To create my new novel TOBY FARRIER I need to construct the details of each character.
I have adapted a sheet developed by Merlene Fawdrey, converting the information into a table that I can use to build character profiles for the protagonists of each story.
I find a written character profile to be absolutely necessary, it helps me maintain consistency through the story. When I was writing KUNDELA for some reason I changed the names of the two characters part way through and it took ages to fix. I also read on Fleur McDonald's website that she uses photos as prompts as well and so later today I may be seen carousing the newsagent's shelves for teen magazines.
For the next week only, here is a look at what makes Toby, Toby.
NAME: : Toby Farrier
Position in story: : Main Character
Age:
|
15
yrs
|
Nationality:
|
Australian
|
Socioeconomic
level as a child:
|
Lower
Middle Class
|
Socioeconomic
level as an adult:
|
N/A
|
Hometown:
|
Stanhope
Victoria
|
Current
residence:
|
Lives
with Arthur in Brunswick
|
Occupation:
|
Year
10 Student
|
Income:
|
N/A
|
Talents/skills:
|
Bright
Student, Inquisitive, loves writing and loyal
|
Salary:
|
Pocket
Money from home only
|
Relationships:
|
|
Birth
order:
|
First
|
Siblings
(describe relationship):
|
Eldest
child who disrupts his other 2 siblings
|
Spouse/partner
(describe relationship):
|
|
Children
(describe relationship):
|
|
Parents
(describe relationship):
|
Father:
Darren Mother: Tracy have a hard time with Toby’s disruptive
behaviour.
|
Grandparents
(describe relationship):
|
Arthur
Farrier takes him in and gives him a new focus.
|
Grandchildren
(describe relationship):
|
|
Significant
others (describe relationship):
|
|
Relationship
skills:
|
Good
communicator, has made new friends since moving to the city.
|
Physical Characteristics
|
|
Height:
|
160
cm
|
Weight:
|
55
kg
|
Race:
|
Australian
|
Eye
Colour:
|
Brown
|
Hair
Colour:
|
Black
spiky styled hair with blonde tips
|
Glasses
or contact lenses?
|
Gold
rimmed round lenses
|
Skin
colour:
|
Light
olive
|
Shape of
face:
|
Square
good looking pinned earlobes
|
Distinguishing
features:
|
Jagged
scar on left cheek from a broken bottle in a school yard fight
|
How does
he/she dress?
|
Likes
skinny leg jeans, white muscle Tee shirts and sand shoes.
|
Mannerisms:
|
Once
fidgety and on edge he has calmed under Arthur’s tutelage
|
Habits:
(smoking, drinking/drugs/addictions etc.)
|
Loves
Allen’s Snakes and enjoys a roast lunch with Arthur on Sundays
|
Any
physical illnesses?
|
None
|
Health:
|
Fine
never sick
|
Hobbies:
|
Played
a bit of Aussie rules to please his dad but would sooner read and write
stories.
|
Favourite
sayings:
|
Come
on Toby focus, we can do this. Maate!
|
Speech
patterns:
|
Normal
well spoken Aussie English
|
Disabilities:
|
None
|
Style
(Elegant, shabby etc.):
|
Trendy
Target
|
Greatest
flaw:
|
Quick
to anger but now under control
|
Best
quality:
|
Loyal
and Honest
|
Personality Attributes and
Attitudes
|
|
Educational
Background:
|
Still
at school
|
Intelligence
Level:
|
Top
10 student in every class at high school
|
Any
Mental Illnesses?
|
Parents
thought he had ADHD but a change of glasses by Arthur’s optometrist turns his
attitudes
|
Learning
Experiences:
|
Watches
listens learns ad takes lots of notes
|
Character's
short-term goals in life:
|
Get
through school
|
Character's
long-term goals in life:
|
Famous
novelist
|
How does
Character see himself/herself?
|
Confident
and able no challenge too big.
|
How does
Character believe he /she is perceived by others?
|
Super
cool by a few friends but despised by the thug element in his school because
of his quick whit
|
How
self-confident is the character?
|
He
doesn’t believe his own publicity grounded and knows his limitations. Works
to his strengths
|
Does the
character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?
|
Logic
|
What
would most embarrass this character
|
Being
reminded of his early ADHD (he keeps this link very close to his chest)
|
Spiritual Characteristics
|
|
Does the
character believe in God?
|
He
hasn’t been influenced or exposed to any formal religion but wonders about an
afterlife
|
What are
the character's spiritual beliefs?
|
|
Is
religion or spirituality a part of this character's life?
|
|
If so,
what role does it play?
|
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