research questions about character development

Approaches to the Development of Character: Proceedings of a Workshop (2017)

Chapter: 1 introduction, 1 introduction.

The development of character is a valued objective for many kinds of educational programs that take place both in and outside of school. Educators, parents, and others create and support structured programs and lessons that engage students in academics, sports, service, and other activities with the aim of developing or strengthening positive behaviors, attitudes, values, and attributes. Programs that pursue this kind of learning may describe what they do as character education; positive youth development; or the development of social and emotional learning, interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies, or noncognitive skills. These terms are not interchangeable, but there is overlap among them: They encompass a range of skills and attributes that students need to flourish in school, the workplace, and their personal lives, such as the capacity to manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy, maintain positive relationships, and make sound decisions. This loosely defined set of skills and attributes is referred to in this document as “character.”

Educators and administrators who develop and run programs that seek to develop character recognize that the established approaches for doing so have much in common, and they are eager to learn about promising practices used in other settings, evidence of effectiveness, and ways to measure the effectiveness of their own approaches. The available research has been sparse and often focused only on one kind of character or development, but recent work has helped to identify commonalities in the literature that can advance understanding of how character might be defined and developed and how outcomes might be measured.

With the support of the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the National

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop in July 2016 to review research and practice relevant to the development of character, with a particular focus on ideas that can support the adults who develop and run out-of-school programs. The Committee on Defining and Measuring Character and Character Education was appointed to plan the workshop. The charge to the committee—whose members have expertise in research and practice in character education, including research and program development directly related to character education, program evaluation and measurement, and cognitive and developmental psychology—is shown in Box 1-1 .

The committee recognized that there are many definitions of character and many ways of describing the objectives for programs that aim to help young people develop positive attributes. The committee members noted that while good character is in one sense easy to recognize—in people who are responsible, honorable, and emotionally healthy, for example—the words used to describe it may seem to imply stances on complex questions. For example, some people who study these issues use the tools of biology and psychology to understand individual differences, whereas others focus on questions of culture, gender, and power relationships to explore the roles young people are asked to emulate.

A thorough exploration of these complex issues was beyond the scope of the workshop. The committee focused on obtaining an overview of the available academic research and structuring discussions with presenters who reflected a variety of expertise and perspectives. The committee members had the goal of meeting the needs of practitioners, particularly those involved in out-of-school programs, and of encouraging researchers and practitioners to learn from one another. 1 The committee designed the workshop to explore four themes:

___________________

1 Because the workshop focused on out-of-school programs, the emphasis fell more on older children and adolescents than very young children.

• defining and understanding character,
• identifying what works in developing character,
• implementing development strategies and evaluating outcomes, and
• measuring character.

The committee commissioned eight papers (see Box 1-2 ) and planned sessions that allowed participants ample time to engage with the authors and one another, and to consider ways the material presented could apply in their own work. 2 Structured breakout sessions allowed participants to

2 The workshop agenda, a list of participants, and brief biographical sketches for the committee members and presenters can be found in Appendixes A , B , and C . The commissioned papers and an archived video of all sessions can be found at the project website, http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DBASSE/BOTA/DBASSE_171735 [September 2016].

reflect in detail on the ideas presented. ( Appendix D is a worksheet used in these sessions.)

This proceedings document, prepared by the workshop rapporteur, summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place. The planning committee’s role was limited to planning and convening the workshop. The views contained in this document are those of individual workshop participants and do not necessarily represent the views of all workshop participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

This document follows the structure of the workshop. Chapter 2 is an overview of research on the nature of character and a discussion of themes that transcend its varied definitions. Chapter 3 summarizes a range of ideas on what practices and approaches are most effective in developing character, and Chapter 4 focuses on the importance of implementing program goals effectively and evaluating the results. Chapter 5 delves deeper into one key aspect of effective program implementation, a high-quality staff. Chapter 6 is an exploration of the technical challenges of measuring character. Chapter 7 summarizes individual participants’ perspectives on the primary workshop themes.

The development of character is a valued objective for many kinds of educational programs that take place both in and outside of school. Educators and administrators who develop and run programs that seek to develop character recognize that the established approaches for doing so have much in common, and they are eager to learn about promising practices used in other settings, evidence of effectiveness, and ways to measure the effectiveness of their own approaches.

In July 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop to review research and practice relevant to the development of character, with a particular focus on ideas that can support the adults who develop and run out-of-school programs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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100 character development questions to inspire deeper arcs

Character development questions about goals, motivations, conflicts, fears, typical habits, personality and more help build rich characterization. Read 100 questions.

• Post author By Jordan
• 11 Comments on 100 character development questions to inspire deeper arcs

Good character development questions and simple questionnaires help to prompt decisions about who your characters are (or where they’re off to next). Develop deeper arcs with these 100 prompts organized by category and focus:

Build characters’ arcs by asking

Goal, motivation and conflict questions, questions on backstory and formative experiences, questions about fears, aversions and triggers, relationships and attachment style questions, questions about frustrations and disappointments, action and reaction questions, what personality types characters fit, questions about best- and worst-case scenarios, physical description questions, belief, idea and worldview questions.

Use the links above to jump to an aspect of characters you want to brainstorm now or keep reading.

Goal, motivation and conflict, as our full guide to character creation explains, are three crucial pillars – not just of characters, but of stories in general.

GMC is what your characters want, need or crave, why this desire keeps them up at night, and the tussles pursuing these desires may lead to.

Here are some questions to ask about goals, motivations and conflicts with development – how your characters grows or changes – in mind:

GMC character development questions

• What is your character’s greatest goal or desire at the start of your story? What might they learn that surprises them about this desire, by the end?
• Where does your character’s greatest desire stem from?
• Who (if anyone) does your character attaining their greatest desire depend on at the start of your story (besides themselves)? Does this figure become more or less important?
• Why is attaining their goal non-negotiable (what is at stake if they fail?)
• When in your story will your character’s goals first bring conflict? How might this conflict make them reassess their goals?
• What is a secondary, smaller goal your character may have? Is there something smaller they want that shows their personality? What new secondary goals may appear as the story grows due to the starting scenario ?
• Why does your character nearly give up on a goal they care about at one point in the story?
• What motivates your character to keep pursuing their greatest goals when the going gets tough? Will these motivating factors change?
• Who is the biggest obstacle to your character fulfilling their goals at the start of your story? Will the person filling this role change?
• Where (and when) will your character’s motivation be strongest, versus where will it be pushed closest to breaking point?

