If it ain't got that...

4. One of the first and most enduring character building tools I’ve run across to date is the Character Profile Worksheet. This is a multiple page worksheet that you can either print out or save to a word document and fill in on the computer. It asks numerous questions about your character and allows you to build your character’s back story as well as identify character idiosyncrasies.

5. Creating a character that is the proper proportion of darkness, angst and pathos is a unique skill. One of the masters of the dark angst ridden detective is Rick Riordan. Not for nothing but he’s also a homeboy. To get an idea of how Riordan crafts his dark and mysterious Tres Navarre check out http://www.rickriordan.com/character_profile.htm

6. Along with Carol LaFever and Sue Viders, Tami Cowden has written The Complete Writers Guide to Heroes & Heroines:16 Master Archetypes which explores characterization of protagonists. Ms. Cowden’s website http://www.tamicowden.com/ includes more information on building and creating characters and endowing each with their own distinct persona.

a.Characterization
b.Archetypes
c.Craft