Writing Exercises 3.0!

So, I've also posted something similar like this up before, and I'm deciding to do it again. Hope it helps some of you.

Writing exercise: The Police Sketch
As a writer it is your job to let your readers know what your characters look like. But do you know how to describe your characters? Try this exercise to find out just how well you know what your main character looks like. In this example, imagine that your main character is the man the police want you to describe.

* There is a serial killer on the loose. He is in your town. He has been on the news for several months. Everyone is on the lookout for him, but no one knows what he looks like. There are no living witnesses to describe him.

You are walking home, and witness this killer's latest attack. You lived, because he did not see you hiding in the shadows. You got a good look at him before he left.

Now you are sitting at the police station. Officers are gathered around you waiting to hear what you saw. A police artist sits across from you, waiting to draw the man as you describe him.

You got a good look at him. You can see his face in your mind. But can you give an accurate description of what he looks like?

The police man speaks to you: "Ma'am, would you please answer the following questions to the best of your knowlege? Try to remember any details that stand out. If you think of something I don't ask, please speak up. Let's see if we can't get an accurate drawing of this man...

What was his facial structure?

Just the facts ma'am.

* Did he have high cheekbones? Shallow check? Flabby jowls?
* Wide, sturdy jaw? Narrow pointy jaw?
* Broad forehead? Wrinkled brow?
* A jutting chin? No chin? Square chin? A double chin? Does his double chin have a double chin?
* Does he have full thick lips or pale thin lips?
* Big nose? Small nose? Was it long or short? Rounded? Bulbous? Crooked? Did he appear to have ever broken his nose in the past?
* What about his eyebrows? Full? Thick? Thin? Fair? Dark? Bushy? Wide spread? Did they connect in the middle?
* Was there any facial hair? Sideburns? Bangs? Did he hair cover his eyes? Beard? Mustache?
* You didn't happen to notice what color his eyes were did you? Were they wide set? Close together? Large? Small? Round? Almond? Popeyed? Did he wear glasses?

Oh, that's fine. You did good. Now what about his hair?

* Did he have hair? Was it think or balding? Did it look natural or could he have been wearing a wig?
* What color was it? Brown you say? Was it a light sandy brown or a dark chestnut brown or could it have been more of an auburn brown?
* Did it look natural? Could it have been dyed? Did you notice any highlights or streaks? Was there a root line? Was it going grey?
* How long was his hair? Crew cut? Short? Ducktail? Ponytail?
* Was it messy or did it seem rather neat? Greasy? Well groomed? Hair sprayed?
* Straight? Thick? Wavy? Frizzed? Natural curls? Permed curls? Dreadlocks?

You're doing good. Could you give us a body type now?

* How tall was he? Tall? Short? Average? Could you tell his exact height?
* What about weight? Was he thin? Underweight? Overweight? About average? Athletic? Muscular? Pot bellied?
* Would you say he resembled more of a clean-cut business professional or a more rough rowdy type or something else? Why would you say that?
* Was he particularly handsome or a bit more plain or would you say he was down right ugly?
* Did you notice the way he walked? Did he have a limp? Did he move slowly or quickly? Long strides or little steps?

You're almost done. Just a few more questions.

* How old would you guess he was? What made you think that?
* Did he have any distinguishing features? A mole? A birthmark? Any visible scars? Any deformities?
* Smooth skinned or wrinkled? Pale? Light? Olive? Tan? Dark? Did he have a suntan?
* Could you tell what race he was? What made you choose this particular race? Could he have been any other race? Why or why not?
* Did you notice if he had any tattoos? If so, could you describe them for us?
* What about jewelry? Did you notice any ear rings, nose rings, or other piercings? Was he wearing a watch? Wedding ring? Necklace? What did the jewelry look like?
* How was he dressed? What type of cloths was he wearing?
* Of everything you can remember, what one thing stood out the most about him? What would make him stand out in a crowd?
* If you would say he resembled someone famous, who would you say he most looked like?

Overview of "A Police Sketch"

Now that you have finished reading that example, let's look at other ways you could use it, to help you describe your characters to your readers.

First off, you'll notice that I used a man in the example. If your main character is a woman, than just adjust the questions accordingly.

You may be saying, "But my main character isn't even a villain, let alone a serial killer!" Okay, so maybe turning your main character into a serial killer wasn't the best choice. Why did I pick a serial killer for this exercise? Well, because a serial killer is most likely to have a big "manhunt" out to find him; he's more likely to have never been seen; and once a witness does come forward, that witness is more likely to be run through the wringer, by the police, in a mass attempt to get an accurate police sketch of the killer. Long story, short, the end result will be a much more accurate description given by you the witness.

However, that was just an example. You could just as easily pretend that your main character is a missing person and you have no photo of him, so you must describe him to a police artist and once again, you'll have to describe him to the police artist with just as much detail as you would your readers.

It doesn't matter what you pretend your character is for this exercise, so long as you force yourself to write down a description of your character, that is so accurate that any one of your readers could draw his face and you'd say: Yep! That's him!

