While I've been character building for Illusions of Control THE FINAL DRAFT, i found a really decent character builder for defining your characters. basically answer the following questions and see how your character develops. I've found it really useful so far.
PHYSIOLOGY
Height:
Weight:
Appearance:
Defects/scars:
Clothing:
Build or Figure:
Hair/eyes:
Health/strength:
Physical Skills:
Attractiveness:
Voice Quality:
Complexion:
Athletic Ability:
SOCIOLOGY
Occupation:
Work History:
Education:
Birthplace/upbringing:
Past/present home life:
Hobbies:
Ethnic Roots:
Political Views:
Affiliations:
Work Environment:
Criminal Record:
Religion:
Social Status:
Private Life:
PSYCHOLOGY
Fears/phobias:
Prejudices:
Pet Peeves:
Superstitions:
Ambitions:
Personal Problems:
Intelligence:
Secrets:
Values/beliefs:
Complexes:
Habits:
Motivations:
Imagination:
Disposition:
Attitudes:
Inhibitions:
Addictions:
Moral Stands:
Temperament:
Likes/dislikes:
What’s Their Dominant Trait:
What Do They Feel About Themselves:
What Do They Feel About Others in Story:
Most Important People in Life:
How Do They Relate To Each Character:
What’s The Worst Thing That Could Happen To Them:
What’s The Best Thing That Could Happen To Them:
How do they handle:
Stress:
Pressure:
Relationships:
Problems:
Emotion:
Are they:
Extroverted or Introverted:
Intuitive or Analytical:
Active or Passive:
What’s their most:
Traumatic Experience:
Thrilling Experience:
AUDIENCE STUFF (do they have the following):
Outside goal that the audience will care about:
Powerful, personal motivation for achieving said goal:
Opposition character capable of doing great damage:
Human emotions, traits, values, and imperfections that people can identify with:
Their own point of view:
Details, extensions, idiosyncrasies and/or expressions that are uniquely theirs:
A life and voice (dialogue) of their own:
A key event from the past that has given rise to a character flaw:
An inner need that they’re unaware of at first:
CHANGE:
How do they change throughout the story:
How are they different at the end of the story:
What do they know that they didn’t know at the beginning:
What is their perception of reality:
Does that perception change by the end of the story:
What emotion should this character evoke:
Will the audience identify with them on some level:
