Building a Character - Physical Traits and Aptitudes

I'm in the process of dispensing wisdom from Jeff Gerke's book  Plot vs. Character. Today I'll discuss adding physical and natural attributes to your character. By now, you've chosen a core personality type from the 16 archetypes (see previous posts if you're lost). You've made copious notes. You know your base character inside and out. Now let's start adding some fun stuff. 

Jeff brings up this example: you meet two people of the same personality type. One is an old man from Taiwan and another is a teenage girl from the Bronx. You wouldn't know they were the same personality type until you hung out with them for awhile. But other things stand out about them right away: their appearance.

In real life, the first thing we notice about other people is their appearance: gender, ethnicity, age, height, build, hair, clothing, etc. These things are important in fiction, too. You might not always need to describe your character in the book, but you, the author, must know some things. Hair color might not be important, but age and gender are. Their aptitudes are also important: things like family of origin, birth order, gifts and talents, etc. These are things a person is born with that makes them a unique individual.

These physical traits and aptitudes should be used to develop a great character. Jeff offers these examples:

* a character of the ENFJ temperament (who would have a tendency to be highly organized) has a tattoo diagram on her wrist that explains something important so she'll always have it "on hand."

* an ESTP (a temperament that lends itself to spontaneity and competitiveness) wears the most fashionable clothing and is constantly getting compliments for his taste and style.

Look for ways your character's core temperament would adapt to the physical appearance and background she was born with. Find the ways that your character's temperament will express itself on the outside. For instance, the main character in my newest book is practical and shy. She'd find fashion and bling a waste of money. She wears sensible, affordable clothing that doesn't attract undo attention and will last for years. Her vehicle of choice is fuel-efficient and low-maintenance. Her hair style is practical and low-maintenance. She keeps her body in fantastic physical shape - it would be illogical to let herself get fat, as that would make it harder for her to complete her work in an efficient manner. She's an introvert and prefers to work alone, so her career choice flows from that: she's part-owner of a small bakery, where she can stay in the kitchen and bake bread all day while her business partner runs the front counter and takes care of the people-side of things.

Hopefully you can see how fun it can be to integrate even the simplest of traits into an existing core personality to come up with a unique character. I'll continue this discussion in the next post.

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 19

We're finally on the last trait from the Myers-Briggs core personalities. I'm pulling most of my info from Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II.

The last trait is the ISFP (introvert, sensory, feeling, perceptive), or who Keirsey calls THE COMPOSER. She's loyal, committed, friendly, and reserved. Like the Performer, the Composer dislikes conflict and is all about the feelings: impulse, excitement, joy. She has a special talent for tactical artistry, working closely with color, tone, texture, aroma, and flavor. ISFPs are the musicians, chefs, and fashion designers of the world.

Composer make up about ten percent of the population, but they don't want the limelight. As introverts, they prefer being alone, but will share their artistic outcomes with others just to share the joy. They don't express themselves verbally, but in action, with tools (fabric, paintbrush, tuba), because the spoken word isn't nearly as handy as the tool. If they can't find a medium to express themselves, then they'll keep to themselves. While it looks like they are hard at work on their compositions, they are extremely impulsive. They live intensely in the here and now, with little or no planning. "Composers are seized by the act of artistic composition, as if caught up in a whirlwind," says Keirsey. They paint, sculpt, dance, and compose simply because they must. Composer seem oblivious to fatigue and pain, but it's simply that they are so absorbed and excited that they don't notice the difficulties.

The ISFP is the kindest of all the personality types, and are especially sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. Composers are also extremely competitive, especially in sports or table games, and hate to lose. Educating a Composer is difficult. They often drop out of school before finishing--they prefer experiential learning. Friendly and soft-spoken Composers seek a dutiful spouse, someone who can keep the Composer from wandering away when a tempting opportunity presents itself. When tension arises in a relationship, the Composer will put with it to keep the family intact, then quietly slink off once the children are grown.