Backstory and formative experiences (even if you don’t include them in the story itself) help to explain why people (re)act the way they do. Keep reading for character background questions.

GET YOUR FREE GUIDE TO SCENE STRUCTURE

Besides developed characters, a great story needs compelling scenes. Get a free guide on how to make every scene count.

Characters, like flesh and blood people, have histories – backstories that drive their actions and choices . These personal, private histories influence our psychology. They influence our views and values, too.

For example, a character raised in a big family might react particularly negatively to being silenced in a meeting. Why? Because they have a history of having to fight to be heard.

Here are questions to explore your characters’ backstory and formative experiences (and how these fuel character development):

Character backstory questionnaire

• What was the biggest catastrophe for your character growing up? Will they feel the same about this experience at the end of the story as at the start?
• Who was the most important person in your character’s formative years, and why? Does this relationship change over the course of the story? If yes, why?
• What’s something your character did once and will never do again? Do their feelings about this change? If yes, what changes them?
• What is your character’s happiest memory, and why? Do they realize anything about this memory in the course of your story that changes how they feel about it? Perhaps they got stuck in a lift and now they have claustrophobia. Will this be part of the story? Can it drive development?  
• What triggers your character or makes them overreact or show avoidance behavior due to past experiences? Does this reactive behavior change as the story progresses, and in what way?
• How did the character’s first romantic relationship shape them? Is there any encounter in the story that makes them recall this relationship or see it in a new light?
• What’s your character’s most embarrassing memory? Do they carry this experience with them still? Does anything in the story act as catharsis for it, helping them to leave it behind?
• What would the adult version of your character tell the kid them if they could go back in time?
• Who caused your character the greatest pain in their past, and why? Do their feelings towards this person shift over the story’s course?
• Who encouraged or supported your character most in the past? Are they still around during the story? How has their role or the relationship changed, if at all?

Fear is a powerful character motivator and agent of change ( or of things staying the same).

Pitting your characters against their fears is useful for character development for multiple reasons:

• You create rising and falling action and suspense when characters have to confront ‘worst-case scenarios’. For example: A secret crush falling for someone else; a dangerous villain acquiring the magical object the hero needs
• You show your reader how a character reacts in crisis situations. The reader witnesses what a character gains or loses through a trial by fire, and sees their qualities (problem-solving, bravery, anxiety, etc.) that emerge through action

Character fears questionnaire

A brief character development questionnaire about fear as a change factor:

• What does your character fear most in the world? Will it come to pass in your story’s course?
• Who would your character turn to for support first when their worst fear came to pass, and why? Will this choice of person change over your story’s course?
• What is a new fear your character might hold by the climax or closing chapters of your story?
• What fears will be stripped away or eased as your character progresses closer towards their goals?
• What does your character have an inexplicable aversion to? Do they find an explanation for this aversion (such as a repressed memory) as your story unfolds?
• What’s the most triggering thing another person can say/do to your character? Does this trigger happen over the story’s unfolding? How might your character react?
• What fears once held may seem irrelevant or trifling to your character after the journey they take in your story?
• How does your character typically react when faced with something they fear? Why do they have this coping mechanism, and will it change as they progress (if so, how?)?
• Which fears coming to pass will bring out your character’s inner strengths in your story, and which their inner weaknesses?
• What people or situations does your character’s fear cause them to avoid? Does this avoidance ease or intensify as the story progresses?

Brainstorm characters in detail

Outline your characters’ goals, fears, motivations and more in easy, step-by-step novel outlining tools.

Strengths and fears as well as backstory may deeply impact our relationships, attachment styles (e.g. dependent vs independent) , and more. Keep reading about questions to develop how characters relate to others.

Relationships and what psychology calls ‘attachment style’ (for example, whether we approach significant partners with confidence or needing reassurance) are affected by many factors. Factors such as:

• Backstory (for example, models of behavior learned from parents)
• Extroversion versus introversion
• Degree of self-awareness, empathy or other-awareness
• Personality traits such as being closed or open, analytical or emotional

The above, of course, reduces these things to binaries (such as logic vs emotion). Most people fall somewhere on a spectrum and these traits may move and shift over the course of a life (or a relationship).

Character development questions to explore and develop your characters’ relationships (and how they approach them):

Questions to develop characters’ relationships

Will there sparks or sputtering, failure to ignite? Ask:

• What type of person is your character most likely to be drawn to? Are they artistic? Pragmatic? Flighty? Dependable? Cheerful? Mopey? Why is your character attracted to the type(s) they are, and does this change over your story?
• What Myers-Briggs type is your character? Personality categorizing frameworks such as the ’16 Personalities’ (which divide people into Analysts, Diplomats, Sentinels and Explorers) are useful for giving characters different types. Does one aspect of their character become more pronounced or change?
• What are five things your character considers the hallmarks of a great relationship (no wrong answers)? Do any of these answers change as your story progresses (why?)
• Is your character drawn more to introverts or extroverts, ambiverts, or a mixture? Will this preference change as the story proceeds?
• What will your character never entertain in a potential partner? Does a relationship in the story make them reassess any stance on red flags?
• What’s the longest relationship your character ever had? What ended it (or is it still going?) What could end it?
• What’s the best and worst relationship advice your character ever received? Did they follow the advice? Do they break it at any point in the story?
• Which couple is ‘relationship goals’ to your character, and why? Does this perception change as the story proceeds?
• What is the way for a potential partner to win over your character? How do these needs/desires change over your story’s course, if at all?
• What are romantic partners’ common goals and desires in your story? How do these goals and wishes develop (or diverge) as your story progresses?

Keep reading for questions to develop characters’ missed opportunities and regrets, typical actions and reactions, and more.

Frustrations, disappointments, regrets – all relatable parts of the human condition. Read questions to inspire thinking about your characters’ closed doors and missed opportunities:

Questions to develop characters’ regrets

• What is your character’s biggest regret of all time? Do they get a do-over at any point in your story (or something like one)?
• Who disappointed your character most in their past? What did they take away from this experience? How may it drive them to change, if at all?
• How does your character typically respond to disappointment? Does it light a fire under their ass to try harder, or do they turtle and hide away? Will their typical way of responding change?
• If your character could turn back time, what would they never have done?
• Who would regret meeting your character, and why? Who will they meet in the course of your story who is just not feeling them?
• What frustrated your character most in the past week, month, and year? How will any of these frustrations shape your character’s choices in the course of your story?
• What will your character discover to be the most overhyped or overrated thing? How might seeing behind the curtain change their point of view?
• How will your character’s regrets shape or affect their future actions or decisions?
• If your character could warn anyone based on mistakes they’ve made , what would that warning be?
• How does your character typically react when frustration is too much to handle? Will their coping mechanisms or strategies change over the story’s course?

