GabrielleClearwater posted the Super Character Template for character development, but the thing with that is that it is sooooooo long and asks for a lot of minuscule details. I've used that sheet before, but it just made my characters feel constrained, instead of dynamic and organic.
So, here are some other character development resources that I have used and loved, as well as some world building exercises.
Please feel free to add to the list or post your answers to the linked exercises here. I'll keep this, the master post, updated with the links as well as the linker's username.
Character Development
Lockea
Katfeete's Mary Sue Litmus Test for Writers -- Generates well rounded advice and shows where your character has Sue-like qualities to watch out for.
Fantasy Character Development Worksheet -- Shorter than the superlist, but still asks very relevant questions about the characters. Not my favorite sheet to use. (Scroll down for questions)
TV Trope's List of Characterization Tropes -- Want to know what other people have done to flesh out their characters? This is a brilliant time waster and idea generator.
MissMysty
Artistic License's Character Worksheet -- Long, some minuet details, but overall good for people who are visual-spatial. Actually, might be more appropriate for people writing for adults.
Steampunk Lullaby
Holly Lisle -- Lots of different writer's resources from this well known YA author.
gingitsune-sama
Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test -- LOTS of questions and categories. Plenty of minutiae
World Building
Lockea
Patricia C. Wrede's Fantasy World Building Questions -- Author of the hilarious "Dealing with Dragons" offers some helpful questions about everything from magic to architecture. Some parts are useful for science fiction writers as well. Really, there's a lot of topics covered!
Generators
Lockea
BabyZone's Name Inventor -- Good for making up random names with no meaning. Though some of them sure sound nice. Just... please don't use it to name your real children.
w i g g l e c a k e
Seventh Sanctum-- Lots of different generators with lots of uses. Everything from symbolism to realm naming.
Lady Falchion
Chaotic Shiny -- More generators include a language mixer for making up words, and a map generator.
GabrielleClearwater
Serendipity-- More generators. Great name generators. Perfect for real life/historical fiction, as well as some speculative fiction.
Springhole-- Generators, worldbuilding, character development and other writers resources.
So, here are some other character development resources that I have used and loved, as well as some world building exercises.
Please feel free to add to the list or post your answers to the linked exercises here. I'll keep this, the master post, updated with the links as well as the linker's username.
Character Development
Lockea
Katfeete's Mary Sue Litmus Test for Writers -- Generates well rounded advice and shows where your character has Sue-like qualities to watch out for.
Fantasy Character Development Worksheet -- Shorter than the superlist, but still asks very relevant questions about the characters. Not my favorite sheet to use. (Scroll down for questions)
TV Trope's List of Characterization Tropes -- Want to know what other people have done to flesh out their characters? This is a brilliant time waster and idea generator.
MissMysty
Artistic License's Character Worksheet -- Long, some minuet details, but overall good for people who are visual-spatial. Actually, might be more appropriate for people writing for adults.
Steampunk Lullaby
Holly Lisle -- Lots of different writer's resources from this well known YA author.
gingitsune-sama
Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test -- LOTS of questions and categories. Plenty of minutiae
World Building
Lockea
Patricia C. Wrede's Fantasy World Building Questions -- Author of the hilarious "Dealing with Dragons" offers some helpful questions about everything from magic to architecture. Some parts are useful for science fiction writers as well. Really, there's a lot of topics covered!
Generators
Lockea
BabyZone's Name Inventor -- Good for making up random names with no meaning. Though some of them sure sound nice. Just... please don't use it to name your real children.
w i g g l e c a k e
Seventh Sanctum-- Lots of different generators with lots of uses. Everything from symbolism to realm naming.
Lady Falchion
Chaotic Shiny -- More generators include a language mixer for making up words, and a map generator.
GabrielleClearwater
Serendipity-- More generators. Great name generators. Perfect for real life/historical fiction, as well as some speculative fiction.
Springhole-- Generators, worldbuilding, character development and other writers resources.
