Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Character Development Worksheet

This is something I've posted on another site and a friend asked me for a copy of it and suggested I post it here to help all of you out. Filling out a fun questionairre on your characters can be a great way to get to know them better. It's one of my essential tools when I'm brainstorming a story.

Character Development Questions

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. What are some of the tricks you use to develop your characters?

~Heather

22 comments:

  1. Heather, This is a great idea. I love it. I get to know my character by letting them live, and sometimes they just surprise the heck out of me. I'm going to use this however.
    Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Letting them live, I like that Karlene, a lot. I can definitely see where that could work well.

      Delete
  2. Heather, I'm so glad you reposted this. I just went through it with my current MC in mind and it is so much fun! I actually found out something about her that I did not know at all! (It was the 'who is your role model or idol' question). Wow, so cool. (It helps to zip through the questions, answering without thinking too much, after a long day, when you've had a few sips of wine)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love it when that happens Linda! Discovering more about our characters is so much fun.

      Delete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Okay, goofed. I'll try again. I thought of another question I'd add as #26: 'What quality are you most drawn to in others that could be opposed to your own best interests or values?' What do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi! I signed up for NaNoWriMo and this will be my first real attempt at writing a novel. I love your character questions...I'm sure I'll be back. Thanks for the help!
    Debbie

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