Speaking of typical actions and reactions, read on for questions to develop habitual action and reaction and create cohesion in how characters typically respond to situations.

Character development questions about causation and reaction will help you think about habits, patterns and making characters’ conduct seem almost inevitable (when it is).

Questions to build characters’ habits, actions and reactions

• How does your character typically react to conflict or tension? Does this pattern change as they grow over their arc , or remain unchanged? Why?
• What is the surest way to provoke your character to fly into a rage? When in your story might the reader see them at their angriest?
• Out of all the characters in your ensemble, whose actions most often tend to annoy this character? Why?
• What is a bad habit your character has, and how do others react to it? Does your character overcome this habit, or is there a time in your story it’s particularly bad?
• Who would your character consult first if they had to make a tough decision? Does this trusted confidant change over your story’s course?
• When your character needs cheering up, what’s their go-to comfort? Does there come a point in the story when this go-to no longer works?
• Is your character addicted to anything at any point in the story? What will it take to help them kick the habit?
• What are habits your character dislikes in others? Who will they meet who has these habits and how will they test them?
• What are your character’s daily rituals and routines? How do events in the story shift these routines (and do they react to these disruptions)?
• What are your character’s priorities at the start of your story vs at the end?

Keep reading for questions to build characters’ personalities, physical changes and how their world views develop or shift.

There are many different models for understanding personality, the traits and tendencies that form an individua persona.

Read prompts to explore a character’s personality (and how it may change):

Personality development questions

• Of the four temperaments – sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic – which one or two are dominant? Does this mix of tendencies change due your characters’ experiences?
• Of the sixteen personality types , which type is your character at the story’s start? Does one or more of these characteristics (e.g. thinking, judging, introversion, extroversion) change as the story unfolds?
• What is a new ability or capability your character acquires? How do others in their close circle (friends, family) react to this change?
• Is your character introverted, extroverted or an ambivert (i.e. both, depending on the situation)? What situations over the course of the story will make one or the other tendency stronger?
• What personality types does your character usually connect with easiest? Think of easygoing Pooh and anxious Piglet in the Winnie the Pooh books, a case of opposites attract.
• What aspect of your character’s personality will (or could) get them into the most trouble?
• What aspect of your character’s personality do others often admire? Or do they gain an admirable trait due to the story’s events (if so, what?)
• What is your character’s approach to work/life balance? Do they tend to slack off or overwork to the point of burnout (and does this tendency change)?
• How would other characters describe them in three words? Do the three words change over the course of the story?
• What brings your character the most joy, and what brings the most sadness?

Read on for questions about best- and worst-case scenarios and more.

Build an idea of the fringe or limit-case scenarios that drive your character’s choices, actions and reactions.

Limit-case character building questions

• What is the worst thing that could happen to your character in their opinion? Does their opinion change as the story proceeds?
• What is the best thing that could happen to your character in their opinion? Does this opinion change, and if so, why?
• What is the worst thing a friend or lover can say? Does someone say this thing to your character? How will this alter the connection?
• What is the best thing a friend or lover could say to your character? What is music to their ears, and how would it affect their attitude to the other person?
• What circumstance would make them give up on their greatest goal? How will they react if this comes to pass?
• What is the best way a secondary character could support your character towards their goals? How do they react when someone tries to help them the wrong way?
• In the best-case scenario, what might your character’s life look like five years after the start of your story? What’s changed?
• In the worst-case scenario, what might your character’s life look like in five years’ time?
• How optimistic vs pessimistic is your character when confronted with a best-case scenario?
• Is the glass half-full or half-empty when your character meets a worst-case scenario?

Physical descriptions require more than eye color . Think about all the ways your characters bodies, their mobility, their appearance, and other aspects could change due to events in your story.

Try ten prompts to think deeper about the way your characters look:

Questions to develop physicality

• Where is the center of your character’s movement? For example do they move from the waist with upright posture, or from the shoulders with a stoop? How does their posture change, if at all (and why)?
• Does your character gain or lose weight in your story in the wake of an event? How do they feel about the change (or others react to it?)
• Does your character’s style or their clothing preferences change over the course of the story? For example, an emo teen becoming a preppy adult (or vice versa). What event or emotion prompts the change?
• Does your character gain or lose physical ability over the course of your story? How do they react to this change?
• What are your character’s physical mannerisms, tics or quirks? Is there something they tend to do when happy, excited, nervous? Does this become more or less pronounced?
• Does your character’s voice change over the course of the story? For example, the way Austin Butler’s voice changed due to training to play Elvis.
• Does your character sustain any injuries during your story? How does this impact them?
• If there was one thing about your character’s appearance they could change, what would it be? Do they develop some way of compensating for this insecurity? (for example a teen who’s embarrassed of their braces hiding their mouth when they smile).
• What do others your character meets find most attractive about them physically? Do these reactions change how they perceive themselves (positively or negatively)?
• If your character went on The Voice, what would judges be surprised to see when they turned their chair? What does your character’s voice not tell your reader about them?

What your characters believe, their ideas about politics, religion, identity or any other subject, may change with their experiences over your story’s course.

Here are questions to develop your character’s worldview:

Questions to build characters’ views and ideologies

• Is there an irrational belief or bias your character holds due to past experience? Does any event in your story test or rock this belief?
• Is your character spiritual or religious? Is this constant throughout the story or discovered/lost as events unfold?
• What political party or system would your character vote for? Does their allegiance change due to the events of your story?
• Is there a falsehood your character believes to be true due to deception or naivety that is disproved? How does your character react?
• What are the differences between what your character is taught to believe, versus what they discover to be true?
• What is your character’s most controversial opinion? Who might this bring them into conflict with, and why?
• What is a blind spot in your character’s education? How are they ill-equipped for the road ahead?
• Are your character’s views considered conservative, moderate or liberal? Do their leanings change as they age?
• In your character’s society or religion, what reigning or orthodox view do they struggle with the most? How does this struggle change the way they engage, if at all?
• What is your character always ready to argue over? How open or closed are they to having their views challenged, and does this change?

