Tags
I’ve just begun writing a new novel, and one of the things I always do at the start is try to get to know my characters. What works for me is to fill in a character sheet. I start with straightforward questions about name, age, hair colour etc as a warm up, then move on to the more interesting questions – what did you dream of last night? What is your greatest fear? etc. I ask my characters to fill this in in first person, so it is almost like an interview. By the end, I feel I know who they are and what makes them tick. I also possibly have a few ideas for sub plots or back story…
Here’s my list of questions. Do other writers use something similar? I first had this idea from my writing tutor Della Galton but adapted and added to it since then.
Name |
Nickname |
Age |
Date of Birth |
Hair Colour |
Eye Colour |
Face |
Height & Build |
Voice |
Job/career |
Favourite food |
Favourite drink |
A good night out is |
Makes me smile |
Makes me cry |
Soft spot |
Really good at |
Afraid of |
Get furious at |
My one wish would be |
A good holiday is |
My view of money is |
My prejudices are |
Other people see my main qualities as |
Other people see my main faults as |
Do I get on with parents and siblings |
The worst illness I ever had was |
If someone tried to bully me I would |
My most defining experience was |
The best experience I ever had was |
My secret is |
Last night I dreamed |