Girl Scout Seniors
Novelist Badge, Step 2, Option 1
Step 2 of the Novelist badge is to “[c]reate great characters.”
Characters are the heart of a great novel. If you have a story concept already, keep that in mind during this step. If not,
build your characters and see what happens. Many novelists start with characters, and then figure out what should
happen to them – and a story idea blooms from there.
Option 1 says to let real people inspire your characters. Explore the History Center for inspiration, using the list below as
a guide. Then, create a character profile for three real people. If you don’t know all of the answers, make your best
guess. Try exaggerating some qualities of real people to create more fascinating fictional characters.
If you find another historic Pittsburgher that you would like to use in your story, go for it!
Person
John Heinz
Queen Aliquippa
Stephen Foster
Thomas Jackson Rodman
George Westinghouse
Bertha Lamme
Nellie Bly
Crystal Eastman
Alexander Berkman
Andrew Carnegie
Frank Bolden
George Marshall
Jonas Salk
Rachel Carson
Fred Rogers
H.J. Heinz
Martin Delany
Tanaghrisson
Exhibit
Senator John Heinz: A Western Pennsylvania
Legacy, 1st floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, 2nd floor
Special Collections Gallery, 4th floor
Heinz, 4th floor
From Slavery to Freedom, 4th floor
Clash of Empires, 5th floor
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Girl Scout Seniors
Novelist Badge, Step 2, Option 1
Character Profile for
_____________________________________________________
What are this person’s hobbies? _______________________________________________________________________
What is this person most ashamed of? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person most proud of? _____________________________________________________________________
Is this person a parent? A sibling? A grandparent? ________________________________________________________
What makes this person happy? _______________________________________________________________________
What makes this person sad? __________________________________________________________________________
What make this person angry? _________________________________________________________________________
Who does this person love the most? ___________________________________________________________________
Who does this person dislike the most? __________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a job? If so, what does this person do? _______________________________________________
Does this person go to school? If so, what grade is this person in? _____________________________________________
What is this person’s secret ambition? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s best childhood memory? ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s worst childhood memory? ___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a plan for the future? ______________________________________________________________
2 of 4
Girl Scout Seniors
Novelist Badge, Step 2, Option 1
Character Profile for
_____________________________________________________
What are this person’s hobbies? _______________________________________________________________________
What is this person most ashamed of? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person most proud of? _____________________________________________________________________
Is this person a parent? A sibling? A grandparent? ________________________________________________________
What makes this person happy? _______________________________________________________________________
What makes this person sad? __________________________________________________________________________
What make this person angry? _________________________________________________________________________
Who does this person love the most? ___________________________________________________________________
Who does this person dislike the most? __________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a job? If so, what does this person do? _______________________________________________
Does this person go to school? If so, what grade is this person in? _____________________________________________
What is this person’s secret ambition? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s best childhood memory? ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s worst childhood memory? ___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a plan for the future? ______________________________________________________________
3 of 4
Girl Scout Seniors
Novelist Badge, Step 2, Option 1
Character Profile for
_____________________________________________________
What are this person’s hobbies? _______________________________________________________________________
What is this person most ashamed of? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person most proud of? _____________________________________________________________________
Is this person a parent? A sibling? A grandparent? ________________________________________________________
What makes this person happy? _______________________________________________________________________
What makes this person sad? __________________________________________________________________________
What make this person angry? _________________________________________________________________________
Who does this person love the most? ___________________________________________________________________
Who does this person dislike the most? __________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a job? If so, what does this person do? _______________________________________________
Does this person go to school? If so, what grade is this person in? _____________________________________________
What is this person’s secret ambition? __________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s best childhood memory? ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is this person’s worst childhood memory? ___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does this person have a plan for the future? ______________________________________________________________
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