Character Questionnaire - Part 2
This is Part 2 of our Character Questionnaire. Click here to go to Part 1.You can use this questionnaire to get to know your characters so that you can make them three-dimensional on the page.
Temper:
Religious, philosophical, and/or political beliefs:
Superstitions, if any:
Close friends:
Problematic relationships with:
STORY IDEA: Your character desperately needs help from someone s/he has a problematic relationship with. You decide why the relationship is so troubled.
This person is the only one who can help your character in a particular situation. You decide what the situation is and why your character absolutely MUST turn to this person. But when your character tries to approach this person for help, the relationship issues get in the way...
This person is the only one who can help your character in a particular situation. You decide what the situation is and why your character absolutely MUST turn to this person. But when your character tries to approach this person for help, the relationship issues get in the way...
Talents:
How neat/tidy/organized is s/he?
What kind of people get on his/her nerves?
STORY IDEA: Force your character to share a small space (examples: office, hotel room, broken elevator, airplane row) with exactly the type of person who most gets on his/her nerves. This person then proceeds to get on your character's nerves. And then the situation escalates...
What kind of person would s/he like to be? How close is s/he to this goal?
STORY IDEA: Your character decides to take concrete steps to become the person s/he has always wanted to be. But this will require major lifestyle changes.
- If your character is in a relationship, these changes could create a conflict with his/her partner.
- If your character is single, bring a new potential romance onto the scene just as your character is starting to change his/her life around. If your character continues with his/her plan, s/he might lose his/her chance to find love. Your character has to choose.
- If your character is in a relationship, these changes could create a conflict with his/her partner.
- If your character is single, bring a new potential romance onto the scene just as your character is starting to change his/her life around. If your character continues with his/her plan, s/he might lose his/her chance to find love. Your character has to choose.
Bad habits:
What might tempt or persuade him/her to violate his/her moral beliefs?
STORY IDEA: Your character is tempted to violate his/her moral beliefs. You can decide what the temptation is. What will your character do? and what will be the consequences?
Self-esteem/ self-confidence:
How much does s/he care what other people think of him/her?
STORY IDEA: If your character cares a lot about other people's opinions, this could get between him/her and his/her dream (Examples: s/he wants to make a career choice that s/he thinks others won't approve of, or s/he falls in love with someone s/he thinks others won't approve of). Write a story about this conflict.
Or, if your character doesn't care about other people's opinions, that could get him/her into trouble too. Come up with a situation in which it's important to make a good impression but your character doesn't even try. (Examples: a big job interview, a first date with someone s/he really likes, or meeting a romantic partner's parents for the first time.) Your character messes the situation up and has to try to dig himself or herself out of the mess.
Or, if your character doesn't care about other people's opinions, that could get him/her into trouble too. Come up with a situation in which it's important to make a good impression but your character doesn't even try. (Examples: a big job interview, a first date with someone s/he really likes, or meeting a romantic partner's parents for the first time.) Your character messes the situation up and has to try to dig himself or herself out of the mess.
Go to Part 3 of the character questionnaire
Character Questionnaire - Next Steps
Continue with this character questionnaireFind out about our online course, Bringing Characters to Life
Read about how to write a story
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