Character Profile Q&A's
Profile Survey #1: The Basics

How well do you the basics of your character? Take this quiz and find out!

* What is your character's full name?
* How old is your character throughout the majority of the story?
* Date of birth?
* Place of birth?
* Male or Female?
* Current Address?
* How many brothers/sisters does your character have? Older? Younger? Which one is he/she closest to?
* What is your character's overall health like?
* What type of personality does your character have?
* Zodiac sign?
* Chinese zodiac sign?
* Lives with?
* Marital status?
* Ethnic background?

Profile Survey #2: Lifestyle

How does your character live his/her life? Are you sure you really know? Answer these questions to find out:

Note: for each answer, be sure you can also explain why your character "picked" that answer.

* Preferred nickname?
* Current occupation?
* Dream occupation he/she wishes to do?
* Occupation he/she finds the most revolting and would never do?
* Religion raised as by parents?
* Religion now conforms to?
* Political affiliation(s)?
* Type of education received? Current education level?
* Hometown?
* Has/wants children?
* Has/wants pets?

Profile Survey #3: Hobbies

* What does he/she like to do in his/her spare time?
* How many hobbies does he/she have?
* Are these hobbies old (from childhood) or new?
* Do the hobbies take up a lot of time or cost a lot of money?
* Does he/she follow through on the hobbies or does he/she start a lot of projects and never finish any of them?

Profile Survey #4: Likes

What does your character like? Enjoy? Love? Interview your character and see what he/she has to say.

* What is your favorite thing to eat?
* What is your favorite thing to drink?
* What is your favorite movie?
* What is your favorite place to visit?
* What is your favorite tv show?
* What is your favorite fruit?
* What is your favorite vegetable?
* What is your favorite type of candy?
* What is your favorite pizza topping?
* What is your favorite color?
* What is your favorite book?
* Is there something you've always wanted to try, but never had the chance? What is it?
* What do you want most in the world? What is stopping you from getting it? How can you change that?
* Name one simple thing that makes you happy.
* Who is your favorite person in the whole world?
* If you had had to choose between eating a piece of apple pie of chocolate cake which one and why?
* Do you read books? If so, what sort?
* Which do you prize more: familial or romantic love? Why?
* What is the last thing you could imagine giving away?
* If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
* If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
* Boots or slippers? Why?
* What's your favorite type of weather?
* If there was one skill you wish you could have, what would it be?
* Boxers or Briefs?
* What is the coolest article of clothing you ever owned and how did it make you feel?
* What's better, the anticipation of a thing, or actually doing/having it?
* What is the greatest gift you have ever recieved?
* What is your favorite thing to do with your spare time?
* What is your ideal date?
* What is most valuable to you in the world?
* Who is the one person you couldn't live your life without?
* What's your favorite season and why?
* What would you like to learn more about?
* If you could have one superpower--any superpower you wanted--what would you pick?
* What type of fabric is your favorite and why?
* What is your favorite thing to cook, but not necessarily to eat?

Profile Survey #5: Dislikes

For dislikes, you pretty much just reverse the questions for likes, using the same list above.

Profile Survey #6: If I Were...

Ask your character to complete each of these phrases.

* If I were a month, I would be
* If I were a day of the week, I would be
* If I were a time of day, I would be
* If I were a planet, I would be
* If I were a sea animal, I would be
* If I were a direction, I would be
* If I were a historical figure, I would be
* If I were a liquid, I would be
* If I were a bird I would be
* If I were a cat I would be
* If I were a dog I would be
* If I were a tree, I would be
* If I were a tool, I would be
* If I were a flower, I would be
* If I were a type of weather, I would be
* If I were an animal, I would be
* If I were a season I would be
* If I were a holiday I would be
* If I were a color, I would be
* If I were an emotion, I would be
* If I were a sound, I would be
* If I were an element, I would be
* If I were a car, I would be
* If I were a food, I would be
* If I were a place, I would be
* If I were a body of water I would be
* If I were a song I would be
* If I were a book I would be
* If I were a gemstone I would be
* If I were a metal I would be
* If I were a word, I would be

Proflie Survey #7: Childhood Memories

* What is your character's favorite childhood memory?
* What is your character's least favorite childhood memory?
* What was your character's worst childhood fear?
* Did he/she had a favorite toy as a child?
* What was your character's favorite childhood activity?
* What does he/she remember most about ________? (mother, father, grandma, etc.)
* Who was his/her best friend as a child? Are they still friends today?

Profile Survey #8: Fears

* What is your worst/greatest fear? Why?
* Are you afraid of the dark?
* Do you fear spiders?
* Who do you fear the most? Why?
* What one event had the biggest impact of the fears you have today? How?
* Do you think you could ever overcome your fears?
* Do you sleep with the light on?
* Do you faint at the sight of blood?
* Was there someone whose life, perception of the world, or beliefs affected what you fear today?
* Who scares you more: God or Satan?
* Are you afraid to die?
* What fear do you have that hampers part of your life to the extent that you really wish you could put an end to this fear?

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