Some people like profile skeletons, others go with the flow. I do a mix of both. As it stands, I only have one profile skeleton, and it is as follows:
-External goal (physical; i.e., rule the world)
-Internal goal (emotional; i.e., be recognized for their achievements)
-Any additional goals (optional, especially if it is a more minor character)
-Drive to accomplish said goals
-Methods of accomplishment
-Chain, or what is holding the character back
-Epiphany, which is the point the character changes. There can be more than one in a work
I find these are all you really need to know about a character in terms of the story. If I absolutely need to know anything else (like, I will forget it if I do not write it down, and I have not gotten to that part of the story yet), I note it somewhere. But knowing what a character wants, how they get it, and how they break (or give up against) their chains says a lot about who they are.
Credit to Neuschwanstein Princess for the last one. Characters changing, even if only a little, is a big part of any story.
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