Character Questions

The better you know your characters, the easier it will be to make them seem real on the page. Here are some questions and prompts for you to write in response to. Some of the information you come up with only you will need to know and you won’t reveal in the story, but other ideas will reveal themselves to you during the process which might be vital for the story.

You don’t need to answer all the questions, just the ones that you are drawn to the most. However, be aware that some questions that seem hard to answer might be worth digging at to really get under the skin of your character.

Give them a name.

How old are they?

What do they look like? - Just jot down some notes.

Where do they live?

What do they like to wear usually?

What is their home like?

Do they like to travel by car, bike, train?

What work do they do?

How do they feel about money?

Do they have pets?

What do they like to eat?

What kind of music do they listen to?

When and where do they like dancing?

Which three words would their best friend use to describe them?

Which three words would their mother/father/husband/wife/son/daughter use to describe them?

What quirks or unusual characteristics do they have?

Think about their mannerisms or way of talking - is there something that stands out that you could describe and use to help the reader visualise them?

Favourite colour?

What do they dream of?

What do they want most of all?

These prompts are a bit looser. Relax, close your eyes for a few minutes and write down the images and thoughts that come in response.

They are the sort of person who...
You’ll never believe this, but once they... Every day, they...
They are so scared they’ll...
They love...
Last week, they...