Which of the questions above are most helpful to you? What would you add? Tell us in the comments below.

Get prompts and tools to brainstorm characters and build an outline automatically as you go that you can download with links back to edit.

If there’s anything I’ve paid for this year that’s been worth it, it’d be this. – Nashon

Related Posts:

• Character development: 9 tips for arcs with depth
• 300 world building questions for deeper settings
• Character arc template: 5 steps to strong character arcs
• Tags character arcs , character development

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

11 replies on “100 character development questions to inspire deeper arcs”

Thanks a lot.

It’s a pleasure, Aaliya, thanks for reading.

Thank you very much, this article helped me a lot. Muito obrigado pessoal!

é um prazer, Sonicubo! Thank you for reading our articles and sharing your feedback 🙂

[…] https://www.nownovel.com/blog/character-development-questions/ […]

Thanks for this valuable info!

It’s a pleasure Safiyyah, thank you for reading our blog.

Is there anywhere we can download the full list of questions? Or maybe have these as part of the character building section?

Hi Blake, thank you for your feedback and for asking. Our old dashboard (prior to 2018) had a much larger character section which you should still be able to view from that page if you scroll to the bottom, but it doesn’t have these exact questions (these are more supplementary to the prompts). You could try printing the page as a PDF, otherwise I’ll see whether I can work on making longer articles like these available as a guidebook. Thanks for reading!

This was the most helpful thing I’ve ever read on this topic.

Hi Prince, it’s a pleasure. I’m glad you enjoyed this article.

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Paper Information

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p-ISSN: 2162-9463    e-ISSN: 2162-8467

2019;  9(5): 81-86

doi:10.5923/j.edu.20190905.01

Student Character Development: Relationships, Resources, and Considerations

Michael D. Thompson 1 , Irving I. Epstein 2

1 Office of Institutional Research & Planning, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL, USA

2 Department of Educational Studies, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL, USA

Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Scientific & Academic Publishing.

This case study examination assessed the significant contributions of college resources regarding students’ character development within a liberal arts institutional setting. The effects of attributed contributions from various interactions and experiences are analyzed within the context of Astin’s [1] input-environment-outcome model. Data elements from student participants in their senior undergraduate year were utilized and extracted from merged longitudinal databases that included matching student responses from Student Information Forms (SIF) and College Senior Surveys (CSS), both instruments from the Higher Education Research Institute. The results of this case study confirmed many established results concerning student character development, yet also continue to raise questions regarding which institutional relationships and experiences have the greatest impact in contributing to its enhancement.

Keywords: College Students, Character Development, Liberal Arts

Cite this paper: Michael D. Thompson, Irving I. Epstein, Student Character Development: Relationships, Resources, and Considerations, Education , Vol. 9 No. 5, 2019, pp. 81-86. doi: 10.5923/j.edu.20190905.01.

Article Outline

1. introduction and literature review, 2. methodology, 2.1. participants and procedure, 2.2. instruments, 2.3. variables and design, 4. discussion & conclusions, 5. limitations, appendix a: content of multiple item scales.

For any work of fiction to resemble real life, it has to portray real character development with a convincing character arc. Additionally, those characters need to have believable character traits, which evolve as the character grows.

Stories are about people—even if your main character is a cat, a tree, or some other nonhuman entity. Great storytellers will capitalize on great character development, because a story’s humanness is what any reader will relate to. Great character traits and an enjoyable character arc bring a story to life, creating windows for the reader to watch through.

So, what is character development? And for that matter, what are character traits, and what are some good character arc examples? In this article, we’ll look at each of these items and more. Creating real, flesh-and-blood people is essential to great storytelling , so let’s explore the alchemy of turning words into real people—creating characters from characters.

Character Development: Contents

Character Development Definition: What is Character Development?

Character arc definition, 5 character development examples, 10 character development questions to ask each of your characters, what are character traits, character traits list, advice for selecting character traits in your work.

• Conflict and Character Development (from Instructor Jack Smith)

Further Readings on Character Development

What is character development? It’s not so different from real life: the goal is to showcase a character’s growth in the face of adversity, much like real people grow and adapt to their own real situations.

Character development is the process of creating fictional characters with the same depth and complexity as real-life human beings.

Throughout the story writing process, the author will develop any number of character traits to fully flesh out the people that populate their stories. Good character development often includes the following elements:

• Backstory : Backstory refers to events that occurred prior to the story’s plot , but which nonetheless affect the plot itself. For example, a common trope for character backstories is having a traumatic childhood.
• Flaws: Every character has personality flaws, because every person has flaws. Traits like hubris, pride, laziness, or impulsivity can encourage someone to make bad decisions, prolonging the story’s conflicts.
• Goals: A central component of character development is that character’s goals. What do they want, need, or desire? What’s standing in the way of those goals? These questions often drive the bulk of the story’s plot and character arcs.
• Personality: At its simplest, personality is a pattern of thoughts, actions, and beliefs that form a human being. What character traits does each person in your story have? These traits will coalesce into a complex personality.
• Philosophy/Worldview: A key aspect of personality and character development is that character’s worldview. By worldview, we mean the constellation of religious, philosophical, and political beliefs that shape how someone interacts with the world. For example, one character might believe in the inherent goodness of humankind, while another will believe all people are selfish and irresponsible; each philosophy will affect how each character perceives others and lives in the world.
• Physical Character Traits: What do your characters look like? How do those traits impact how other characters view them? In the real world, our physical appearances affect how other people treat us (for better or for worse). It’s the same in fiction, so give some thought to each character’s physical traits.
• Morals/Values: What morals guide your characters? What do they value the most? Remember, morals aren’t inherently good: the idea that one gender is better than another is a moral belief, too, though not a very good one.
• Spiritual Beliefs : Finally, what religious or spiritual beliefs drive your characters? This can be a major world religion, but it can also be beliefs about the universe at large. Does your character believe that life has a meaning, that humans exist for a purpose, and that we’re compelled to act in certain ways?

When these character traits are combined with the story’s overall conflict , a character arc develops.

Before we look more at character development, it’s equally important to understand character arcs. A character arc is the trajectory of your character’s inner journey and emotional growth, charted from the beginning to the end of the story. In other words, it’s your character’s personal growth and adaptation to the story’s particular conflicts.

