Character Questionnaire

Answer as many of these questions as you can, but start with at least the first nine questions.

What is your character’s name? Does the character have a nickname?
What is your characters hair color? Eye color?
What kind of distinguishing facial features does your character have?
Does your character have a birthmark? Where is it? What about scars? How did he get them?
Who are your characters friends and family? Who does he surround himself with? Who are the people your character is closest to? Who does he wish he were closest to?
Where was your character born? Where has he lived since then? Where does he call home?
Where does your character go when hes angry?
What is his biggest fear? Who has he told this to? Who would he never tell this to? Why?
Does he have a secret?
What makes your character laugh out loud?
When has your character been in love? Had a broken heart?
What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On his bedroom floor? On his nightstand? In his garbage can?
Look at your characters feet. Describe what you see there. Does he wear dress shoes, gym shoes, or none at all? Is he in socks that are ratty and full of holes? Or is he wearing a pair of blue and gold slippers knitted by his grandmother?
When your character thinks of his childhood kitchen, what smell does he associate with it? Sauerkraut? Oatmeal cookies? Paint? Why is that smell so resonant for him?
Your character is doing intense spring cleaning. What is easy for him to throw out? What is difficult for him to part with? Why?
Its Saturday at noon. What is your character doing? Give details. If hes eating breakfast, what exactly does he eat? If hes stretching out in his backyard to sun, what kind of blanket or towel does he lie on?
What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where is he going? What does he wear? Who will he be with?
What do you consider your character’s greatest achievement?
What is your character’s idea of perfect happiness?
What is your character’s current state of mind?
What is your character’s favorite occupation?
What is your character’s most treasured possession?
What or who is the greatest love of your character’s life?
What is your character’s favorite journey?
What is your character’s most marked characteristic?
When and where was your character the happiest?
What is it that your character’s most dislike?
What is your character’s greatest extravagance?
Which living person does your character most despise?
What is your character’s greatest regret?
Which talent would your character most like to have?
What does your character consider the most overrated virtue?
On what occasions does your character lie?
Which words or phrases does your character most overuse?
If your character could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?
What are your character’s favorite names?
How would your character like to die?
What is your character’s motto?