Good career choices for the ISFP include teacher, bookkeeper, systems analyst, and firefighter. Famous ISFP's include Donald Trump, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Dan Quayle, Christopher Reeves, Fred Astaire, and Elizabeth Taylor. Fictional ISFP's include Bella Swan from Twilight, Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Rachel Greene from Friends, Harry Potter, Flounder from The LIttle Mermaid, and Shaggy from Scooby Doo.

Now that I've finished the sixteen core personality types, I'll rely more heavily on Jeff Gerke's book. In coming posts, I'll discuss character temperament, physical attributes, and love language. Stay tuned!

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 18

Two more personality types to go. I found most of this information in Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II. 

Today I'm covering the ESFP (extrovert, sensory, feeling, perceiving) or who Keirsey calls THE PERFORMER. He's fun, friendly, outgoing, adaptable, and can't resist putting on a good show. He wants to stimulate everyone around him, arousing their senses, offering pleasure, and creating a feeling of well-being. With his contagious good humor and irrepressible joy of living, everyone wants to be around this guy. When he walks into the room, everyone gathers.

These guys are plentiful, making up more than ten percent of the population, which is a great thing, because they bring joy to so many. They love excitement and crave an audience, so they try to generate a sense of showtime wherever they are. "All the world's a stage" applies brilliantly to them. They love the fast life, good food, fancy cars, bling, fantasy, and merriment. Life is a party to these people. They are inclined to be impulsive and self-indulgent, making them give in easily to others. Pleasure is an end in itself, and they are open to trying almost anything that promises a good time. They rarely consider the consequences. 

They don't like confrontation or sticky situations. Their tolerance for anxiety is the lowest of all the personality types, and they will avoid it by simply ignoring it for as long as possible. "Always look on the bright side" is their motto, and if forced to endure a tense situation (at work, in a relationship) they won't make waves or put up a show of resistance. They'll simply walk away. This personality trait is ultra fun to play with in fiction because of their intense dislike of anxiety or confrontation of any kind. 

ESFP's are the most generous of all the personality types, lavishing friends and loved ones with gifts. They don't have a stingy bone in their bodies, and have no concept of savings or investing their cash. Life is to be lived right now. They are emotionally expressive and affectionate, completely unable to hide their true feelings or hold their tongue. They tend to fall in love easily, and every time is like the first time. Intent on pleasing everyone, ESFP's can appear fickle, even promiscuous, to others, when they're simply and innocently sharing themselves with others. 

Performers make exciting and entertaining mates, but cause a good deal of anxiety in these relationships. They love to spend money on fun things and will impulsively max out credit cards. They make warm, generous, loving friends to their spouse and their children, but should not be expected to take these relationships much more seriously than that. When tension arises, the Performer will quietly leave--and may not come back.

The best careers for the Performer are (duh) the performing arts, but they also find success in fundraising and retail sales. Flight attendant, photographer, teacher, and receptionist are also good fits, as they deal with people on a daily basis. They avoid solitary technical occupations in science and engineering, and couldn't stick to a schedule if their life depended on it. Famous ESFP's include Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, and Marilyn Monroe. Fictional ESFP's include Homer Simpson, Tim "The Toolman" Taylor from Home Improvement, and Kelly Bundy from Married with Children.

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 17

We're down to the last three personality types. I found most of this information in Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II. 

The personality type on today's docket is the ISTP, or introverted, sensory, thinking, perceiving. Keirsey calls her THE CRAFTER. Others call her "the Realist." But no matter what you call her, she's patient, data-oriented, logical, efficient, and tolerant. She's best with a tool: microscopic drill, supersonic jet, giant crane, scalpel, any piece of equipment that she can play with. ISTP's enjoy spontaneity, follow their own drummer, and should not be subject to rules, regulations, or laws. Hierarchy and authority are unnecessary and irksome to the crafter, as they get in the way. The ISTP must be free to do her own thing, when the urge strikes, without a schedule bothering them.

