The Only Outline You Need For Drafting Your Characters
- Blue Pencil Writer
- 28 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Creating compelling, believable characters is hard. After all, it's almost like being a psychologist, you need to know your characters and their minds inside and out. What are they afraid of? What drives them? What are they insecure about? Well, in this article, I guide you through the exact basic outline I use to draft fully fleshed-out characters from the ground up. Whether you're drafting your protagonist, a side character, or even a villain, the points below help me dive deep into who they are—beyond looks and backstory. Feel free to use this as a template, modify it to your needs, or just take inspiration from how I approach developing my beloved characters.
Character's Full Name
You need to know your character's full name. Take the time to consider what their name says about them. Does it reflect their culture or heritage? Was it chosen for a reason or changed by the character later?
Character's Age • Hometown
A character's age and hometown will ground them in time and place. A 16-year-old from a quiet rural town will have a very different worldview than a 35-year-old from a bustling city.
Character's Birthday
Even if a character's birthday doesn't appear in the story, you need to know. Birthdays can be symbolic, memorable, or even plot-relevant. Maybe they share a birthday with a loved one—or hate their birthday due to a traumatic memory.
Basic Information
For me, the basic information I outline is who they live with, their gender, race, and any key identity details. This can help me quickly identify who they are and how they see themselves.
Physical Appearance
You need to have an idea of what your characters look like. Beyond hair and eye color, consider how your character carries themselves. Do they dress to stand out or blend in? Do their scars or style choices tell a story?
Family
Who is their family? Who do they live with? Family dynamics often shape a character’s values, fears, and internal conflicts. Whether they’re close-knit or distanced, these relationships will likely impact them.
Friends
Similarly, you need to consider who your characters trust, and who brings out different sides of them. Do they have a large group of friends or only one good friend?
Nicknames
Does your character have any nicknames? If so, is it just one, or do different people refer to your character differently? Nicknames can help add authenticity and realism to a story.
Emotional Arc
This is just a general outline of your character changes emotionally over the course of the story. Do they grow braver, softer, more honest? In general, the emotional arc reflects their internal journey.
Motivation
Motivation is what drives your character—what they want most. Whether it’s love, revenge, freedom, or validation, your character's motivation should be true to them and also fuel their choices.
Stakes
Stakes refer to what would happen if your character fails. Failing means different things to different characters and could be on a large or small scale. So, are they risking happiness, a relationship, a job, their life?
Wound/Trauma
Your character's "wound" (or wounds) is an event that happened in the past that they still carry with them today. It's an emotional or psychological hurt that, even though it's from the past, still shapes their present behavior. Maybe they were abandoned, or betrayed by their best friend?
Fears
What scares your character? Their fears can range from being more abstract to being hyper-specific. Are they scared of both dolls and death? Or maybe losing their sibling and also peanut butter.
Lies
A lie is something the character believes about themselves or the world that isn’t true. These can be things like “I’m horrible at swimming” or “Vulnerability is weakness.” It creates conflict and may also hold them back.
Negative Life Lessons
Sometimes characters learn the wrong lesson from hardship—like “kindness gets you hurt.” Make sure you know some of the negative life lessons your characters have learned and how they create emotional obstacles for them to overcome.
Worldview
Connected to negative life lessons, what is your character's worldview? What does your character believe about the world or people in general? For instance, “People only look out for themselves,” or “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Secrets:
Open Secret
The open secret is something your character doesn’t hide but also doesn’t really like to express. People know, but it’s just not spoken of, like a criminal past.
Secret That People Close to Them Know
What are secrets that only the people close to them know? This might be something friends or family are aware of, like a medical condition or a past mistake.
Secret They Don't Care About Getting Out
What are some of the more light-hearted secrets your character doesn't care about getting out? Maybe it's that they still sleep with a teddy bear, but have accepted it? Or maybe it's that they failed their last test, but they don't really care.
Secret Only One Person Knows
This secret is one that is often vulnerable or even dangerous. Make sure you consider who the one person who knows is and why your character chose to confide in them specifically.
Secret They Slightly Wish Someone Would Know
While this secret is still unknown, your character should deep down wish someone else knew about it. This shows your character's desire for connection, even if they're afraid to admit it themselves.
Secrets They Never Want to Come Out
These are your character's biggest secrets of all. Whether it's related to a crime or the location of something, these are the secrets they’ll protect at all costs.
Positive Trait
What are the positive aspects of your character? These are traits that are admirable and likable. They help readers root for them. Maybe they're super funny or extremely loyal?
Negative Traits
On the flip side, flaws make characters real. Make sure you balance positive traits with some negative ones as well. Perhaps your character has a very strong temper. Or maybe they are super clumsy.
Painful Memories
These moments were painful events from the past that often shape a character’s behavior and choices. These memories may not be as traumatic as their "wound,' but they still stung. Maybe it's a breakup or a failed test.
Memories from Childhood
What are some memories your character has from their childhood? They can be sweet, confusing, or even mortifying, but either way, they reveal how your character sees the world and where their beliefs began.
Coping Mechanisms
What are your character's coping mechanisms, both positive and not? These are the things your character does to avoid pain. For instance, do they withdraw, lash out at their friends, or paint? These actions should add to your character's personality.
Common Thoughts/Beliefs
What are some of your character's common thoughts and beliefs? These beliefs can either be related to themselves, the world, or a hobby they are pursuing. In general, it's important to know what thoughts loop in their mind. Do they typically beat themselves up for being awkward? Do they usually think egotistically?
Insecurities
Your characters can't be perfect; they need some insecurities for realism and authenticity. What are they ashamed of, or afraid others will see? These insecurities could be related to their appearance, personality, or profession.
Personality
Your character's personality is extremely important! After all, their personality is a combination of practically all the factors above. So, while their negative trait may be that they're quick-tempered, their personality might also include a passion for justice that leads them to speak up when others are quiet.
Voice/Dialogue Style
Does your character ramble, speak formally, use sarcasm, or have a catchphrase? Overall, make sure you note how your character speaks. Knowing this will make their dialogue distinctive and help readers recognize them without a name tag.
Quirks
Quirks are what make your characters truly interesting and one-of-a-kind. They are random, memorable habits or behaviors that make your characters distinct. Maybe your character is always correcting other people's grammar? Maybe they only eat purple foods?
Interests
Make sure you list out all of your character's likes and interests. These should be very specific and also give insight into who they are. What are their hobbies, passions, or niche obsessions that show us who they are outside of the main plot? Do they bake to cope and also absolutely love reading tarot cards?
Profession or Class Schedule
If your character is in the workforce, what's their job? How many hours do they usually work per week? On the other hand, if your character is still young and a student, what classes are they taking? Knowing these details can be helpful later on.
Additional Facts
Here is where I typically list any additional fun or random details that don't fit into the categories above. For example, I may write what type of car my character has, what color dress they wore to homecoming, what their handwriting looks like, what their fashion style is, and when they reached certain milestones.
Plot Timeline
While you may have a complete chapter-by-chapter outline somewhere else, including a brief plot timeline for each character can be super helpful. By listing certain plot points that are key to their individual arc, you can be consistent and thorough. Overall, it helps you track key events from past to present to future to avoid contradictions!
Outlining characters in this much detail might seem like a lot of work upfront, but it's the key to writing stories that are emotional, deep, and also consistent. So, whether you're a plotter or a pantser, having a strong character foundation can transform your writing process and your story! I hope this outline serves you well!
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