in the home.
Neighbors: how do they get along?
Neighborhood
Pets
Does the character entertain?
Vehicles
Collections, hobbies, mementos
A person’s desk and workspace gives insight into habits and values.
Character, morality, goals, values
Describe impressions he made on others.
Attitude: friendly, shy, brusque, distracted?
Describe attitude toward authority: cops, judges, attorneys. Contrast to others in his life: family, friends, the public, kids.
How easily did he make friends?
Character weaknesses and fatal flaws. Always a thrill seeker?
What was she afraid of?
Pick a fight? Walk from it? Defend a friend or stranger?
Does he trust/work with friends from school?
Impressions: how did he leave people? Scared? Respected? Impressed? Willing to follow?
Personalities who seemed to get on her nerves? Intellectuals? Government?
What is her hidden agenda? Skeleton in the closet? Secret goal?
Character defect? Real or imagined weakness?
What does this character want that someone else has?
What creates friction between this character and her spouse, lover, boss, child, sibling or parent?
How does this good character become bad? How does this bad character redeem herself?
What does this character dream about?
When the character tells a lie, is there a pattern? Why does she lie?
What makes this character miserable?
Show what makes this character “mean, nasty and brutal.”
How does this character behave differently among certain people vs. alone? With family?
How does this character value friends in business, socially, in school, in church?
How does the character make the best of a bad situation?
The character may have many weaknesses, even disabilities. What is she good at?
How does this character confound those around her, yet seem true to life?
How does the character find something unexpected? How is she curious?
How does the character relive memories and what do they get out of it?
Tone of voice: high pitched, raspy, guttural?
What does the character stand for: convictions.
What is the character's favorite story?
What’s left unsaid?
The person, behavior traits
Hobbies: music/types. What did he read? What did he do in leisure time? Sports. Hunting? Fishing? Shooting? Gaming? Collectibles? Art/crafts?
Important possessions/things she liked at home? Vehicles?
Pets
Political: was he registered? Did he vote? Politicians, religious role models or leaders he admired?
Where she went to school. Still connected to friends, frats and sororities in college, advanced programs?
What do you know about off-time activities when she’s not working?
What did he like to eat? Where did he eat out?
What did he drink?
Did he use drugs? Which ones?
Faith and worship: what do we know? Organized religion? Independent?
Where he lived. Describe home and neighborhood. Values and types of housing.
Vehicles he drove. Mannerisms.
Tools of the trade: Weapons. Favorites. His skill level. A PI or detective? Body armor? Home security, bug sweeps.
Family: wives, kids. Blended family?
Career successes. Failures. Works in progress.
His profession: what does his spouse know about the business?
Ancestry/parents. Survivors.
What kind of women was he attracted to? Wives? Girlfriends? Did he flirt? More?
How he changed over the period you observed him? What was he like at the end vs. when you first saw him?
Has he been in the news lately?
Many other suggestions on web for describing characters, including these tips.
165 questions to develop characters. From Authority Pub here.
How to Do Biography: A Primer
A quick read and handy reference by Nigel Hamilton, a legendary biographer I’ve heard and met in New Orleans. He just published the 4th volume of his FDR series: War and Peace. He grew up knowing Gen. Montgomery and wrote about him similarly. Excerpt here.
The elements of storytelling
When do we start caring about this?
What happened next?
Where is it leading?
Why do we care?
—mark mathes 020225
80 published books since 2015. Many as editor at regional independent Pelican Publishing in my hometown New Orleans.
My website: writing, editing, publishing website with tips, trends, Florida author news
My publishing career of 5 decades. LinkedIn. Connect there?
Interview I did about publishing trends with author/podcaster Richard Bonte, one of my clients.
President of Sarasota Fiction Writers. I'll send you my most recent newsletter.
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