Crafter's seek recreation on impulse, taking days off just because they feel like it. These urges to take off can be irresistible and overpowering, and no one had better try to stop them. They are fearless in their play, risking themselves for the joy of the moment. They are bored easily. They communicate through action, and can't be bothered to develop verbal skills--and this lack of expressiveness makes them seem like loners. They're happy hanging out with their tools. They are hard to get to know, although they are fiercely loyal to those few people they are close to, but their inability to be tied to a schedule makes them unreliable when it comes to activity commitments: they might show up, they might not. Crafter's can treat their spouses like royalty and lavish them with beautiful gifts, then take off with friends for an unplanned week or two in the sun without bothering to notify their significant other. Crafters need their freedom to seek adventure, and mates who wish to keep them happy are wise to give them an extremely long leash.

ISTP's make up about ten percent of the total population (which is kind of scary, to an ISTJ like me) so you can put plenty of these people in your novel. In fact, if your protagonist is a SUPERVISOR or an INSPECTOR, he'll be driven up the wall, repeatedly, by the CRAFTER. Talk about tension. ISTP's make good software developers, systems analysts, and computer repair people, where they can set their own schedules and don't have to communicate a lot. They also make good firefighters or purchasing agents. 

Famous ISTP's include Charles Bronson, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, James Dean, Burt Reynolds, and Keith Richards. Fictional ISTP's include Boba Fett and Han Solo from Star Wars, Wolverine from X-Men, and Butch Coolidge from Pulp Fiction.

Only two more to go! Hang in there.

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 16

We only have four more personality type to look at before we move on to the second step in creating believable characters. As before, I found most of this information in Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II. 

Today's personality type is the INTP, or introverted, intuitive, thinking, perceptive. Keirsey calls him THE ARCHITECT. This guy is logical, theoretical, quiet, analytical, and critical. He not only designs buildings, he's the architect of corporations and theoretical systems. He's the master organizer of organizations. In his mind, the world exists to be analyzed, understood, and explained. He may venture so deeply into thought that he seems detached, and is often oblivious to the world around him.

INTP's are extremely rare, making up one percent of the total population. They won't be found in ordinary places, and they are rarely recognized, but they are easy-going and amenable. They prefer to stay in the background and not make a scene, but if someone violates their principles, they will become outspoken and inflexible. They tend to be shy, and are often seen as difficult to get to know. They do make loyal mates, although preoccupied much of the time and somewhat forgetful of appointments and important dates (like anniversaries). They won't want to entertain at home, but will follow their spouse to a planned social event. They'd prefer retreating to the world of books, emerging only when physical needs become imperative. They keep their desires and emotions to themselves, and may seen insensitive to the desires and emotions of others.

The Architect loves mathematics, languages, computers, and any other complex system. They thrive on logic and logical correctness, and can become obsessed with analysis. Word games (Scrabble) and strategy games (Risk, Chess) also attract their attention. They don't put up with nonsense, and can spot an inconsistency easily. They'll always point out these types of errors, making conversation with an INTP a little uncomfortable. 

If you put an INTP in your fiction, put him in a room full of comedians and Elvis impersonators and watch the tension escalate!

INTP's make excellent professors, mathematicians, linguists, or economists. They'd be horrible at clerical jobs, as Architects are impatient with routine details. They prefer to work quietly, without interruption, and alone. Famous INTP's include Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Socrates, Carl Jung, and Abraham Lincoln. Fictional INTP's include Data and Seven of Nine from Star Trek.

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 15

Once more, let's look at building believable characters using the good stuff found in Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II. 

Today's personality is the ENTP (extrovert, intuitive, thinking, perceiving), or who Keirsey call's THE INVENTOR. This dude is ingenious, outspoken, easily bored by routine, clever, and change-oriented. He's the guy that can build the prototype of a device to make systems more efficient. He creates gadgets and mechanisms for the rest of the world. He started when he was a kid, and gets such a kick out of it he never quit. 

These guys are rare, making up only two percent of our population, so use them sparingly in your fiction. They are intensely curious and probe all the possibilities. The harder the problem, the more they love it. Chaos theory is pure joy to these guys. Tradition, or "the way we always do it" means nothing to the ENTP's of the world. They're always looking for a better way of doing things, new procedures, new activities, new projects. Ideas are valuable only when they make possible actions and objects. "It can't be done" is a challenge that must be met with "I can do it." 

