Character Outline Template Contents, Guideline, and Types
Characterization is perhaps the most challenging task for a writer. It is difficult to create several characters at once than making an arrangement where these characters will push the story forward. Following a character outline template might help to lift the burden of this task a little bit. It aids the writer is being more organized and consistent with characterization throughout the whole book.
Character Outline Template Contents
The writer needs to include the following contents in each character outline template.
- Basic personal profile
The first thing that a writer needs to prepare is the basic personal information about a character. It includes name, how others would call the character, age, where the character lives at, character’s job, and others. This is the first layer of dimensions in the character.
- Relationship with others
Character is going to interact with other people in the story. Thus, the writer has the responsibility to describe how a character’s relationship with others is. A writer can start describing who the character is close with, people who do not have a good relationship with the character, and how the character interacts with new people.
- Trait or personality
The writer should also be able to decide on a character’s trait and personality since the beginning. This will affect how the character acts and interacts with other characters in the entire story. Including this part in the outline will make your story more consistent.
- Physical description
Another thing that the writer must include in the story is the physical description of the character. The description helps the reader visualizing the character easier. That will certainly improve the enjoyment of reading. It also provides cues for certain scenes where the characters are not fully revealed yet.
Character Outline Template Development Guideline
How can a writer develop the outline for characters in their story? This guideline can help a writer in doing the task.
- Incorporating good and less desirable traits to make the characters more realistic.
- Showing contextual aspects such as era, culture, norms, and social classes.
- Describing the characters in detail, particularly the main characters.
- Presenting the character’s actions and responses to the situation in the environment.
- Utilizing dialogues to build character by ensuring that each character has a specific way of talking.
- Showing the character’s motivation, which means the reason why they do specific things.
- Describing how the character (particularly the main one) deals with internal and external problems.
- Displaying the growth of characters following the development of the story.
Character Outline Template Essay Format
The first type of character outline template often found on the internet is the essay one. In this type of outline, the writer will be asked to present the contents mentioned in the previous part using paragraphs, not unlike in an essay. Some people may argue that the template does not look organized. However, many writers, think that this type of template is easier for them to create.
Character Outline Template Table Format
There are certain people, particularly visual learners, who prefer to have a character outline template in table format. The table format is presented to that the contents of an outline are separated into different sections. It is easier and quicker to write an outline in this format. A writer can also present the contents in bullet points which are even simpler to create. 
