Questions Every Author Should Ask Their Characters

Characters done well have a life of their own. We know them, often better than we know the real people in our lives! If we were to drop Hermione Granger on the U.S.S. Enterprise , or give Arya Stark a job at Starbucks, we have a pretty good idea of how they would react.

That’s what you need for your characters. Not just the main character, but all the major players in your book: the villain, the main character’s best friend, their parents... everyone who has any sort of significance to the plot needs to be fully fleshed out.

Every author is different, but generally speaking we all ask our characters some questions, from the doozies to the frivolous little details. This is how I go about creating my characters. Usually I have a notebook dedicated to the book/world, and six pages for each character. Each page covers a specific aspect of the character: their core, their personality, likes and dislikes, abilities and disabilities, background, and physical description.

And these are the questions I ask:

Core
(re: motivation and moral code)

What the hell are you doing here? (No, seriously. They need a concrete motivation, or there’s no point of having them in the story.)

What is your greatest strength? How about your greatest weakness?

Do the ends justify the means? Why or why not?

What would you say is an irredeemable act?

What makes someone a “good” person? What makes them “bad”? Is it possible for one to become the other?

Are you religious? What religion?

Do you believe in Fate?

What is your gender identity? How do you feel about that?

What is your Hogwarts house?

Personality

Where do you see yourself next year? Five years? Ten?

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

How many friends do you have?

Do you prefer a handful of close friends or a lot of “shallow” friends?

How easily do you trust people?

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Do you like showing off or would you prefer to go unnoticed?

What are some of the items on your bucket list?

Are you organized or messy?

Glass half empty or glass half full?

Leader or follower?

Background

Where were you born? If it’s somewhere far away, how did you get here?

Where were you a year ago? Five years? Ten?

How do you get along with your parents (or, if they’re out of the picture, the people who raised you)?

Do you have any siblings? How do you get along with them?

Have you ever dated or married? How many times? With whom? Do you have any contact with your exes?

What have you done that you feel most ashamed of?

What is your biggest regret?

What is your fondest memory?

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Is that what you are now? If not, do you still want that?

If you could go back in time and do your whole life all over again, would you? Why or why not?

Likes and Dislikes

What is your favorite thing to do in your down time?

Do you play sports? Which ones and why?

Are you in any clubs? Which ones and why?

What’s your sexuality? Do you have to keep it a secret?

Have you had sex before?
If no: do you want to? Why?
If yes: what did you like about it? What did you not like about it? What’s something new you want to try?

What do you look for in a romantic partner (assuming you’re looking for one)?

What do you look for in a friend?

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Would you prefer to explore the world or cozy up by the fireplace with a good book?

What’s your favorite season? Least favorite?

What’s your favorite kind of weather? Least favorite?

What’s something that never fails to make you laugh?

Abilities and Disabilities

What can you do that none of the other characters can do?

What was your best subject in school? Your worst?

Can you do public speaking?

What is the weirdest talent you have?

Can you read? Write? (If so, what are your favorite books?)

How are your math skills?

Can you handle a physical fight? If so, what are your preferred weapons and methods?

Do you have patience?

How well can you read people?

Can you sing or play an instrument?

How are your cooking skills?

If you were stranded in the wild, how long would you survive?

If you were stranded in a strange city, how long would you survive?

Do you have any physical problems? (re: can you walk, run, use both hands, lift heavy weights, etc.) If so, how do you get around them?

Physical Description

What do you look like?

What clothes do you like to wear?

What style do you like your hair in?

Do you like jewelry? Makeup?

If you have bad eyes, do you wear glasses or contact lenses?

Are you clean? Or does someone need to remind you to take a shower now and then?

Is there anything about your body that you try to show off?

Is there anything about your body that you try to hide?

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What questions do you ask your characters? Add them to the comments!