: Re: How to keep track of character development in a character profile? I have a character profile for every major character in my story. However, I'm having trouble organizing this profile: I don't

@Steve161

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This is how I would direct my focus using your "profile vs story" method for detailing your characters:

Character profile: Telling how the character grows in brief, simple terms

Story: Showing how the character changes through the course of the book

You know the age-old mantra that can be terribly over-applied:

Show, don't tell.

In the case of "profile vs story", I think the dichotomy can be helpful. The "Show, don't tell" statement can readily be applied to the story itself, but try doing the opposite for your Character Profile:

Tell, don't show.

Telling takes fewer words and is much less work than showing (and is generally less interesting). A single "telling" phrase (such as "became braver and braver") can summarize the character's growth over the arc of many chapters, for example. "Ferdinand became braver and braver" doesn't make for a great story, but it's a great summary of Ferdie's growth.

I see simple and brief as key here--otherwise, you'll end up, as you predict, writing two stories that are, summarily, identical.

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