Portia Metilia

The Amber Scorpion
  • CHARACTER TRAITS
    • Outsider or in a Clique, Underdog or Topdog, Sinister predator or innocent victim, Bravery or Cowardice,
    • Fear or Fearlessness, Immature or Mature, Headstrong or Easily influenced, given to vices or Upright,
    • Immoral or moral, Easily tempted or not easily tempted, Extrovert or Introvert, Major flaws or Minor flaws,
    • Miserly Hoarder or Generous, Religious, Solitary or Gregarious, Inquisitive or Disinterested, Loyal or Disloyal,
    • Passionate or Indifferent, Socially Awkward or Reassuring, Pompous, Superstitious, Unshakeable convictions,
    • Conspiracy theorist, Tactful or Tactless, Insensitive or Sensitive, Outspoken, Solemn or Jolly,
    • Eccentric, Deluded, Idealistic, Snobbish, Obsessive, Friendly or Mocking, Sarcastic, Clumsy or Adroit,
    • Recluse or Socialite, Judgemental or Tolerant, Faithful or Unfaithful, Sane or Insane, Sincere or Insincere,
    • Kindhearted or Hardless, Hardworking or Indolent, Country boy or City boy, Soulless, or Eager to Please,
    • Depressed or Animated, Intelligent or Stupid, Reticent, Unforthcoming or Ebullient, Follower or Leader,
    • Unsympathetic, Snide, Deprecating, Contemptuous, Mocking or Complimentary and Sympathetic,
    • Competitive or Teamplayer, Uncompromising or Flexible, Conciliatory, Competitive or Team Player,
    • Humble or Proud, Religious or Irreligious, Altruistic or Egotistical,

    FOUR PROTAGONIST TYPES:

    • Underdog, Disruptor, Survivor, Protector.

    7 Character Traits children need to succeed

    • Grit. Curiosity. Self-control. Social intelligence. Zest. Optimism. Gratitude

    CHARACTER TYPES IN A NOVEL:

    1. Protagonist:
    2. Antagonist
    3. Deuteragonist (the sidekick, Dr Watson)
    4. Tertiary (only appear in one or two scenes) ( background)
    5. Confidante (Mentor, close friend or someone Protagonist has to confide in)
    6. Love interest
    7. Foil (opposite personality, either friend or foe)
    8. Dynamic Character: The Protagonist who is changing thru the story.
    9. Static characters: who cannot change thru the story.
    10. Stock Characters: the joker, the mentor, etc
    11. Symbolic Characters: who represents something larger than themselves (Hope, Change, Higher Spirit)
    12. Round Characters:  May be good or bad. 1. Full Backstory. 2. Complex Emotions. 3. Realistic Motivations. They change like the Protagonist who is Dynamic but also a Round Character. Contain Multitudes, ie does something unusual or contradictory. Cannot be sure of how they will be led or how they will change.

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    1. THE OUTER LAYER

    1. BASICS

      1. CHARACTER’S FULL NAME
        • Portia Metilia
      2. AGE
        • 55
      3. DATE OF BIRTH
      4. NICKNAME (if applicable)
      5. PLACE OF BIRTH
        • Rome
      6. BACKGROUND
        • Patrician Class
      7. CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE
        • Rome, and Governor’s Residence in Corinth
      8. NATIONALITY
        • Roman Citizen Patrician
      9. EDUCATION
        • Governesses
      10. DO THEY LIVE ALONE?
        • Married
      11. DO THEY OWN A PET? WHAT PETS?
        • A Dog ‘Cerberus’ (hound of Hades)
      12. OCCUPATION
        • Governor’s Wife
      13. INCOME LEVEL
        • Owns estates
      14. EDUCATION LEVEL
        • High
      15. MARITAL STATUS
      16. CHILDREN?
        • None, which is why she adores her sister Hermione’s children, Vipsania and Julia
      17. QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIP WITH CHILD?
        • Great friends with V and J

    2. APPEARANCE

      1. BODY: height, weight, build
        • 5ft 10
      2. EYES: colour and eyebrows, (laughing, deep, blank)
        • Piercing blue
      3. HAIR: colour and hairstyle
        • Dark brown, coiled up above
      4. FACE: (shape, dimples, lines)
        • Long
      5. EYESIGHT: short or longsighted
        • Good
      6. PROMINENT FEATURES:
        • Immacute dress code
      7. ITEMS THEY ALWAYS WEAR OR CARRY: (Jewelry, cane, pipe, necklace)
        • Lots of Jewellery, gold rings, pearl earrings
      8. GROOMING AND DRESS SENSE: (Dissheveled, smart, untidy, clean)
        • Smart
      9. MANNERISMS OR TICS:
      10. SKIN TONE:
        • white
      11. DISTINGUISHING MARKS (scars, birthmarks, tattoos)
        • none
      12. RESEMBLANCE (to Mom or Dad or someone else)
        • To her sister Hermione
      13. HEALTH CONDITION (chronic, mild, good)
        • Good
      14. DO THEY LEAD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?
        • Walks
      15. STYLE OF WALK (confident, military, slow, limp, fast, distracted)
        • Confident, but carries a walking cane for stylistic purposes
      16. HANDWRITING (neat, sloppy, scrawl)
        • Neat

