For me, character is everything. It’s the heart of the story, it drives the plot, and it’s also the answer to all problems. When I get stuck it’s usually because I don’t know my character well enough, and when I take some time to think about who they are, it usually solves the problem.

One way of doing this is to interview your characters! Sit them down and ask them the following questions:

Character interview

Name:

Background:

Birthday:

Place of birth:

Parents:

What was important to the people who raised him:

Siblings:

Economic/social status growing up:

Ethnic background:

Places lived:

Current address:

Education:

Favourite subject in school:

Special training:

Jobs:

Salary:

Travel:

Friends:

How do people view this character:

Lives with:

Fights with:

Spends time with:

Wishes to spend time with:

Who depends on him and why:

What people does he most admire:

Enemies:

Dating, marriage:

Children:

Relationship with God:

Overall outlook on life:

Does this character like himself:

What, if anything, would he like to change about his life:

What personal demons haunt him:

Is he lying to himself about something:

Optimistic/pessimistic:

Morality level:

Confidence level:

Typical day:

Physical appearance:

Body type:

Posture:

Head shape:

Eyes:

Nose:

Mouth:

Hair:

Skin:

Tattoos/piercings/scars:

Voice:

What people notice first:

Clothing:

How would he describe himself:

Health/disabilities:

Characteristics:

Strongest/weakest character traits:

How can the flip side of his strong point be a weakness:

How much self-control and self-discipline does he have:

What makes him irrationally angry:

What makes him cry:

Fears:

Talents:

What people like best about him:

Interests and favourites:

Political leaning:

Collections:

Food, drink:

Music:

Books:

Movies:

Sports, recreation:

Colour:

Best way to spend a weekend:

A great gift for this person:

Pets:

Vehicles:

What large possessions does he own (car, home, furnishings, boat, etc.) and which does he like best:

Typical expressions –

When happy:

When angry:

When frustrated:

When sad:

Idiosyncrasies:

Laughs or jeers at:

Ways to cheer up this person:

Ways to annoy this person:

Hopes and dreams:

How does he see himself accomplishing these dreams:

What’s the worst thing he’s ever done to someone and why:

Greatest success:

Biggest trauma:

Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to him:

What does he care about most in the world:

Does he have a secret:

If he could do one thing and succeed at it, what would it be:

He is the kind of person who:

What do you love most about this character:

Why will the reader sympathise with this person right away:

How is the character ordinary or extraordinary:

How is his situation ordinary or extraordinary:

Core Need:

Corresponding psychological manoeuvre (delusions, obsessions, compulsions, addictions, denials, hysterical ailments, hypochondria, illnesses, behaviours harming the self, behaviour harming others, manias, and phobias):

Anecdote (defining moment):