I’m increasingly interested in whether other writers use some form of character sheet. Even if done haphazardly, it’s a practice that seems increasingly vital as I have so many different WIPs in various stages of completion.
I’ve seen all sorts of questionnaires and charts but still haven’t really utilized them. I mainly started doing some basic listing of character traits so that I don’t forget details. It seems like the plots develop my characters and vice versa, not like a character wakes up in my brain and demands a say.
The more likely scenario is that a scene from a dream kicks off a tale. It might even be something more esoteric like a strange phrase or unusual name popping into my head. Then, the characters grow from what I put on the page. Some days the process does feel almost like I’m taking dictation. I love when that happens.
If you write, what is your method? I’d enjoy learning how different folks create their unique voices for story.