Character Inter-lands -- a new way to develop the character ‘worksheet’
(did the old ones ever work?)
Type “character worksheets” into a search engine, and you’ll find hundreds of resources to develop your protagonist and other characters. Some of the worksheets are basic (name, age, hair color), and others are a series of thought-provoking questions: “When was the last time this person laughed? And at what?”
You might diligently fill in answers and start to write your story. Or you might begin to write your story until you feel blocked and then bring out the worksheets to explore character. Regardless of the timing of this work and the hours spent, it’s quite possible you’ll feel no closer to understanding your characters in any useful way than you did at the outset. Here’s why.