KANNAOPHELIA'S PROFILE

Making lists of characteristics or filling out character profile templates never works for me. (I should say that I'm working on what is only my first non-text game, but I write.) What I personally do is start with the story, and a brief outline of a character type, and I find the character develops and takes shape as I write.

For example, I start with a quiet girl, not too pretty, with a crush on her best friend. That was what I needed, structurally.

The rest develops organically out of the plot and by asking myself what made her that way. I end up with a girl who seems cheerful, meek and compliant, but will break the rules secretly, who will present an acceptable face to the world while struggling with hidden feelings, who is loyal and loving to her friends but could go either way under pressure, showing either reckless courage or treachery caused by panic. Someone who lies to herself as well as to others, who is self effacing and prone to bitter jealousy. All that from "quiet girl with crush".

And from that, I started to think about her background, what about her life and her parents taught her to outwardly comply but secretly reach for what she wants now that she is an adult. Very little of it will make it to the game, but it will help make me write her consistently and in character.

Above all, she is what the plot needs her to be.

For many other people, though, character first, story lasts works better. If you are one them I would recommend googling character sheets; there are so many of them out there, of varying complexity, and all would be good starting points to ask yourself what makes your character tick. And once you know that, the rest should follow.