Recently I posted a blog about designing characters for your stories. I’ve always loved designing things. Whether it was decorating the interior of my homes, designing then planting gardens, writing lesson units for my students or devising a world and filling it with characters, it has always fascinated me.
As I designed and thought about the characters for my current series, Seraphym Wars, I wondered what kind of people they were. Even my Majikals have personalities and appearances, so I had to discover who they were as well. In fact, I have several animals with distinct personalities and appearances for which I had to plan out.
In order to keep all of this straight throughout the books I devised a master spreadsheet, which I showed a picture of. I keep a copy of each spreadsheet in a massive binder as well as folders in my computer. Speaking of several copies, it is wise to keep and update several copies of EVERYTHING you create. You should keep:
- hard copy
- memory stick to carry with you, that way you can access all of your information from anywhere
- buy a separate hard drive that automatically backs up everything on your computer
- files on your computer
I even have an old hp computer that I keep my entire writing folder on in addition to all of the research, pictures, etc that are related. But I may be paranoid after having two computers crash on me and losing everything, including baby pictures for two of my kids.
Anyway, someone suggested that I post my master template for planning characters. Here is the best I could figure out how to post. Hopefully this will be helpful.
Before compiling the character information, it is helpful to know what options are available. Hence I designed a Character Design Planner:
After you’ve decided what traits, etc. everyone has it is time to track it all on an organizer spreadsheet:
Ramblings of a Raconteur 
Hey guys I remade her first excel sheet (char design) and I’m posting a link here. I modified a few things, such as removing long nose hair, adding a few personalities like confident, cynical and ambitious, eye colors and such. The sheet I made is more fantasy oriented, however you can remodify it to be the same as hers in about 15 minutes.
Link to spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3dcOVbdQJwoUGRQZmlNV0JkMkk
Will probably make the other one soon enough and post it here if I remember and I might make a character design sheet with a basic clothing section. Enjoy! And thank you for the OP’s amazing work.
A bit late but here is the second spread sheet: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8jUxa-Mv962Um5HZWNjdHhiOGc . More adjustments then in the other ones but they are easier to fix (ex: some formative backgrounds are in personal, order isnt that same (its the same as the previous sheet I made). Few things have to be filled out yourselves. Enjoy!
You are fabulous. Thanks!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You don’t know how much time you saved me.
Well it looks like I may have to design an awesome spreadsheet for myself. Thanks for the ideas!
Please share the Excel file. Its was very interesting.
By the way, it is a good idea to get Mac. Just get the cheapest. It’s has included an automated back-up program.
Rebecca, how can I download your spreadsheet? Yours is the most comprehensive template I’ve seen yet. Many thanks for the hours you put into this work