Character Questionnaire - Part 1
The character questionnaire on these pages contains over a hundred questions to help you develop character profiles.If your characters feel real to you, then you can make them feel real to your readers.
Character profiles are a great way to get to know your characters and turn them into real people in your imagination. They can also help you come up with details to use in your stories -- and even story ideas!
How to use these questionnaires
There is no right or wrong way to answer the questionnaires. They are a tool to help your imagination.You DON'T have to answer all the questions! Browse through and see which ones capture your interest.
Think about those questions and make some notes for yourself. Be as brief or detailed as you want. The notes are only meant to help YOU, so don't worry about coming up with "well-written" answers.
Note that most of this information will probably not actually fit into your final story. Your story is about what it's about -- your reader doesn't need to know every detail of your characters' lives. BUT readers will be able to sense that you, the author, know your characters deeply.
Your knowledge of the characters will allow you to make them speak and act in an authentic way and to build a three-dimensional world for them.
Ready to start?
The Questionnaire
Character's name:Age:
Sex:
Physical appearance:
Place of birth:
Place of current residence:
Lives with:
Relationship status (single, married, separated, divorced, in a relationship, etc.):
STORY IDEA: Whatever your character's relationship status, there's a story in it! To turn the relationship (or lack of it) into a story, you have to create a problem or dilemma.
If your character's single, that could be the problem; s/he wants to be in a relationship. And s/he's looking for love in the wrong place...
If your character has a partner, you could introduce a relationship problem (examples: one partner's having an affair or suspects the other partner is; one partner wants children and the other doesn't; one partner does something that the other partner considers immoral; etc.).
And ex-partners... story possibilities galore! For example, one partner could be trying to get the other one back... or trying to get revenge...
If your character's single, that could be the problem; s/he wants to be in a relationship. And s/he's looking for love in the wrong place...
If your character has a partner, you could introduce a relationship problem (examples: one partner's having an affair or suspects the other partner is; one partner wants children and the other doesn't; one partner does something that the other partner considers immoral; etc.).
And ex-partners... story possibilities galore! For example, one partner could be trying to get the other one back... or trying to get revenge...
Family members:
Education:
Current job, if any:
Currently studying, if anything:
Hobbies:
Best friends:
Pets, if any:
Personality - strengths:
Personality - weaknesses:
STORY IDEA: Imagine a situation in which one of your character's weaknesses will get him or her into big trouble. Or imagine a situation in which your character desperately wants something, and his/her weakness is standing in the way. Your character will have to battle his/her weakness in order to reach his/her goal.
Click here to go to Part 2 of the character questionnaire.
Character Questionnaire - Next Steps
Continue with this character questionnaireCheck out our online writing course on character development
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