1. Character Depth
Character Study

3. Personality Traits

4. Major Personality Differences
Introverted vs. Extroverted
Selfish vs. Self-Centered vs. Self Oriented vs. Selfless
Observant vs. Oblivious
Kind vs. Cynical vs. Unkind
Flexible vs. Non-Flexible
Peaceful vs. Violent
Big Picture vs. Details
Analytical (objective) vs. Looser Thinking (subjective)
Emotional vs. Reserved
Defensive vs. Offensive
Melee vs. Range
Patient vs. Impatient
High-Strung vs. Go-With-the-Flow

5. Power Preference
Powerful Brute Force
Logic and Wisdom

6. Backstory

7. Very Important Make it thorough, make it detailed, make it deep.
The backstory defines your character.
Make it thorough, make it detailed, make it deep.

8. Light Backstory The “charmed” life (sometimes) Usually mundane
Good if you want an innocent & naïve character
Can tailor certain parts to suit the naïveté

9. Light Backstory Example
Yuuki Asuna

10. Dark Backstory Usually tragic or sad
Typically filled with death and hardship
Character is probably cynical and/or has a harsh view of life, or could still have positive outlook

11. Dark Backstory Example
Edward and Alphonse Elric

12. Gray Backstory Most realistic Balance of sadness and happiness
Usually fairly believable
Good for producing a non-innocent character that’s still slightly naïve

13. Gray Backstory
Maka Albarn (Soul Eater)

14. Fears, Flaws, and Aspirations

15. Positive Personality Traits
Adaptable
Adventurous
Broad-minded
Calm
Considerate
Courteous
Diligent
Discreet
Diplomatic
Easygoing
Exuberant
Enthusiastic
Fair-minded
Faithful
Fearless
Forceful
Frank
Generous
Gentle
Helpful
Honest
Imaginative
Impartial
Independent
Inventive
Intuitive
Modest
Neat
Optimistic
Passionate
Patient
Plucky
Practical
Pro-active
Quiet
Rational
Reliable
Reserved
Resourceful
Self-confident
Sensible
Sociable
Sympathetic
Tough
Versatile
Witty

16. Common Fears Fear of War Fear of People Fear of Loss
Fear of Commitment
Fear of Help
Fear of Change
Fear of Success
Fear of Death
Fear of Rejection
Fear of Unknown

17. “Seven Sins” Pride Lust Greed Wrath Sloth Envy Gluttony Father XD
Maybe good idea for protagonist to have one underlying sin

18. Common Hero/Human Flaws
Can’t move on
Pessimism
Lost faith
Too reckless
To cautious
Won’t grow up
Self-centered
Lets others trample them
Under-confident
Shuts people out
Work first, family later
May even be too much of a positive trait; i.e., so kind that others take advantage of them, or too trusting so they fall for traps

19. Weakness Types Psychological Moral
Psychological—character trait within hero that is destroying him/her and his/her life
Moral—harms character and other people; think “how is this harming other people?”

20. “Seven Virtues” Chastity Temperance Charity Diligence Patience
Kindness
Humility

21. Character Goals Drive a plot Change after exposition
Provides place for story to go
May be epic or personal (external vs. internal)
But once a story begins, both your protagonist and antagonist have their lives interrupted by others or by events beyond their control. They’re pulled into a mission or quest or an adventure they hadn’t planned for.
And now their goals have changed. Maybe a man still wants to be left alone to grieve but suddenly finds he must first save a friend’s daughter from the same man who murdered his wife.
Maybe a young woman must scour the universe for the man she thinks is her father.
All characters have goals that help drive story; your goal as a creator is totally different—you want to create tension and show your character’s fears, as well as fighting skills; metaphorical; just give them worthy goals. Your goal is to give audiences a story to remember.

