Character Sketch

How to design a character. I had fun.

Okay class, today we are going to work on sketching a character. No, not like that, put away the fancy art stuff, what did you think that class was, art class? No, that’s down the hall.

Now, first let’s pick a place. Since I’ve already done this one, you’re going to have to deal with it. I have picked the rainforests of Washington. No, it is not a tropical rainforest, it is a cold one.

Alright now, what type of characters do you fear most when reading? A Mary-Sue type girl? Ok, let’s work from that. How would you define a Mary-Sue? Pretty, always, not necessarily stupid, weak-willed, I like that. What else? Can have almost any interests, but is a push-over for the guy who always comes to her rescue. Basically she blows him all the time, because she doesn’t get the idea of him giving her oral sex. Don’t look at me like that; much to the contrary of popular belief, teachers do not leave school to go hide in a coffin and plot how to torture the students.

So, how do we want to shape out character? Let’s leave her at a girl. What do you mean by plain looking? Alright, let’s give her dirty blond hair, a mild tan, medium build, not fat but not too slender. Should we give her anything else? Ok, a scar on her right arm from where she once got bit by a dog. What do you mean, does she have freckles? What does it matter? You need to leave things like that up to the reader. These people will probably be reading your story for enjoyment, except for me when I have to grade them, so let them imagine it! You can’t just tell everything, some things need to be left unsaid in order for the story to be enjoyable.

Ok, so we have the physical description done, anything else? Does she have a boy friend? No, why? So she hasn’t wanted a boyfriend since she was 15, because she was crushing on a guy who was 18, and he tried to use that to get in her pants. Alright, what about family? Are her parents divorced? No- ok, we could go with they want to be but are waiting until after she goes off to collage. Siblings? Two older brothers, one is in collage and she wishes he would come home more often, the other is in his senor year and she wishes he would move out, because he’s a jerk.

Now, school life. She has a lot of friends? Why? No, she doesn’t because she’s really quiet so it’s hard for her to meet new people. How many close friends? Three, but one is away on a foreign exchange trip. Good grades? Yes, because she’s both naturally smart and she tries hard. We’ll give her neat hand writing because most girls write neatly and do not insult the chicken scratch.

What else? We need to know about her dislikes, likes, interests, hobbies, etc. Well, let’s think about where she lives real quick- rainforest in the mountains, and it’s cold. Ah, hiking! Any thing else? Photographer- she goes along the forest path and takes pictures of the wildlife she sees. So se isn’t scared of the animals because her friend’s dad is a wildlife ranger and he taught her how to be safe. There we go! Now you’re getting the idea! Everything you do is for a reason. Everything you do is tied in with something else.

Do we want her to do something with the pictures? She sells some of them, others she’s entered in art contests, and some she keeps at home to use as cards and what not. Ah, she never draws them because she can’t draw too well. Her parents got her a camera for her- do you want to say for her birthday or for Christmas? Her birthday? Alright.

Do we have a name for her? Not yet? Ok, then what about her dislikes? Her brother, we know that. Ah, English. Who the hell likes English? No I am not an English teacher, I am a creative writing teacher. I can’t care less about the grammar and such.

How old is she now? 17 would be a good age. Is she a push over? No? What is she like then? So she’s  mild going, and doesn’t like to fight, but she isn’t a doormat. Pets anyone? No, she’s allergic. Sports? No, just hiking.

And there is our character. Name? Let’s call her Gracie. There’s the bell. Tomorrow we’ll be talking about how to use the character.