Thread: Questions for Your Characters

When creating a character it can sometimes be difficult to properly flesh them out. I find it useful to ask yourself questions about them. I often find that it is not a case of "deciding" what their answer to the question might be; you simply know the answer. It is knowing the answers to these questions that can help turn an image in your head or a scrap of personality into a real person.

Sometimes the questions can be as easy as "What is their favourite colour?" but sometimes it is more useful to ask deeper questions alongside it. Here is a short list just to get you started.

1. Who influenced them most growing up?
2. Who do they respect or aspire to be?
3. How do they feel about their parents?
4. Did they have siblings? How did this affect them?
5. What would they say was the most pivotal moment in their childhood?
6. What did they want to be as a child?
7. What is the thing they regret most?
8. What motivates them to do what they do now?
9. What would be the thing they most want to do in the future?
10. What do they wish they were like?
11. What is their favourite book?
12. What was their favourite lesson at school?
13. If they could be anywhere in the world where would it be?
14. If they could meet anyone in the world who would it be?
15. What are their religious beliefs?
16. What would be the way they would most want to die?
17. What is the thing that frightens them most?
18. What is their opinion on love?
19. What qualities do they admire in other people?
20. What qualities do they hate in other people?

Pretty good list, I like asking my characters questions as I go through the story as well as at the beginning. One of these seems strange to me (Not bad you understand, just unusual).

16. What would be the way they would most want to die?

I don't know but this gives me story/plot ideas just reading it.