As I started research for my next novel, a young adult historical fantasy, I realized I needed to get to know my new main character. One of my favorite ways to do this is to fill out one of those personal questionnaires about them. This is the one I've compiled:
1) What is your full name? What name do you go by and why?
2) What do you look like? What are your best and worst features?
3) What is your birth date? Do you celebrate or avoid it and why?
4) How do you prefer to dress? Do you wear any jewelry?
5) What are your parents and siblings names? How old are your siblings? Do you get along?
6) What type of people do you fit in best with?
7) Who are your friends? Enemies?
8) Who is your role model or idol?
9) Do you have any hobbies? Sports? Interests? Talents?
10) What do/did you want to be when you grow up?
11) What kind of music do you like? Movies? Books?
12) Do you have any bad habits? What habits in others can't you stand?
13) What do you do to relax? What do you do to have fun?
14) What is your favorite food? Drink?
15) Does anything in particular embarrass you?
16) Are you agreeable or do you argue your point?
17) Do you have a temper?
18) Who is the most important person in the world to you?
19) Is there anything you're afraid of?
20) Do you have any secrets?
21) What is your most prized possession?
22) Which of the five senses is strongest~or do you notice most? Sight, taste, touch, smell, or hearing?
23) What is your most powerful memory? Or do you not have one?
24) What quality do you most respect in others?
25) What is your best quality? Honesty, integrity, loyalty, honor?
Just add lines to write your answers on and you've got a great way to get to know your character. Feel free to copy and past it. What are some of the tricks you use to develop your characters?
~Heather
Great list. Someone was asking for similar inspiration on Twitter a few days ago and I gave them a list from James Frey's How to Write A Damn Good Novel. Now I'll have your list as well to pass along. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCyndi
Fabulous list, Heather - thank you for sharing. I can add another to the list, which probably ties in with your first question.
ReplyDelete"Do you have a nick-name? Do you like it or hate it? Why?"
I write for children so this one fits in well and the characters 'get' it. :)
cheers
Sheryl
Love this list, Heather. It's a great way to inhabit a character. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pensees, for the referal and for the tip on a great book!
ReplyDeleteI love that question Sheryl, thanks for adding it! As a YA writer it will come in handy.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, I'm glad you found it helpful!
Heather,your list is terrific! Creating a multi-dimensional character is essential to the success of any story. May I add a couple of others? What is your character's ruling emotion? Happy-go-lucky? Fearful? Paranoid? Caring? Knowing this drives where the character is coming from. Also, what does your character think about most of the time? Just a couple of ideas.
ReplyDeleteNice one, Heather! It's important to get to know your character inside and out.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your willingness to share and for helping new writers develop. Bless you.
ReplyDelete