Character development--useful tips for writing the character in my script

Facts when introduce the character (The Creative Writer. Addison-Wesley, 1998)

1. Physical Details about the character: Is he/she short, tall, thin, old, etc?

1. Physical environment surrounding the character: Is he/she on a desert island, in an urban community, living in the mountains, etc?

1. The other characters surrounding the character: What kinds of people does the character associate with?

1. The things that the character does: Does he/she go to school, fly an airplane, eat pizza every night for dinner, etc?

1. The things that the character says or thinks: These things reveal the character’s feelings and opinions about things

1. His/her family: relationships, beliefs, habits, religion, activities, etc. We are all greatly influenced by our family.

1. His/her vices: illnesses, drinking or swearing, compulsive spending, obsession with sweets, etc.

1. His/her pet peeves: disorganization, grammatical mistakes, slow drivers, etc. These things say a lot about a character’s personality.

1. His/her daily schedule: school, work, errands, etc. The narrative must weave around the character’s schedule, so it is good to detail it.

1. His/her strong point: strength, determination, forgiveness, etc. This trait may help the character to overcome hardship in the narrative.

1. His/her nicknames: Readers can learn a lot about a character by what his/her friends call them and why