Character Questionnaire - Part 4

This is Part 4 of our character questionnaire. Click here to go to Part 1.

This questionnaire will help you develop characters that feel three-dimensional and real.

Extrovert or introvert?

Optimist or pessimist?

In what situations might s/he behave selfishly?

In what situation might s/he commit a crime?

STORY IDEA: Your character committed a crime, and s/he accidentally left a clue behind... one that could bring the police to his/her door. If your character gets caught, s/he could lose everything -- his/her job, his/her reputation, and the respect of the people s/he cares about most. How can s/he cover his/her tracks and throw the police off the trail?


Does s/he tend to make decisions based on logic or emotions?

How does s/he handle money and financial issues?

Attitude toward risk:

Someone competing with him/her for a common goal?

STORY IDEA: Your character desperately wants something (for example, a particular job or the love of a particular person). Unfortunately for your character (but fortunately for your story), there's someone else who wants exactly the same thing! Only one of them can get it. And the other person seems to be in a better position to succeed than your character. What will your character do to win against this rival?


Anyone specific (outside a relationship) that s/he has a crush on?

STORY IDEA: Maybe your character is in a relationship but develops an overwhelming crush on someone other than his/her partner. What will your character do? And what will happen if the partner finds out about your character's feelings?

Or maybe your character is single and develops an overwhelming crush on someone s/he sees every day. Unfortunately, this crush is inappropriate for some reason (examples: the person's married or is your character's boss, or your character's best friend has a crush on the same person). What will your character do?


Attitude toward commitment:

Does s/he easily express emotions?

Does s/he donate money or time to charities or political causes?

Places where s/he has traveled:

How punctual is s/he usually?

Attitude toward rules/laws/authority:

Spontaneous? A planner?

Does s/he think in words, images, etc.?

Habits/Routines

What is the character's routine on a typical weekday? (Describe in as much detail as you want)

What is a typical weekend for the character? (Describe in as much detail as you want)

Physical Description

If I had to pick up your character at an airport, how would you describe the character so that I could recognize him/her?

What is the most unusual or memorable aspect of your character's physical appearance?

How does your character normally dress?

What is your character's worst fashion mistake?

What does your character smell like? (examples: perfume, soap, cigarettes, moth balls)

What is your character's posture like? How does your character sit, stand, walk?

Whom has your character has been told s/he looks like?

What is an aspect of your character's appearance or body that s/he feels insecure about?

What is your character's most attractive physical feature?

Does your character take care of his/her appearance? How?

What actor might play your character in a movie?

Continue with this character questionnaire

Character Questionnaire - Next Steps

Go to Part 5 of this character questionnaire

Learn about how to write a story

Find out about our online course on character development


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