A character arc is a character’s personal growth and adaptation to the story’s particular conflicts.

Take a look at any number of character arc examples, and you’ll find that no two character arcs are the same. In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol , for example, Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a major shift in personality, foregoing his stinginess and embracing a life of charity and generosity. But to achieve this character arc, he first has to realize what a lonely, miserable existence life can be when one spends it solely concerned about money.

That said, if someone in your story has negative character traits, they can certainly undergo a negative character arc. Consider the tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The titular Hamlet begins the play as a bright, charming heir, whose indecisiveness haunts him alongside his father’s ghost. By the end of the play, Hamlet’s indecisiveness has turned to impulsivity, resulting in his self-isolation, the erroneous death of Polonius, and his continued reluctance to kill Claudius. Hamlet does not embrace the character development he needs to prevent the play’s many preventable deaths.

To summarize: A story’s character arc is the evolution of certain character traits alongside that character’s inner journey, which impacts whether or not they overcome the story’s conflict.

In order for a story to push a character through a character arc, it needs to propose certain challenges without clear solutions, resulting in that character’s moral development and making a statement about the human condition. You can learn more about this in our article “ Stories vs. Situations: How to Know Your Story Will Work in Any Genre .”

Now, let’s see character arc in action through the following character development examples.

Let’s look at some character development examples in popular works of literature. Chances are, you haven’t read all 5 of the books we’re referencing below, so we’ve mapped out each character’s journey and the conflicts that shape their development.

1. Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

How She Starts: Jane Eyre is a coming-of-age story (also called a bildungsroman) that charts the life of its eponymous character from childhood to adulthood. We are introduced to Jane as someone who is strong-willed and independent, but also impulsive and unloved.

Main Goals: Jane struggles to find love, acceptance, and a place she can truly call home.

Main Conflicts: Jane Eyre is populated with many different antagonists, including her adopted family, her headmasters, and occasionally her own love interests.

Key Dilemma: Jane’s situation is never wonderful, but to overcome her poor situations, she must learn to be self-sufficient —a fantastic proposition, given this was published in Victorian England. This includes acquiring work and entering adulthood, but most important to Jane’s character development, she must learn to maintain her own self-worth and independence, even in the face of true, altruistic, two-as-one love.

How She Ends: One Jane is truly self-sufficient, everything else falls into place, including her financial situation and her marriage to Rochester. With self-sufficiency comes the love and acceptance she desires, and the safe home she has always been without.

2. Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

How She Starts: Janie Crawford has much in common with Jane Eyre: she is strong-headed, independent, rebellious, and has a complex inner world that no one can see. Janie is of mixed race, and constantly encounters an inability to fit in with both white and black communities, but she is very defiant of any labels assigned to her and constantly chalks up the prejudice she encounters as a lack of perspective among others.

Main Goals: Janie’s primary desire is a marriage of equal partnership: a love that’s not unbalanced because of wealth or gender or position.

Main Conflicts: Most of Janie’s relationships are, in fact, unbalanced. First her marriage is arranged to a man who doesn’t love her, then she marries a man who excludes her from her community’s social life. Though Janie desires an equal marriage, she may have to accept that her independent spirit is incompatible in the long-term with another man, especially given the gender roles of 1920s America. This forms the core of her character development.

Key Dilemma: Janie is often treated as either a trophy wife or a domestic worker, but never as an equal, always feeling disconnected both from the people she loves and the communities around her. When she meets and falls in love with Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods, she moves to the Everglades with him, only to lose him in the aftermath of a deadly hurricane.

How She Ends: Janie returns to one of her previous homes, still the object of other people’s gossip and disapproval, but satisfied, if weary, having once known real love.

3. Ethan Allan Hawley in The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck

How He Starts: Ethan Allan Hawley is a grocery store clerk in New Baytown, a fictional city on Long Island, NY. His family used to be a member of the local aristocratic class, before Ethan’s father lost all of the family’s money; despite this, Ethan values honesty and integrity above all else.

Main Goals: Ethan wants to live a life of virtue and integrity, garnering respect from others simply by being a kind and honest person. He has no problem with his position as a grocery clerk, and wants only to provide a good life to his family.

Main Conflicts: Ethan’s family, however, is not satisfied with their life: money always seems to be a problem. In addition to his family’s continued dissatisfaction, members of Ethan’s local community frequently mention his family’s lost wealth and what Ethan should do to reclaim it.

Key Dilemma: Ethan’s character arc centers around his commitment to virtue and his conflicting desire for wealth. If he wants to reclaim his family’s fortunes, he must sacrifice his integrity and honesty, which he does—he turns his boss into the INS, he acquires his best friend’s land by (essentially) killing him, and he almost robs a bank. Ethan’s inner dialectic between his virtues and his actions prompts him to consider suicide, as a result of sacrificing integrity for money.

How He Ends: The novel ends ambiguously. Ethan commits to killing himself, but then finds that his daughter replaced his weapon of choice with a family talisman, prompting him to reconsider his decision and choose life, if only for his family.

4. Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

How He Starts: Holden Caulfield is a depressed 17 year old who is about to fail out of private school. He frequently feels alienated from his classmates, family, and society at large, and while he refuses to plan for the future, he dreams of escaping somewhere that no one he knows will ever find him.

Main Goals: Holden is desperate for connection, feeling alienated from every person he talks to. While he puts on a show of being superior to the many “phony” individuals around him, he also hopes that one of those phonies might actually connect with him on a deeper level.

Main Conflicts: It seems that everyone in The Catcher in the Rye is a source of conflict for Holden. He is not on speaking terms with his parents, he frequently gets in fights with his peers, and his attempts at relationships are always spurned, which only leads to more fighting.

Key Dilemma: To put it simply, Holden is not a likable person. He is a collection of mostly negative character traits. He’s rash, annoying, and often comes off as both immature and pretentious. At the same time, he’s deeply aware of society’s superficiality, which he tries to push past by talking to people about deep, meaningful subjects. Holden’s character arc is defined by this conflict between self, others, and society ; in order for him to connect with people, he must find a way to hold both his love and criticism for people side-by-side, and also learn how to talk to people properly.