    3. SPEECH, LANGUAGE, POSTURE and GESTURES

      1. ACCENT (Class, Province or foreign language)
        • Roman Upper class
      2. DIALECT (Province)
        • Rome
      3. FAVOURITE WORDS:
      4. CATCHPHRASES:
      5. SPEECH PATTERN: (rapid, slow, drawl)
        • Rapid, loud well spoken
      6. SPEECH IMPEDIMENTSs: (stutter, slur, slow, rapid, lisp)
        • None
      7. SPEECH TICS: 
      8. LAUGH: (Etiquette, Nervous, Contagious, Belly, Silent, Pigeon (mouth closed hum), Stress relieving, Snorting, Cackle, Cruel)
        • Etiquette, dry
      9. SMILE: (thin, warm, wry, cruel)
        • thin
      10. SNEEZE:
        • quiet
      11. FACIAL EXPRESSION (nice, aggressive, )
        • blank, overbearing
      12. SPEECH  STYLE (educated, full of slang)
        • Roman upper class
      13. EYE CONTACTt (none, shifty, direct)
        • direct
      14. MANNERISMS (hair curling, tweak ear, stroke chin, wrinkle nose)
        • none
      15. COMMON GESTURES WHEN TALKING: (none, only when agitated, all the time)
        • none
      16. POSTURE: (stiff, erect, military, slouch, stooped)
        • Stiff, erect
      17. EMOTIONS: (easily revealed, worn on sleeve, hidden,
            • Never

    4. HABITS: Describe their personal habits

      1. IS HE OR SHE PRUDENT?
        • Yes
      2. WHAT IS THEIR MORNING ROUTINE?
      3. DESCRIBE THEIR WORK DAY
      4. WHAT DO THEY EAT FOR LUNCH
      5. WHAT DO THEY DO IN THE EVENINGS
      6. HOW DO THEY SPEND THEIR FREE TIME?
      7. DO THEY SLEEP ALONE?
      8. DO THEY DREAM OR HAVE RECURRING DREAMS?
      9. WHAT ARE THEY REALL BAD AT?
      10. WHAT ARE THEIR HOBBIES OR INTERESTS?
        • Music, theatre, gossip about other people’s wealth

    2. THE BACKSTORY

    1. THEIR PAST

      1. HOME TOWN
        • Rome
      2. WAS THEIR CHILDHOOD PLEASANT? (Sheltered or Disrupted)
        • Stable
      3. EARLIEST MEMORY
      4. SADDEST MEMORY
      5. HAPPIEST MEMORY
      6. CLEAREST MEMORY
      7. SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
      8. CHILDHOOD HOBBIES OR INTERESTS
      9. AMOUNT OF SCHOOL ATTENDED
      10. MAJOR TURNING POINTS IN CHILDHOOD AND EARLY LIFE
      11. GREATEST REGRET:
        • Losing her sister Hermione
      12. WHO WAS THEIR ROLE MODEL GROWING UP AND WHY?
      13. PAST JOBS
      14. TRAUMATIC EVENTS

    2. FAMILY

      1. Family Origins
        • Patrician Gens Metilia
      2. Parents Marital Status (Together, Separated, Divorced, Remarried, Died)
        • Together
      3. MOTHER: Age, Occupation, Relationship with
      4. FATHER: Age, Occupation, relationship with
      5. SIBLINGS: Ages, Names, relationships with
        • Younger Sister Hermione by 2years
      6. EXTENDED FAMILY: Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Inlaws if married: Age, occupation and relationship with:
      7. CHILDREN (if any): Ages, Names, relationship with
        • none

