Saturday 27 October 2012

Toby Farrier: Character Profile


To create my new novel TOBY FARRIER I need to construct the details of each character.

I have adapted a sheet developed by Merlene Fawdrey, converting the information into a table that I can use to build character profiles for the protagonists of each story.

I find a written character profile to be absolutely necessary, it helps me maintain consistency through the story. When I was writing KUNDELA for some reason I changed the names of the two characters part way through and it took ages to fix. I also read on Fleur McDonald's website that she uses photos as prompts as well and so later today I may be seen carousing the newsagent's shelves for teen magazines.

For the next week only, here is a look at what makes Toby, Toby.


 
NAME:                                               :  Toby Farrier

Position in story:                                 :  Main Character

Age:
15 yrs
Nationality:
Australian
Socioeconomic level as a child:
Lower Middle Class
Socioeconomic level as an adult:
N/A
Hometown:
Stanhope Victoria
Current residence:
Lives with Arthur in Brunswick
Occupation:
Year 10 Student
Income:
N/A
Talents/skills:
Bright Student, Inquisitive, loves writing and loyal
Salary:
Pocket Money from home only
Relationships:
 
 
Birth order:
First
Siblings (describe relationship):
Eldest child who disrupts his other 2 siblings
Spouse/partner (describe relationship):
 
Children (describe relationship):
 
Parents (describe relationship):
Father: Darren        Mother: Tracy  have a hard time with Toby’s disruptive behaviour.
Grandparents (describe relationship):
Arthur Farrier takes him in and gives him a new focus.
Grandchildren (describe relationship):
 
Significant others (describe relationship):
 
Relationship skills:
Good communicator, has made new friends since moving to the city.
Physical Characteristics
 
Height:
160 cm
Weight:
55 kg
Race:
Australian
Eye Colour:
Brown
Hair Colour:
Black spiky styled hair with blonde tips
Glasses or contact lenses?
Gold rimmed round lenses
Skin colour:
Light olive
Shape of face:
Square good looking pinned earlobes
Distinguishing features:
Jagged scar on left cheek from a broken bottle in a school yard fight
How does he/she dress?
Likes skinny leg jeans, white muscle Tee shirts and sand shoes.
Mannerisms:
Once fidgety and on edge he has calmed under Arthur’s tutelage
Habits: (smoking, drinking/drugs/addictions etc.)
Loves Allen’s Snakes and enjoys a roast lunch with Arthur on Sundays
Any physical illnesses?
None
Health:
Fine never sick
Hobbies:
Played a bit of Aussie rules to please his dad but would sooner read and write stories.
Favourite sayings:
Come on Toby focus, we can do this. Maate!
Speech patterns:
Normal well spoken Aussie English
Disabilities:
None
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.):
Trendy Target
Greatest flaw:
Quick to anger but now under control
Best quality:
Loyal and Honest
Personality Attributes and Attitudes
 
 
Educational Background:
Still at school
Intelligence Level:
Top 10 student in every class at high school
Any Mental Illnesses?
Parents thought he had ADHD but a change of glasses by Arthur’s optometrist turns his attitudes
Learning Experiences:
Watches listens learns ad takes lots of notes
Character's short-term goals in life:
Get through school
Character's long-term goals in life:
Famous novelist
How does Character see himself/herself?
Confident and able no challenge too big.
How does Character believe he /she is perceived by others?
Super cool by a few friends but despised by the thug element in his school because of his quick whit
How self-confident is the character?
He doesn’t believe his own publicity grounded and knows his limitations. Works to his strengths
Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?
Logic
What would most embarrass this character
Being reminded of his early ADHD (he keeps this link very close to his chest)
Spiritual Characteristics
 
 
Does the character believe in God?
He hasn’t been influenced or exposed to any formal religion but wonders about an afterlife
What are the character's spiritual beliefs?
 
Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life?
 
If so, what role does it play?
 

 

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