Chances are, if you ask a reader why they love their favorite book, they’d say they love the characters. Characters, especially the main character, keep readers hanging by the edge of their seats and reading late into the night. They hook readers in the first place and then reel them in. But this is only possible because the characters feel real, and so the reader may develop a real connection to them.
The better you know your characters, the better you can portray them like real people. Of course, you don’t need to know every little detail about them before you start writing. If you’re like me, you might even discover who your characters are while you’re writing. Regardless, you’ll have to get to know them at some point.
Whether you haven’t started writing yet or whether you’ve already finished the first draft, these are the questions to ask, divided into the following categories:
Describe your character’s appearance
- What do they look like? Describe hair, eyes, face shape, features, body shape, skin, weight, and height.
- What style of clothes do they wear? (Did they emulate/copy someone else’s style of fashion? Or do they follow the trends?)
- What clothes do they have to wear for their occupation?
- Do they frequently wear specific accessories and why? What items/weapons do they carry with them at all times?
- Do they have any tattoos, piercings, or other body markings? If so, what do they mean to the character and when did they get them?
- Any birthmarks or natural distinguishing features?
- Does your character exhibit a visible disability? How does this affect their appearance, as well as their way of life?
- How does your character’s mood or routine affect their appearance? (Working out in the sun → natural tan; not getting enough sleep → dark circles; generally happy → smile lines)
- Any scars? If so, how did they obtain them? (Do they keep them hidden? How are they concealed?)
- Does your character wear any makeup?
Build your main character’s background
- Who raised them? How does the character feel about their parents or the people who raised them?
- What kind of relationship did the character have with their family/caretakers?
- Did they have a role model growing up? What is something your main character likes to see in others because of this role model? How did they want to be like them the most?
- What sort of environment did they grow up in?
- Do they have any siblings? How did they interact with them?
- Where are they from? Describe their home’s culture.
- How did they interact with the community growing up? How were they viewed by others in their community?
- Who were they close to? Any friends?
- How were they treated by friends, family, their peers, and their community?
- Were they raised with a religion? How has this affected their religious affiliation today?
- Can another character look at them and easily guess what their background or homelife was like?
- What was their first job? Why did they choose this job?
- What are three things your character is passionate about? (At least one of these should be a top priority for the character or something they need to make a priority.)
- How do their passions/their motivation connect back to their childhood or early life?
- What is their fondest childhood memory?
- Their worst childhood memory?
- How would your character describe their childhood vs. how would you, the author, describe it? Are there discrepancies?
- What would your character describe as their biggest mistake?
- Do they have any regrets?
- What is your character’s relationship with your magic system? Do they have magic?
- What was your character raised to believe about magic?
- Did your character grow up believing any lies about the world around them? (For example, if the story is a dystopian, what did your character grow up believing about their government?)
Develop your main character’s personality and mindset
- What does your character currently believe about the magic system of their world? (You can replace “magic system” with government, ruler, caste system, etc.)
- How is your character putting their passion into action? (Or, rather, not putting their passion into action?)
- How would your character describe their state of mind vs. how would you, the author, describe it? Are there discrepancies?
- What annoys your character?
- Can your character see things about themselves clearly?
- What does your character want to achieve, regardless of the roadblocks?
- Are they willing to overcome these roadblocks? Why or why not?
- List their top 3 goals, with one being the top priority.
- What is their greatest fear?
- What is a lie they tell themselves (which usually relates to their greatest fear and/or the aforementioned roadblocks)?
- What does your character believe about the world and how it was created? What is their religion?
- What does your character think their strengths and weaknesses are vs. what do you, the author, know their strengths and weaknesses to be?
- What motivates them to do better? What makes them want to give up?
- What does their work ethic look like?
- What is their usual mood? (Do they constantly have mood swings? How do they deal with their emotions?)
- How well do they handle change?
- What makes them mad?
- How does your character show what they’re feeling? (This can be in subtle or dramatic ways, positive or negative ways.)