    3. RELATIONSHIPS

      1. BEST FRIEND
        • Was her sister Hermione (Oh how I do miss your mother)
      2. OTHER CLOSE FRIENDS
        • Society women at the theatre, music events
      3. ENEMIES
      4. HOW DO THEY REACT TO FRIENDS, STRANGERS, LOVERS, SPOUSE?
        • Adores her husband, partly because he is a successful career man
      5. ARE THEY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREER
        • Governor’s wife, yes
      6. ARE THEY JEALOUS OF OTHERS’ SUCCESS
        • Not at all, but very interested in who earns what, which patrician families have which estates
      7. DO THEY HAVE A MENTOR
      8. DO THEY TEND TO JUDGE
        • Yes
      9. ARE THEY UNDERSTANDING
        • To family, yes
      10. WHO CAN THE CHARACTER RELY ON?
        • Her husband
      11. BELIEFS
        • Roman Religion
      12. IS THE CHARACTER A PESSIMIST OR AN OPTIMIST?
        • Optimist
      13. WHAT’S THE CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY TYPE
        • Outgoing, Domineering, Authoritarian
      14. DESCRIBE THEIR LONG TERM GOALS
        • See Vipsania married to a career man, and Julia happily married
      15. SHORT TERM GOALS]
        • Absolutely Support Catulus in this latest adventure
      16. WHO INSPIRES THEM
      17. HOW DOES THE CHARACTER REACT TO CHANGE
        • Not going to let the changing scenario throw her at all.
      18. HOW ARE THEY SEEN BY: strangers, aquaintances, the opposite sex, colleagues, authority figures, children, extended family,
        • Afraid of her
      19. WHAT IS THEIR STYLE IN A GROUP DYNAMIC: Leader, joker, hype man, mooch, wallflower
        • Leader
      20. WHO DO THEY DEPEND ON FOR: Emotional support, wingman, mentor, practical advice, moral support
        • Her husband
      21. WHO IS THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
        • Her Husband
      22. WHAT DO THEY EXPECT FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIPS?
        • Loyalty, financial security
      23. WHO WOULD BE THEIR IDEAL PARTNER?

    3. THE CORE

      • Two things drive the story: 1. WHAT IS THE CHARACTER’S GOAL and 2. WHAT IS THE STORY MOTIVATION (SEE BOTTOM)

    1. PSYCHOLOGY or CHARACTER

      1. CHARACTER TYPE IN NOVEL (SEE LIST AT TOP) (Goody or Baddy)
      2. CHARACTER TRAITS: (SEE LIST AT TOP) (Humble or Proud etc)

    2. FAVOURITE THINGS

      1. FAVOURITE FOOD
      2. FAVOURITE DRINKS
      3. FAVOURITE ALCOHOL
      4. PREFERRED READING
      5. FAVOURITE BOOK
      6. FAVOURITE PLAY
      7. FAVOURITE MUSIC
      8. FAVOURITE PLACES TO GO
      9. DO THEY LIKE GOING TO SOCIAL OUTINGS
      10. PREFERRED SPORTS AND GAMES

    1. FEARS AND ASPIRATIONS

      1. GREATEST STRENGTH
      2. GREATEST FAILURE
      3. WHAT IS THEIR GREATEST FEAR?
      4. WHAT IS THE GREATEST FEAR THAT ARE AFRAID WILL BE FOUND OUT?
      5. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT
      6. WHAT THEY WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR
      7. WHAT DO THEY WANT THE MOST
      8. WHO MAKES THEM UPSET, ANGRY OR HAPPY
      9. HOW STRONG IS THEIR MORAL COMPASS
      10. AIMS IN LIFE
      11. APPROACH TO POWER, LOVE, AMBITION, CHANGE
      12. WHAT DO THEY LOOK FOR IN A PERSON

    2. THE THREE DRIVERS OF THE STORY:

      1. WHAT IS THE STORY GOAL AND WHAT IS THE STORY MOTIVATION? (Present and Future)

        1. WHAT DOES THE CHARACTER WANT, WHAT IS HIS GOAL?
        2. WHY DO THEY WANT IT OR WHAT IS HIS DRIVING FORCE?
        3. WHAT WILL BRING ABOUT CHANGE TO THE CHARACTER? How does the Character Develop? The Character Arc.
        4. WHAT IS THE PROMISE THAT HAS BEEN MADE TO THE READER? ARE YOU FULFILLING IT?

    2. THE CHARACTER ARC How does the character change?

      1. THE CHARACTER REACTS TO A TRIGGER OR IMPETUS: (Either an internal decision or an external event or person)
      2. THE CHARACTER ENTERS A NEW WORLD: (New people, places, ideas, rules that challenge his way of thinking, producing uncertainty)
      3. THEY START TO CHALLENGE THE OLD LIFE, BELIEFS, IDEAS AND RULES: (That they used to lead which is replaced by uncertainty) 
      4. THE CHARACTER UNDERGOES A PARADIGM SHIFT Where the old way od thinking or doing things is replaced by the new way of thinking. (Eg,Earth centric to Heliocentric system)
      5. THE CHARACTER EXPERIENCES LOSS OR FAILURE (Death of mentor or Catastrophic event which detaches character from direction they thought they needed to go in)
      6. THE CHARACTER DISCOVERS WHAT THEY TRULY NEEDED (Hidden part of their personality emerges bringing strength and certainty)
    3. FOUR PROTAGONIST CHARACTER ARCS IN A NOVEL
      1. TRANSFORMATION: Character undergoes complete change from underdog to respected person.
      2. MATURITY: Character remains same person, but learns to grow by overcoming external challenges rather than internal ones.
      3. ALTERATION: Character changes their Perspective, rather than making spiritual, emotional or physical changes to their behaviour or personality.
      4. DECLINE: Character makes a series of poor decisions which leads to their doom. As in a Tragedy.
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