Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Character Question-List 3


I started the preparation for a novel and wondered what kind of things I should ask my most important characters. So I looked around on the net and put this list together. 


1. What is your full name?

2. Date and place of birth?

3. Tell me about your parents?

4. Brothers? Sisters? 

5. Where/how do you live? (alone or with someone; in what kind of home?)

6. Do you have a job? If yes what is it?

7. How do you look? Hair, eye and skin color, height, weight, any marks, style of dress.

8. Do you have any allergies, mental illnesses, psychical weaknesses?

9. Are you left or right handed?

10. Do you have any tics, certain habbits or other things like that?

11. What do you usually carry in your pockets?

12. Describe your childhood

13. Did you like going to school?

14. Where did you learn most of the things you know?

15. Who did you look up to when you were younger?

16. Did you like your family? Why/why not?

17. What was your dream job?

18. What kind of child were you?

19. What’s the most important thing you did in your life?

20. Have you ever had any romantic relationships? And if they ended, why did you break up?

21. Do you have a relationship now?

22. What is your greatest regret?

23. What is the worst thing you ever did?

24. What are you scared of?

25. Best memory? And worst?

26. What are your religious views?

27. Would you kill anyone? If yes, why?

28. Would you die for anyone?

29. Do you make friends quickly?

30. How would you describe your manners?

31. Turn ons? 

32. Turn offs?

33. Are you close to your family? Why/why not?

34. If you desperately need help, who do you turn to?

35. Your hobbies?

36. Your most treasured possession?

37. Favorite color and food?

38. Favorite book/genre?

39. Do you smoke/drink/do drugs? And if so, why?

40. What is your favorite way of spending a Saturday?

41. How do you deal with stress?

42. Favorite joke?

43. How do you react if someone disturbs your routine?

44. Do you like yourself?

45. Introvert or extrovert?

46. What are you good at?

47. And what are you not good at?

48. What words describe you?

49. what is your weakness?

50. What would you want to add that you feel is important?


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Character Questions-List #2


Part 1: The Basics


  1. What is your full name?
  2. Where and when were you born?
  3. Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
  4. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
  5. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
  6. What is your occupation?
  7. Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
  8. To which social class do you belong?
  9. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
  10. Are you right- or left-handed?
  11. What does your voice sound like?
  12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
  13. What do you have in your pockets?
  14. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?



Part 2: Growing Up


  1. How would you describe your childhood in general?
  2. What is your earliest memory?
  3. How much schooling have you had?
  4. Did you enjoy school?
  5. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
  6. While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.
  7. While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?
  8. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
  9. As a child, what were your favorite activities?
  10. As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?
  11. As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?
  12. When and with whom was your first kiss?
  13. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
  14. If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.



Part 3: Past Influences


  1. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
  2. Who has had the most influence on you?
  3. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
  4. What is your greatest regret?
  5. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
  6. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
  7. When was the time you were the most frightened?
  8. What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
  9. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
  10. What is your best memory?
  11. What is your worst memory?



Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions


  1. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
  2. What is your greatest fear?
  3. What are your religious views?
  4. What are your political views?
  5. What are your views on sex?
  6. Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?
  7. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
  8. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
  9. What do you believe makes a successful life?
  10. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
  11. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
  12. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
  13. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?



Part 5: Relationships With Others


  1. In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
  2. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
  3. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
  4. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
  5. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.
  6. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
  7. What do you look for in a potential lover?
  8. How close are you to your family?
  9. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?
  10. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
  11. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
  12. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
  13. Who is the person you despise the most, and why?
  14. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
  15. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
  16. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
  17. Do you care what others think of you?



Part 6: Likes And Dislikes


  1. What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?
  2. What is your most treasured possession?
  3. What is your favorite color?
  4. What is your favorite food?
  5. What, if anything, do you like to read?
  6. What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?
  7. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?
  8. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
  9. What makes you laugh?
  10. What, if anything, shocks or offends you?
  11. What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?
  12. How do you deal with stress?
  13. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
  14. What are your pet peeves?



Part 7: Self Images And Etc.


  1. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?
  2. What is your greatest strength as a person?
  3. What is your greatest weakness?
  4. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
  5. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
  6. Are you generally organized or messy?
  7. Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
  8. Do you like yourself?
  9. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons...)
  10. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?
  11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  12. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
  13. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
  14. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?
  15. What three words best describe your personality?
  16. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
  17. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)



The 100 Most Important Things To Know About Your Character (revised)


by Beth Kinderman and Nikki Walker
Taken from http://www.geocities.com/poetess47/100questions.html and posted here for preservation as Geocities contents often disappear without notice.
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Character Map


Basic Character Questions


1.   First name?

2.   Surname?

3.   Middle names?

4.   Nicknames?

5.   Date of birth?

6.   Age?



Physical / Appearance


1.   Height?

2.   Weight?

3.   Build?

4.   Hair color?

5.   Hair style?

6.   Eye color?

7.   Eye Shape?

8.   Glasses or contact lenses?

9.   Distinguishing facial features? 

10.                Which facial feature is most prominent?

11.                Which bodily feature is most prominent?

12.                Other distinguishing features?

13.                Skin?

14.                Hands?

15.                Make up?

16.                Scars?

17.                Birthmarks?

18.                Tattoos?

19.                Physical handicaps?

20.                Type of clothes?

21.                How do they wear their clothes?

22.                What are their feet like? (type of shoes, state of shoes, socks, feet, pristine, dirty, worn, etc.)

23.                Race / Ethnicity?

24.                Mannerisms?

25.                Are they in good health?

26.                Do they have any disabilities?



Personality


1.   What words or phrases do they overuse?

2.   Do they have a catchphrase?

3.   Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?