How He Ends: The Catcher in the Rye is a story in which the main character rejects his character arc . In other words, Holden ends the same way he begins, because he has not committed to the growth he has to undergo in order to find meaningful connections. He has not accepted that he is part of the problem. Nonetheless, the novel ends on a somewhat optimistic note, and Holden forgoes running away from society and enrolls to finish school.

5. Macon “Milkman” Dead III in Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

How He Starts: From childhood, Milkman feels alienated and disinterested in his family, as well as most of society. He feels disconnected from his father, estranged from his aunt and sisters, and has a complicated relationship with his mother, who loves Milkman but uses him as an escape from her monotonous, loveless life. In adolescence, he strikes up a brief but fleeting sexual interest in one of his cousins.

Main Goals: Milkman is sent on a quest to find a bag of gold coins from his father’s young adulthood. Perhaps by finding this bag of coins, he can also find his father’s approval, something he secretly yearns for yet openly detests.

Main Conflicts: Milkman’s search for those gold coins raises many of the novel’s central conflicts. At one point, he breaks into his aunt’s house in search of the money; at another, he is hunted by Guitar, a former friend who believes that Milkman has found and stolen the gold. Milkman’s life is also threatened once a month by Hagar, the cousin he had a fleeting relationship with. But the most important conflict is Milkman’s relationship to himself and his family, both of which have been marred by his father’s wealth and negligence .

Key Dilemma: Milkman’s character development stems from his search for his father’s gold. While searching for clues as to where this gold might have ended up, he comes to learn more about his family history, learning to appreciate and even love the complex foundation his life rests upon.

How He Ends: Milkman eventually gives up on the gold to bury the remains of his grandfather whom Milkman discovered by accident, unburdening himself from the weight of his familial hatred. Guitar, still in pursuit of the gold, kills Milkman’s aunt and attacks Milkman, perhaps suggesting the enduring wickedness of greed. The novel ends ambiguously regarding Milkman’s life.

Character Development Examples: Summing Up

Each protagonist in the above character development examples endures their own set of conflicts. Those conflicts force the protagonist to grow and change in certain ways, adopting new outlooks on life or making difficult moral decisions. It is through loss, hope, sacrifice, change, and a commitment to one’s own beliefs that each character rises to their challenge.

It is through loss, hope, sacrifice, change, and a commitment to one’s own beliefs that each character rises to their challenge.

As you learn to write and develop characters, pay attention to the character arcs in the novels you read, and how certain challenges are paired directly against certain character traits. For example, Jane Eyre and Janie Crawford are both strong-willed and independent, which are undoubtedly positive character traits, yet these traits also expose them to their senses of alienation, and they must resolve the conflict between their selves, their desires, and society at large. This resolution forms the arc of the character’s journey, which also lays the foundation for a compelling plot.

Tips for Nuanced, 3-Dimensional Character Development

Every writer approaches character development a different way. While there’s no singular formula for crafting believable characters, all writers have tools at their disposal to get in the minds of their characters. Above all, remember to give each character depth, relatability, and flaws, and to provide specific details and backstories that bring those characters to life.

Remember to give each character depth, relatability, and flaws, and to provide specific details and backstories that bring those characters to life.

• Have your characters take personality tests . No, personality tests aren’t comprehensive, and most aren’t scientifically accurate, but the practice of answering questions like your character will help you get into their mindset, potentially generating new ideas for plots and conflicts. Here’s a free directory of personality tests you can use .
• Consider regionality . Where someone is from influences the way they speak and think , so language should directly reflect character traits.
• Do some sketches . You don’t need to be a good artist, just do your best to pen down how you envision them. How tall are they? What is the size and shape of their eyes, lips, nose, and ears? What style of hair do they have? How do they like to dress, and where do they buy their clothes from?
• Think about point of view . 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person points of view each have their strengths and weaknesses, and each affects how your character is written. Spend some time considering POV, and build the story’s setting and sensory details based on your character’s observations. Remember, how your character observes the world reflects their personality, making this a key component of character development.
• Create interiority . Show us your character’s thoughts, flashbacks, inner conflicts, and deep desires. Tell us what your character does and doesn’t know about themselves. We are all messy, imperfect, and constantly growing. Your characters are, too!

Another method is to ask yourself certain character development questions, like the ones we’ve listed below.

Character Development Questions

Good characters have depth, experience growth, have flaws—they’re real people. Asking yourself a defined set of character development questions is one way to develop these kinds of characters, who jump off the page with realistic and compelling personalities.

Use the below character development questions to plan, write, or edit your story. Read on for some interesting character development questions to ask yourself, and do this exercise person by person for anyone in your story that you’d like to know better.

Ask your character…

1. Who are you?

Think of the “who” of your character as the firm foundation with which you will bring your character to life. This “who” might take the form of one or two honest sentences that really tap the essence of the character. Starting with a strong “who” can help you add depth to your character throughout your story, as well as inform their primary character traits.

2. What are your strongest motivations?

What, fundamentally, drives your character? To be accepted by their peers? To create something new and beautiful? To protect their loved ones from a dangerous world? To find perspective on mortality? What are the core, underlying drives that shape this character and the actions he or she takes? This will form the core of the story’s conflict and provoke its character arcs.

3. What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

What world does your character hope to see? What would fulfillment look like for your character? What is your character doing to reach toward these hopes—or do they seem too far out of reach?

4. What are your biggest fears and/or regrets?

Your character certainly has a future he or she doesn’t want to end up in. What is it, and why? What are the darkest secrets and the biggest failures from your character’s past? What haunts him or her?

5. What are your greatest strengths?

What comes easily to this character? What makes this character strong, and why? Your answer can simply be a positive character traits list, but try to go more in depth, fleshing out what informs this character’s morals.

6. What are your greatest weaknesses?

Every good character has weaknesses. What puts your character out of place, out of their comfort zone, vulnerable? Why? Your answer can simply be a negative character traits list, but try to go more in depth, fleshing out what informs this character’s flaws and achille’s heel.

7. What are you like socially?

How does your character view other people? Are they very social and extroverted, or a little more on the quiet, shy, introverted side? Thinking about how your character acts in social situations can help you “beef” up your character and add depth.

8. What is your role in the story?

Consider your character’s role in the development of the story. Why does your character exist in your story? Is the character a protagonist, antagonist, or secondary character? How does your character change the story? And how is the character changed by the story—what is their character arc?

9. What is your connection to the overall storyline?

This is the important link between your character and your overall storyline. What specific impact will your character have on the overall progression of your story?

