Character Bibles.

I have received a few emails and queries about a character bible. Every time I bring it up in writing circle or critique, I often get the classic “deer in headlights” from new writers. So I am offering the sheet I use and instructions on how to use it. While many writers don’t use a character bible and just keep a few scattered notes here and there, TV and movie writers use them and they help keep the character straight and provide the basis for why the character would or would not act in the situations you place them in.  I find them very helpful but that is me. If using notes works keep on then.

Instructions for using the sheet:

First you need to know where your story is going. Is it a modern fantasy or mystery/thriller or some type of speculative fiction, i.e. fantasy or sci-fi? This really determines the type of people your characters will be.

Decide on the type of characters you want in your story. If you want a tall, willowy blonde or a short, rotund man with dark beady eyes, you as the writer will need to know everything from their age and race to their religious affiliation to whether their parents are divorced and everything in between.

Research your characters. Once you generally know who they are and where they are going, in order to  give them realistic representations in your book, you will need to research their occupation, be it a banker to a sword wielding knight

I cannot stress this enough, a character bible is knowing everything about your characters including their family and relations. You don't have to create a separate bio for the family members but you must be clear on where your character fits into their family and the relationship they have with them.

Using the template you can create a basic summary of your characters, and you need to do one for each one you write about. This summary should include age, weight height, sex, schooling, occupation, where they are originally from and where they currently live.

Once you have this you can keep a fairly detailed character bible that you can continually update for the important character in your stories and how they have grown over the duration of the story or stories.  It also allows you to keep a track of relationships between characters.

Character Bible Sheet-Quick Reference

Real Name:

Age:

Height:

Weight:

Eyes:

Hair:

Occupation:

Other Aliases/Nick Names:

Place of Birth:

Marital Status:

Known Relatives and Relationships:

History:

Appearance:

Abilities/Skills/Talents:

Known Powers:

Weapons:

Limitations:

Character Arc/ Development:

Mistakes New Writers Make.

So with the coming of the critique meeting for the writing circle fast approaching, I have gotten a few emails from some of our newer members regarding their writing.  While I am delighted that they turn to me, I myself am still looking for the agent that believes in my writing to publish me. I explain that to them but they continue to send me missives. The most prevalent questions I will answer here.

The process of writing, or rather how and when they should write. Alright I know that the question is one that cannot be adequately answered by anyone save the writers themselves.

When I write is probably different from when I suspect you write or another writer writes. The creative process is different for all of us.

   

First thing that you should know is that no, you do not have to wake at the break of dawn and sit at your keyboard all day slaving away to get your story written. That is good for some writers and others simply sit down and crank out 2,000 words and pack it up and go on with their day. Some writers find that writing in the cool evening air or even in the darkest hours of night to be when they feel the caress of the muse and write best. There is no best time to write, no correct that the best time to write is when you feel like writing.

A second issue that I see when I am critiquing works is the absolute minutiae that new writers infuse their stories with. I cannot stress that going through the steps of every facet of their routine is not necessary. I know we need to show the character in their normal world so that the conflict that they face is in perspective.

However writing the tedious details of the characters life are not exciting and really kill the story before if begins. Unless the act of dressing in a particular pair of lucky socks plays an important part of the story,  and is will be brought up later, why are you telling us? That is the problem. If you write in a detail like that, when you read your work out loud  and it strikes you as odd, you are probably correct. I always ask writers when I come across such a detail, why? Why is it here?  If they cannot give me a valid reason I tell them to take it out.

Dialogue is a biggie and the third one that I seemingly return too in many of my emails or discussions. I can read what the characters say; I don’t need you to tell me what they are saying. If you write dialogue properly, I and every other person reading the dialogue will understand the characters by how they speak. I don’t need to be told that they are nervous or frightened or excited or angry.

For instance;

Gail stared at Samantha for a moment, her eyes narrowed, “What do you want? Haven’t you done enough already?”
“Stop it; stop blaming me for your mistakes. I told you because I thought we were friends.”

It is obvious that Gail and Samantha have something between them, something that affects Gail negatively. There was no need to add Gail is angry or state that Samantha snapped back because it is pretty obvious in the exchange.

These three issues, when to write, excessive minutiae and dialogue seem to be hardest for new writers. 

My advice is to them all is the same. Write when you feel like writing, but try and write every day to get in the habit of writing. Don’t be obsessive in the details, we don’t need to know everything the character does or wears unless they are important in helping define the character or advance the story. And when writing dialogue you don’t need to tell the reader how the characters are feeling every time they speak. We can tell by the word choices you make when they speak.