(Intro)

You've designed a fantastic character. You know their backstory, their goals, and their deepest fears. But when you put them on the page, they sound suspiciously similar to your hero, your villain, and even you, the author.

The problem isn't a lack of ideas—it's a lack of a system. A great character voice isn't born from vague inspiration; it's built through deliberate, concrete choices.

To solve this, we've created the ultimate Character Voice Cheat Sheet. This practical template will force you to make specific decisions about how your character speaks and thinks, ensuring every voice in your story is distinct, consistent, and unforgettable.

Copy and paste this template into a document for each of your Point-of-View (POV) characters.

Character Name: _________________________

1. Core Personality & Motivation:

1. Enneagram Type (or core drive): (e.g., Type 3 - The Achiever, driven by success; Type 8 - The Challenger, driven by control)
2. Greatest Fear/Desire: (e.g., Fear of being worthless / Desire to be admired)
3. Default Emotion: (e.g., Frustration, optimism, anxiety, cynicism)

2. Demographics & Background:

1. Age & Upbringing: (e.g., 45, grew up in a working-class fishing town)
2. Education & Vocation: (e.g., Self-taught mechanic vs. PhD historian)
3. Key Life Influences: (e.g., Military service, losing a parent, a major victory)

3. Speech & Diction Patterns:

1. Sentence Structure: ( ) Short & blunt | ( ) Long & flowing | ( ) Rambling & interrupted
2. Vocabulary Level: ( ) Academic | ( ) Slang-heavy | ( ) Simple & direct
3. Go-to Exclamations/Catchphrases: (e.g., "Brilliant.", "Whatever.", "I reckon...", "No offense, but...")
4. How do they give bad news? ( ) Bluntly | ( ) Gently, with padding | ( ) By avoiding it

4. Internal Worldview & Perception:

1. Metaphor/Analogy Source: (What world do they live in? e.g., Military, nature, mechanics, theater, sports)
2. Sample Metaphor for a Problem: "This is a five-alarm fire." (Firefighter) vs. "This mission is compromised." (Soldier) vs. "The wheels are coming off." (Mechanic)
3. How do they judge others? (e.g., On competence, on kindness, on wealth, on authenticity)
4. Overall Outlook: ( ) Cynical | ( ) Optimistic | ( ) Realistic | ( ) Apathetic

5. Physical & Quirky Habits:

1. Physical Tics in Speech: (e.g., Talks with hands, avoids eye contact, paces)
2. Internal Monologue Tics: (e.g., Constant second-guessing, uses lots of rhetorical questions, narrates like they're the hero of their own movie)

Let's see how this works by creating two opposing characters and writing the same scene from their POV.

Character A: "Monica" (The Strategist)

1. Core Personality: Enneagram 8 - The Challenger. Driven by control and a fear of being manipulated.
2. Speech Patterns: Clipped, confident sentences. Uses logic and dry sarcasm.
3. Worldview: Sees the world as a chessboard. Metaphors from law and warfare.
4. Quirks: Dark sense of humor. Rarely laughs.

Character B: "Josh" (The Enthusiast)

1. Core Personality: Enneagram 7 - The Enthusiast. Driven by joy and a fear of missing out.
2. Speech Patterns: Energetic, run-on sentences. Interrupts himself with excitement.
3. Worldview: Sees the world as a playground. Metaphors from movies and parties.
4. Quirks: Quotes movies with zero context. Talks with his hands.

The Scene: Someone brings them bad news in a coffee shop.

From MONICA'S POV (Using her cheat sheet):

Josh didn't look up from his laptop when I slid the manila envelope across the table. "The deal's off," I said. "Klein backed out." The typing stopped. His silence was a better interrogation tactic than any question. "The clause was too vague. It was a tactical error from the start." He finally reached for the envelope, not charmed, or even grateful, but because occupying his hands was an efficient way to eliminate the need for a reaction. Predictable.

From JOSH'S POV (Using his cheat sheet):

I burst into the coffee shop carrying two lattes and a paper bag that smelled like croissant heaven. "I brought peace offerings!" I announced, carrying Monica's coffee like the Olympic torch. She was typing furiously, glasses low on her nose. I set the bag down gently like it contained explosives. "You've been glaring at that spreadsheet like it stepped on your dog's tail." Nothing. No smile. Just a ruthless, unblinking stare that seemed to ask, "Why are you like this?" But then her hand reached for the bag. Victory. A small one, but a victory nonetheless.

See the difference? The same setting, the same action, but two completely different voices, energies, and perspectives, all guided by the cheat sheet.

1. Fill it Out First: Before you write a character's first chapter, complete the cheat sheet. It will save you hours of rewriting.
2. Keep it Handy: Have these sheets open as you write. Before a character speaks, glance at their profile.
3. Compare and Contrast: Look at your cheat sheets side-by-side. Where can you create more contrast? If two characters both use sports metaphors, change one to use cooking metaphors instead.

(Conclusion)

A strong character voice isn't a happy accident; it's the result of specific, intentional choices. This Character Voice Cheat Sheet is your blueprint. By defining the concrete parameters of how your character thinks and speaks, you move beyond a collection of traits and create a living, breathing person with a voice that is uniquely, unmistakably their own.

Stop wondering why your characters sound the same. Start building their voices, one deliberate choice at a time.