22. External Goals Save world Save princess Recover treasure Destroy enemy
Recover hostage
Diffuse bomb
Neuralize pathogen
Identify murder
Graduate from school
Complete masterpiece

23. Internal Goals Prove himself/herself Be successful
Be the “best” anything (usually 1 thing)
Be better than predictions
Make it one more day
Not kill himself/herself
“Do it alone”
Ask for help
Goal pushes character forward when everything/everyone is pushing back or standing against him/her. Also, internal goal by nature may be more powerful and stronger than a society goal, but sometimes, especially in animes, that’s how subplots are created; a combination of more than one goals, but don’t have too many or else they might clash.

24. Quirks

25. Why So Quirky? Adds interest Makes character memorable
Often quirks determined by backstory
Extreme likes/dislikes are examples
Add depth and make character more human

26. Example Quirks

27. Development and Growth

28. What Makes a Good Arc Lots of change Lots of pain Possibly tears
Lots of misery
Live by the Writer’s Creed

29. 8 Steps to a Growth Arc Give protagonist a fatal flaw
Give him/her multiple flaws
Give him/her a moral weakness (harms others)
Make opponents flawed too
Have character have revelations
Make flaw totally exposed by story’s end
Moral Choice
Change
Moral Choice—have the character have to make a difficult moral choice related to their fatal flaw—the more difficult, the better!
Change—show how much they’ve changed at the end of the story

30. Appearance

31. Appearance as Symbolism
Shows character’s preferences
Colors and style are important
Maybe have meanings in mind when costuming

32. Color Theory Blue—calm, serene, wise, spiritual, creative
Purple—mysterious, magical, luxurious, arrogant
Pink—sensitive, emotional, kind
Red—strong character, energetic, passionate
Orange—courage, warmth
Yellow—happiness, content, indecisive, friendly
Green—peaceful, healing, balance, natural
Black—most mysterious, elegant, strong
White—simplicity, light, hope, purity

33. Hairstyles Also can tell a lot about a character
Bigger & Neon colors usually are shōjo
More conservative ones tell otherwise
Yumi fom Yugioh

34. Clothes Old New Bright Plain Outrageously layered
Defies gravity (or not)
Uniform
Own style
Do they want to go into more detail next lesson?

35. Things to Keep in Mind

36. Avoid the Mary/Gary Sue/Stu

37. Be Specific, Be Realistic
Creating a story is a game. From page 1, your mission is to convince the audience that your characters are real.
More specific usually = more believable
Keep the backstory within reason
Keep the development within reason

38. Other Characters

39. Creating Great Antagonists
Give them:
A goal
A hope
A flaw(s)
Sin?
Virtue?
Redeeming quality(s)
Deep backstory
Growth Arc
Villains are characters, just like the protagonist

40. Example

41. Creating Great Sidekicks
Not as detailed, but still an arc
Can be flat or round
Hopes
Fears
Dreams
Flaws
Issues

42. Example

43. How to Create Minor Characters
Just a sketch
Not very detailed
Flat
“Skins”
Only appear in 1-2 scenes
Skins of characters; not really anything inside in terms of personality

44. Murder >:)

45. Is It Necessary? Is it? What kind of character? How are they dying?
Why are they dying?
Who is killing them?
What will the story be like without them?

46. Checklist Good Reasons Bad Reasons Plot Advance
Fulfills Doomed Personal Goal
Motivation
Fitting Atonement
Theme Emphasis
Creating Realism
Removes Extra Character
Pure Shock Factor
Sadness for Sadness’s Sake
Removing Extra Character
Removing character—first verify if he/she even belongs in the story in the first place if they’re going to be killed off

47. Classify Fatal flaw Notable quirks Appearance Overall outlook
Tragic/dark or Happy/light backstory (circle it)
The three questions if you haven’t already
Remember—presentations due 10/20!

48. Links
110 Most Common Fears Common Hero Flaws: Common Protagonist Goals Goals Heroes and Villains Can Share Light a Fire Under Characters (motivation) Killing Off a Character