10. What sort of dynamic exists between you and the other characters?

Consider the relationships your character will have with other main or supporting characters. How do they interact? How do their personalities and motivations bounce off one another? How do they come away feeling upon interacting with each other?

Create Your Own Character Development Questions list

Creating your own questionnaire can be extremely useful in the writing process and enhance your understanding of your characters, prompting you to develop new, unique elements of their personalities. It’s a great tool for figuring out what makes your characters tick, and it can help align your storyline and plot with your character’s overall personality.

As you work to create your own questionnaire for characters, you can search for existing examples. The ten questions above are one example, and here are a few others:

• 160+ Questions on ThinkWritten
• Creating a Memorable Character Worksheet from Lee White
• Character Profile Template on Reedsy

Lastly, as you look for questions to ask your character, it may be useful to take a hint from the “self-help” section of your bookstore. The same sort of self-inquiry that is important in our own lives can be applied to the development of your characters.

Character Traits

Lastly, let’s examine character development from the lens of character traits, as this will help you define and refine your characters as you start and finish your stories. First, what are character traits?

Character traits are recurring features of a character’s personality that shape how that character responds to their world. Those traits will show themselves whenever someone reacts to their surroundings, engages in conversation, has private thoughts, takes action, or makes a decision.

Character traits definition: recurring features of a character’s personality that shape how that character responds to their world.

Many great novelists have studied human psychology so intently that every of their character’s actions is defined by one of their traits. Even the minutest actions, such as making dinner or brushing one’s teeth, can in some way reflect a set of character traits. Many of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s characters, for example, reflect an intimate understanding of human psychology, and his work greatly informed Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis which, though scientifically outdated, continue to impact modern literary analysis .

As you develop your characters, you can remember their personality by boiling them down into a character traits list. Because these traits are often detrimental in face of the story’s conflict, they’re an essential component of your story’s character arcs, and your characters will often have to push back against certain traits to undergo necessary character development.

Without further ado, let’s look at common character traits in literature.

Take note that many positive character traits can also be negative character traits, and vice versa. For example, while a strong sense of independence is generally considered positive, it can also lead to a character’s sociopathy, hatred of society, and disinterest in family.

Many positive character traits can also be negative character traits, and vice versa.

Alternatively, while “disobedient” is generally seen as negative, disobedience can also bring about positive changes in society. Terms like “positive” and “negative” relate to society’s perception of those traits, but in actuality, most traits can be both positive or negative depending on that character’s circumstances.

Lastly, remember that a protagonist does have negative traits, and an antagonist does have positive traits.

Positive Character Traits List

In the below character traits chart, we’ve listed positive character traits and characters with those traits in literature.

Negative Character Traits List

In the below character traits chart, we’ve listed negative character traits and characters with those traits in literature.

Which character traits should my protagonist, antagonist, and secondary characters have? Does it matter?

When writing the people that populate your stories, it’s important to have a balance of character traits so that no two people are the same. Additionally, it’s important that everyone has both positive and negative character traits since, like people in real life, no one is perfect.

Remember that stories are, above all else, about people. Even if those stories are set on different planets, in magical realms, or between alternate universes, it’s your cast of characters that matter most because people drive plot . Your characters are the ones making decisions, reacting to situations, and embarking on journeys; they define their own character arcs, so having a strong set of character traits is essential.

Here are three tips for selecting the best set of character traits in your story:

• For protagonists , give them positive traits to strive for and negative traits to overcome. The best conflicts occur when a protagonist has to overcome their own negative character traits to achieve something.
• For antagonists , think about traits that will make them perfect obstacles against the protagonist. A protagonist who is kind and respectful, but conflict-avoidant, might have a hard time overcoming an antagonist who is loud, coarse, and arrogant.
• For secondary and tertiary characters , consider their purpose in the story, and give them traits that help them uphold that purpose. For example, a secondary character that exists to support the protagonist should be helpful and generous; someone who misleads the protagonist might be well-intentioned but foolish.

Conflict and Character Development

Here are instructor Jack Smith’s thoughts on using conflict to deepen your character development.

Characters become interesting when they undergo conflict . A character without conflict is a dull character. Conflict gets the reader interested, as long as the conflict is important to the character in a way we can relate to—and in a way that motivates the character to take action.

This takes us to motivation. What prompts your character to do what they do?

What are the protagonist’s stakes? What is the protagonist’s goal?

You can always go back and rethink motivation later, but if your character just seems to be doing something for no apparent reason, it might be harder to fix. Get inside your protagonist. Be your protagonist. See what happens. Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, you’ll do well to identify with the protagonist and become that protagonist.

Think  story : What’s happening? Where is this character going? What is the main conflict the protagonist faces?

Let the conflict build. Think about foreshadowing, about hinting at something that will occur down the road—for instance, a marital break-up, a run-in with the law, a loss of job. Little things mentioned early on plant seeds of things that will bloom later.

The earlier you hook your reader with interesting conflict, the better for character development. Just set the stage for what is to follow. But don’t treat these pages like a “thesis statement” for the novel; your reader wants to experience  the novel, not be told what it’s about. That’s like reading a plot summary instead of the story itself.

Think of conflict as worked out in plot threads. What are the main plot threads in your novel? Assuming you have one main plot thread, what are the subplots that will thread their way through your novel? Watch for these.

A few things to keep in mind:

Fiction thrives on conflict : Not every conflict can be resolved, but avoid dead spots in your fiction—particularly scenes that go nowhere, ones that lack friction.

How about this one?

“How are you?” “Doing pretty well. You?” “Doing pretty well.” “Good.” “Great.”

It’s hard to say. If this is the mindless chatter that most people engage in just to be polite, that might work if you’re satirizing small-town life. But otherwise, cut it.

Weed out extraneous conflicts and plot threads: Do they contribute in some way? Are they like streams flowing into a river? Do they contribute to or parallel the main plot in some way or ways? Consider this: Paul, a police detective, wants to solve a major wave of murders in his small city. He’s been running into some problems, including false leads. Paul has a background in music; he was planning to be a professional violinist, but that didn’t pan out. He’s still conflicted about that goal. My thought is that, unless you can find some connection between his wanting to be a violinist and his being a detective—perhaps something similar in the way he approaches conflicts that sometimes seem insurmountable—I wouldn’t get into his goal in music. Including his music aspirations might help create a complex character, but might seem irrelevant, especially to his character development. Do everything you can to create a unified novel. Perhaps music is his way of reducing stress from a very stressful job.

