Advanced Character Questionnaire

Transcription

1 Advanced Character Questionnaire Let's Get (Very) Personal by Creative Writing Now

2 Creative Writing Now - Advanced Character Questionnaire - Page 2 Introduction Writing character profiles will help you get to know your characters so that you can make them come alive on the page. Even if you don't use all of the information in your story, it's helpful to know the answers to the questions. It means that your characters are real to you, not just words on a page. And once the characters are real to you, you can make them real to your readers. On the Creative Writing Now website, you'll find some basic character profile questionnaires to help you get to know your fictional characters. But THIS questionnaire will take you way beyond the basics. You'll know secrets about your characters that not even their closest family members know, secrets that they may not know themselves. Write the name of one of your characters at the top of the page, and then take notes on your answers to the questions. Ready to get personal? 1. Describe the contents of your character's night-table drawer. 2. What does your character wish s/he looked like? What does s/he think when s/he looks in the mirror? 3. What does your character daydream about? 4. What kind of dancer is your character? (e.g., natural, graceful, shy,

3 Creative Writing Now - Advanced Character Questionnaire - Page 3 spastic, violent, seductive, nerdy, etc.) What kind of walk does your character have? 5. Describe your character's first kiss. 6. What does your character smell like? (e.g., sweat, soap, cigarettes, perfume -- and what kind?) 7. What famous people has your character been compared to, and why? 8. The last time your character went to a store, what did s/he buy? 9. What kind of car does s/he drive, or would s/he like to drive? 10. What are the last two books your character read? 11. What's an unpleasant memory your character tries not to think about? A happy memory that the character returns to again and again? 12. What did/does your character want to be when s/he grew/grows up, and how does this dream compare to the character's real situation? 13. What type of person would find your character especially annoying, and why? 14. How does your character act when s/he is: - angry but trying not to show it - embarrassed - nervous - attracted to someone 15. What characters in movies or books remind your character of himself/herself? 16. Whom does your character envy, and why?

4 Creative Writing Now - Advanced Character Questionnaire - Page What things is your character a snob about (e.g., money, fashion music, books), and what form does this snobbishness take? 18. What was/is your character best and worst at in school? 19. Does your character ever pray? What kind of prayers/ what about? 20. In what situations does your character feel especially confident? 21. What is a place where your character avoids going? 22. What would your character be like as a: - friend - blind date - romantic partner - roommate - customer (e.g., if you were a waiter/waitress at a restaurant where your character came for a meal, what impression would your character make?? 23. In what situation would your character behave rudely, and what would s/he do? 24. How does your character feel about family gatherings; for example, during holidays? 25. What is your character's attitude about: - marriage - sex - money - the supernatural

5 Creative Writing Now - Advanced Character Questionnaire - Page What is your character's favorite: - food - color - drink - weather 27. Does your character have a hiding place? What does s/he keep there? 28. What is your character's favorite item of clothing? 29. Does your character have any irrational fears (e.g., fear of spiders, heights, the dark, etc.)? 30. If you asked your character these questions about him/herself, would s/he lie about any of the answers? Which ones? Happy writing!