Designing Your Character & Other Handy Things

Superhero Description Sheet

Everyone Loves Super Hero's
Here is how to design one:

Background

1.  What kind of person was your hero before he/she got superpowers? (A friendly but awkward nerd?A disgruntled accountant?)

2.  What sort of job/educational background does he/she have? (Do these affect his/her superhero career?)

3.  Why should prospective readers care about your hero? What is it about his/her background that will appeal to them?

4.  What’s the character’s language like?  Will he/she sound any different from the other characters in the story?

5.  How old is he/she?

6.  What kind of goals did he/she have before becoming a superhero? What kinds of problems?

7.  What sort of problems did his/her world have before he became a superhero? Did he/she notice/care about these problems? (Or did he/she have a happy and carefree childhood until he saw his/her parents get murdered?)

8.  What does your character think about his/her world? (Mostly happy? Looking to escape? Looking for something more?)

9.  Is there anything in your character’s past that he/she regrets or will regret, like nearly joining a gang or failing to save his uncle?

10.  Does your character’s background make him/her a better superhero?  For example, Superman’s side-job as an investigative journalist frequently gives him leads to look into.  Many heroes have scientific or technological skills, etc.

Origin Story

1.  Was he/her born super?

2. Did he/she choose to be a superhero? Why? (Which personal feelings/experiences influenced that choice? Losing a loved one to criminals? Being a disillusioned cop? A desire to escape from a dull routine?)

3.  If he/she did not choose, what caused/forced him to become super? (A physical transformation? Conscription? Forced servitude?) Is he/she attempting to become normal? How and why?

4. Was he/she chosen to become a superhero? Who chose him? Why? (Maybe he/she won Amazonian trials or aced secret tests embedded in a standardized exam).

5. Assuming that your character was not born super, what caused him/her to become super?

Secret Identity

1. Does your character have a secret identity? If so, why? What would the consequences be if his enemies, friends and/or the public found out who he/she is?

2. How do his powers make it harder (or easier) to keep his/her secret-identity secret?

3. Has his/her work as a superhero noticeably changed his body? (For example, Peter Parker gets a lot tougher and picks up unusual bruises and scars).  How would your hero conceal these changes from his/her friends?  If a friend noticed anyway, how might he try to explain them away?

4. Has he/she told anyone who he/she is? Why? Does anyone else know?

5. Does the police care who he/she is? The media? Anybody else?

6. What does your character do to keep his/her identity safe? (Anything besides wearing a mask?)

7. Is anyone close to discovering the truth?

8. Has anyone publically accused him/her of being the hero? Has he/she taken any steps to “disprove” the claims or discredit the accusers?

Superpowers
1. Here’s an obvious question: what superpowers does your superhero have? Less obviously, will your readers be able to describe your character’s powers in 1-2 easy sentences? If not, it’ll probably harder for them to introduce the story/characters to their friends.

2. Do his/her superpowers affect his/her civilian life in any way?

3. Does your superhero have a special mode of transport? (Not that there’s anything wrong with the subway, but you do get weird stares).

4. Readers love being surprised. How will your superhero use his powers to surprise us? Will he be able to resolve his problems in new and fresh ways?