4.   Are they introverted or extroverted?

5.   Do they ever put on airs?

6.   What bad habits do they have?

7.   What makes them laugh out loud?

8.   How do they display affection?

9.   Mental handicaps?

10.                How do they want to be seen by others?

11.                How do they see themselves?

12.                How are they seen by others?

13.                Strongest character trait?

14.                Weakest character trait?

15.                How competitive are they?

16.                Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?

17.                How do they react to praise?

18.                How do they react to criticism?

19.                What is their greatest fear?

20.                What are their biggest secrets?

21.                What is their philosophy of life?

22.                When was the last time they cried?

23.                What haunts them?

24.                What are their political views?

25.                What will they stand up for?

26.                Who do they quote?

27.                Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy?

28.                What is their sinful little habit?

29.                What sense do they most rely on?

30.                How do they treat people better than them?

31.                How do they treat people worse than them?

32.                What quality do they most value in a friend?

33.                What do they consider an overrated virtue?

34.                If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

35.                What is their obsession?

36.                What are their pet peeves?

37.                What are their idiosyncrasies?



Friends and Family


1.   Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?

2.   What is their perception of family?

3.   Do they have siblings? Older or younger?

4.   Describe their best friend.

5.   Ideal best friend?

6.   Describe their other friends.

7.   Describe their acquaintances.

8.   Do they have any pets?

9.   Who are their natural allies?

10.                Who are their surprising allies?



Past and Future


1.   What was your character like as a baby? As a child?

2.   Did they grow up rich or poor?

3.   Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?

4.   What is the most offensive thing they ever said?

5.   What is their greatest achievement?

6.   What was their first kiss like?

7.   What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?

8.   What are their ambitions?

9.   What advice would they give their younger self?

10.                What smells remind them of their childhood?

11.                What was their childhood ambition?

12.                What is their best childhood memory?

13.                What is their worst childhood memory?

14.                Did they have an imaginary childhood friend?

15.                When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment?

16.                What past act are they most ashamed of?

17.                What past act are they most proud of?

18.                Has anyone ever saved their life?

19.                Strongest childhood memory?



Love


1.   Do they believe in love at first sight?

2.   Are they in a relationship?

3.   How do they behave in a relationship?

4.   When did you character last have sex?

5.   What sort of sex do they have?

6.   Has your character ever been in love?

7.   Have they ever had their heart broken?



Conflict


1.   How do they respond to a threat?

2.   Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?

3.   What is your character’s kryptonite?

4.   If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?

5.   How do they perceive strangers?

6.   What do they love to hate?

7.   What are their phobias?

8.   What is their choice of weapon?

9.   What living person do they most despise?

10.                Have they ever been bullied or teased?

11.                Where do they go when they’re angry?

12.                Who are their enemies and why?



Work, Education and Hobbies


1.   What is their current job?

2.   What do they think about their current job?

3.   What are some of their past jobs?

4.   What are their hobbies?

5.   Educational background?

6.   Intelligence level?

7.   Do they have any specialist training?

8.   Do they have a natural talent for something?

9.   Do they play a sport? Are they any good?

10.                What is their socioeconomic status? 



Favorites


1.   What is their favorite animal?

2.   Which animal to they dislike the most?

3.   What place would they most like to visit?

4.   What is the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen?

5.   What is their favorite song?

6.   Music, art, reading preferred?

7.   What is their favorite color?

8.   What is their password?

9.   Favorite food:

10.                What is their favorite work of art?

11.                Who is their favorite artist?

12.                What is their favorite day of the week?



Possessions


1.   What is in their fridge:

2.   What is on their bedside table?

3.   What is in their car?

4.   What is in their bin?

5.   What is in their purse or wallet?

6.   What is in their pockets?

7.   What is their most treasured possession?



Spirituality


1.   Who or what is your character’s guardian angel?

2.   Do they believe in the afterlife?

3.   What are their religious views?

4.   What do they think heaven is?

5.   What do they think hell is?

6.   Are they superstitious?

7.   What would they like to be reincarnated as?

8.   How would they like to die?

9.   What is your character’s spirit animal?

10.                What is their zodiac sign?



Values


1.   What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?

2.   What is their view of ‘freedom’?

3.   When did they last lie?

4.   What’s their view of lying?

5.   When did they last make a promise?

6.   Did they keep or break their last promise?



Daily life


1.   What are their eating habits?

2.   Do they have any allergies?

3.   Describe their home.

4.   Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?

5.   What do they do first thing on a weekday morning?

6.   What do they do on a Sunday afternoon?

7.   What do they do on a Friday night?

8.   What is the soft drink of choice?

9.   What is their alcoholic drink of choice?



Miscellaneous


1.   What is their character archetype? 

2.   Who is their hero?

3.   What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?

4.   Are they comfortable with technology?

5.   If they could save one person, who would it be?

6.   If they could call one person for help, who would it be?

7.   What is their favorite proverb?

8.   What is their greatest extravagance?

9.   What is their greatest regret?

10.                What is their perception of redemption?

11.                What would they do if they won the lottery?

12.                What is their favorite fairytale?

13.                What fairytale do they hate?

14.                Do they believe in happy endings?

15.                What is their idea of perfect happiness?

16.                What would they ask a fortune teller?

17.                If your character could travel through time, where would they go?

18.                What sport do they excel at?

19.                What sport do they suck at?

20.                If they could have a superpower, what would they choose?

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