- What is a cause they would die for?
- What would they say are their core values?
- Similarly, what would they say are the three most important things to them? What three things would they do anything to protect or keep for themselves?
- What sense of humor do they have?
- What makes your character smile?
- How would other characters describe them based on first impressions? Compare this to how characters close to them would describe them.
- What is your character’s greatest flaw or weakness? (How did they develop this flaw?)
- What is a lie they currently believe about the world around them or themselves?
- Are they good at lying or pretending? What gives them away?
- What is their greatest strength? (How did they develop this strength?)
- What is a character trait that makes your character stand out the most from the other characters in the cast?
- How has their culture influenced their behavior?
- Would they make a good leader? Why or why not?
- How confident are they? What builds up their confidence and what destroys it?
Detail your character’s daily life
- What are their hobbies? How do they relax?
- Where can they be found the most?
- Who do they interact with the most?
- Do they have a routine or does each day look different? What do they do on a day-to-day basis?
- Are they typically surrounded by people or are they always found alone?
- What are seemingly meaningless things that bring them joy (e.g. favorite food, hobby, etc.)?
- What is their current occupation? How did they get there?
- Are they satisfied with their life? (The answer should probably be “no” once the conflict is introduced to the story.)
- What is something in their daily life they try to avoid?
- What is something in their daily life they wish they had more of (e.g. seeing a specific person, time, etc.)?
Establish your main character’s skill sets
- What is a skill(s) they are known for?
- What is a skill(s) no one knows they have?
- Describe their combat skills and experience.
- Describe their magic wielding skill level and experience.
- How many languages can they speak? When/where did they learn them?
- What is a skill unique to them? (How did they obtain this skill? Is it inherited?)
- What skill was the hardest for them to learn? The easiest?
- What is a skill they are working towards obtaining but do not have yet?
- Is there a skill they wish they didn’t have?
- Describe their weapon of choice. Is this unique to them?
Develop your main character’s relationships
- Who does your character always turn to for support?
- Do they have a mentor? Who taught them the most important skills they know?
- What is their current relationship with their family?
- Who is their closest friend?
- Who would they say is their rival?
- Who do they consider to be their greatest enemy?
- Have they ever been betrayed? How did this affect them?
- What is their current relationship status? Do they want a romantic relationship (now, in the future, or never)?
- Are they in love?
- Is there a past romantic relationship that greatly impacted them? Describe their dating history (if they have one).
- How does your main character show affection? (Do the other characters appreciate this? Do they find their affection to be too much or not enough?)
- Does your character make it clear who they like/dislike? Or are they more polite?
- What is the number one thing your character looks for in a friend?
- What other character is the closest to the exact opposite of your main character? What is their relationship like?
- What admirable qualities do they want to see in their friends? What detestable qualities do they hate to find in someone?
- Who is someone they wish to protect above all else?
- How are they viewed by their coworkers and peers?
- How do they get along with their coworkers and peers?
- Who do they work best with? (What other character compliments them the most?)
- What is their relationship with the authority figures in their life? How do they feel about giving up authority/control?
- Who are the most important people to them?
Determine your main character’s motivation
- What does your character care about the most? Who do they care about the most?
- What is something they’re lacking but they desperately need/desire?
- Does your character have a long-term goal? What are some smaller goals they can start with to help them get there?
- Why can’t they achieve their goal? Why can’t they have what they want?
- What forces work against your character?
- What steps will they have to take to get what they want?
- Where does your character’s morality come from? (Could their motivations be purely moral? How does their morality relate to their goals and desires?)
- What would your character change about their world? Their circumstances? Their family? Themselves?
- Are they satisfied with their life? (The answer should probably be no.)
- What are they willing to sacrifice to reach their goals?
No pressure
Don’t feel pressured to answer all of these questions. They’re supposed to serve as a trail guide in your protagonist’s development, but it’s always okay to stray off the designated trail and forge your own path.
If you know any other writers who need help with developing their characters, share this article with them! And as always, keep writing.