Because of their confidence in their own ability to solve any problem, Inventor's often jump into a task without preparing adequately. They're quick, both verbally and cerebrally, and love to argue, playing devil's advocate sometimes just to confuse those around them. They avoid routine, which causes restlessness. They are basically optimists, but setbacks and inconveniences will tick them off. They have little patience with those they consider unintelligent, and aren't afraid to say that out loud.

In relationships, the Inventor is capable of a close bond but will choose carefully those select few who are worthy of this devotion. They are quick to spot kindred spirits, but are oblivious to the rest of society except as an audience. It can be difficult to get this guy's attention if he's not immediately aware of you. To get his attention, present him with a problem. In conversation, be straight forward. No games (he'll win), no pulling rank (he'll put you in your place), and no apologies (he'll dismiss you as unworthy). 

Worthy career choices for the ENTP include computer science, financial advising, systems designer, computer analyst, and strategic planner. You won't find a happy ENTP on an assembly line or working as a bookkeeper. Famous ENTP's include Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Alexander the Great, and Weird Al Yankovick. Fiction ENTP's include Chandler Bing from Friends, "Q" from Star Trek, Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote, and Garfield the Cat.

-Sonja

Believable Characters, Part 14

Today we continue this lengthy look at building believable characters using the good stuff found in Jeff Gerke's Plot vs. Character and David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II. 

Keirsey calls the ESFJ (extroverted, sensory, feeling, judgment) THE PROVIDER. I've also seen this person described as "the Supporter" or "the Enthusiast." Whatever you call her, she's nurturing, loyal, harmonious, and collaborative. She makes certain that everyone around her has the necessities of life. She's eager to serve, arranging for the physical health and welfare of those in need. She's extremely sociable. She wants traditions upheld, social functions to succeed, and for everyone to be healthy and happy. She's the woman who feels the uncontrollable urge to feed everyone who comes anywhere near her house (which is kept immaculate but cozy, not museum-like).

Providers make up more than ten percent of the population, so they can show up frequently in your novel. They are tireless in organizing goods/services, and make excellent chairpersons for banquets, rummage sales, and charity balls. They are the best hosts/hostesses, aware of all their guests names, what everyone's doing, and what everyone needs. They are personable and talkative, and go bonkers when left alone for too long. The best way to cause this character stress is to lock her in solitary confinement for a couple of days. Even among strangers, the ESFJ will strike up a conversation with anyone nearby, about any topic. They are delighted with gossip. If your protagonist needs to know what's going on in any given neighborhood, have him seek out the Provider and she'll happy divulge that information, free of charge--and she'll provide coffee cake or a sandwich. 

The ESFJ has observable things on her mind, as opposed to imaginary or abstract issues. She's much more concerned with people's lives than with theology or sociology. Sometimes she can come across as pessimistic when she turns nostalgic, recounting past experiences in the good old days, but most of the time, she's upbeat and highly sensitive to those around her. She loves to talk about her emotions. She's quick to like and dislike, idolizing those she admires. Anyone who disagrees with her, or does something she disapproves of, goes on her hate list. Personal criticism will crush the Provider, as she highly values the opinions of others, especially in regards to her own behavior. 

Providers lean toward service occupations: flight attendant, teacher, clergy, nurse. They are visibly and honestly concerned with their customer's welfare, so used-car salesman isn't a good fit. They respect their supervisors, do their duties with diligence, and respect and obey all rules. They are exceptionally loyal, especially to family. To throw a wrench into the Provider's life, give her a mate that steps out on her, or is extremely independent (doesn't *need* her, per se), or refuses to share his emotions with her.

Famous ESFJ's include Don Knotts, Sally Struthers, and Mary Tyler Moore. Fictional ESFJ's include Monica from Friends, Rabbit from Winnie-the-Pooh, and Leonard McCoy from Star Trek.

-Sonja