25 Questions To Ask Your Characters

We can all name memorable characters in literature, Scout Finch and Boo Radley, Holden Caulfield, Nurse Ratched, Charlie Buckett, Ron Weasley, and Victor Frankenstein, to name a few, are all characters plucked from the minds of their respective writers and developed into individuals that had real substance beyond words written on a page. But no matter their function in the story, a writer needs to know a little bit about what makes that individual “tick”. How do you get to know your characters? Do you have a particular process through which you get to know that character? These 25 questions are intended to get the ball rolling in terms of how to develop a character that is believable and relatable. What questions do you ask your characters?

25 Questions To Ask Your Characters

1.First and Last Name?

2.How old are they? What does their age mean for their current place in life?

3.Does your character have any distinguishing characteristics? An article of clothing or a physical feature?

4.What bad habits do they have?

5.What is their strongest/weakest character trait?

6.What are their pet peeves?

7.What are their hobbies/interests?

8.How would this character describe themselves, or is that what the character is searching for?

9.Do they have any siblings, pets, or other important family members?

10.Where does your character live? In a city or out in the country? In a house or apartment?

11.Does your character have a job? Do they love or hate that job?

12.Does your character have any particularly strong beliefs or opinions?

13.What is your character’s greatest fear?

14.Is your character a couch potato or a super active person?

15.What is in their refrigerator, wallet, or purse?