Let’s say your pantser side comes up with this musical background and that dream to be concert violinist. Follow it up. See where it goes.

Be sure that the main plot thread, as well as those plot threads that relate to the main thread, are sufficiently developed and credible : What does this take? Ask yourself if your protagonist’s character arc is satisfying to a reader. Is more needed? Is that arc believable? It’s been said that the ending needs to be “surprising” but “inevitable.”

See my article on endings at this URL: https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/ending-your-novels/2/

Incidentally, be sure that you don’t end up with everything tied up in a neat bundle, but don’t just stop either. What questions does the protagonist’s arc answer? As you write through your novel, be aware, at least, of the direction of your overall plot. If you’re a plotter, you know what it is. If you’re a pantser, you’re discovering it as you go along.

The following articles take a deeper look at the specific kinds of characters you might develop a story around.

• Character Development Advice
• How to Write Dialogue
• Crafting Your Protagonist
• Writing An Antagonist
• Foil Characters
• Static Vs Dynamic Characters
• Round Vs Flat Characters
• Anti Hero Characters

Craft Compelling Character Arcs at Writers.com

Looking for feedback on your characters, their journeys, and the worlds they occupy? Get feedback on your work in a Writers.com course! Take a look at our upcoming fiction courses and receive detailed, personalized feedback on your characters-in-progress.

Great content, it will help in my business Thank you for sharing useful information. Respectfully, David from https://deteced.com/

To what extend does the content apply to Characters in non-fiction memoir book?

Hi Maneo, great question! Because the people in nonfiction are real life human beings, they aren’t “characters” in the same way fictional characters are. However, no piece of literature can encompass the ENTIRETY of a single person. So, these character development questions are great starting points if you’re struggling to write about real life people. What do you want your reader to know? How can you make this person seem like a flesh and blood human?

If you’re interested to learn more about the dichotomy between fiction and nonfiction, check out this article: https://writers.com/fiction-vs-nonfiction

Happy writing!

Very comprehensive! A thorough and very helpful exposition. I love the examples used, as many of those stories informed my childhood. Thank you for an incredible resource.

[…] onto character development, which is defined as “the process of creating fictional characters with the same depth and complexity as real-life huma… to me and many other fans is an important aspect of any story. Crafting a character that people can […]

[…] Character Development Definition and Examples | Writers […]

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Mar 08, 2024

Character Development: How to Create Fan-Favorite Characters in 5 Steps

In fiction, character development is the process of writing a character who feels as complex and real as a person. This means sketching the character’s inner world 一 their wants and needs, strengths and weaknesses 一 as well as their outer appearance and behavior. It also means showing how the character changes throughout the course of the story 一 their character arc .

In this article, we will guide you through a step-by-step process to create multi-faceted characters that readers will care to read about. You can also download our free character development template to start crafting your own protagonist. 

How to develop a fictional character:

1. Give the characters wants and needs

2. identify their strengths and flaws, 3. sketch out their antagonists, 4. develop their look and behavior, 5. research their trade and culture.

FREE RESOURCE

Reedsy’s Character Development Template

A story is only as strong as its characters. Fill this out to develop yours.

First, it’s important to point out that your main character will be inextricably linked to your book’s plot . As author Tom Bromley teaches in his course on writing novels , “the protagonist should shape the plot, and the plot should shape the protagonist.”  

In this regard, the most important character building blocks are their Wants and Needs. As Bromley explains, a Want is what the character thinks will make them happy, a goal they are motivated to pursue, that propels them on an inner and outer journey. 

A character’s Need, on the other hand, is something deeper, more fundamental. It’s a truth they must learn about themselves or the world around them. Most of the time, a character’s internal story arc sees them realizing that their Want was fuelled by a lie they told themselves — and coming to understand a new truth (their Need) that is the secret to unlocking their success:

• A character might want to be famous, but what they need is to be heard. 
• They might want to get married, but what they need is love.

For an example, think of Joy in Pixar’s Inside Out : 

• Want : Joy wants to ensure that Riley is always happy and only experiences positive emotions. This is because she believes that emotions like sadness and anger are harmful and unnecessary.
• Need : Joy needs to realize that all emotions have their place and are important for Riley’s psychological development and a healthy emotional life. 

Or take Jay Gatsby (who actually doesn’t learn what he needs, and has a negative arc ): 

• Want : Gatsby wants to be reunited with Daisy, his long-lost love. He believes that by attaining wealth and status, he can win her back.
• Need : Gatsby must learn that happiness cannot be bought and that living in the past or for another's affection is self-destructive.

Now it’s your turn..

📝 Exercise:

• What does your character think they want?
• What do they actually need in order to feel fulfilled?

Mapping your character’s wants and needs 一 two key components of their character arc 一 will help you figure out what psychological space they’re in at the beginning of the story and in what direction they should move as the plot progresses. But to figure out whether they’ll have a smooth ride or not and what type of obstacles they might encounter, we have to know their strengths and weaknesses.

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How to Develop Characters

In 10 days, learn to develop complex characters readers will love.

Much of the intrigue in your story will stem from how your character responds to the external and internal conflicts they face in the pursuit of their Goal. Every type of character — from superheroes to lovelorn accountants — will need both strengths to draw upon and flaws that threaten to drag them down.

If in The Lord of The Rings Frodo walked up to Mount Doom unbothered, dropped the ring in the lava, and made it back in time for a second breakfast, he’d be a dull protagonist. It’s the obstacles he faces — Sauron’s army of orcs and the ring’s power over his spirit, to name a couple — that force him to make decisions and evolve as a character .

The iconic characters we know and love tend to have a nuanced mix of positive and negative traits. Consider Woody from Toy Story : he's a charismatic figure and a natural leader among the toys, known for his loyalty to Andy. However, he can be vain and petty, so the arrival of Buzz Lightyear causes him to feel jealous and insecure. 

While Woody’s charisma is admirable, it's his flaws that make him relatable. We may not all relate to being the leader of the pack, but we all know the fear of being overshadowed and replaced, as well as feeling jealous and insecure. 

So many of the challenges Woody faces are meant to test his strengths and flaws, from his face on the wall and bed cover being replaced with Buzz’s, to the other toys questioning his leadership and morals when he kicks him out of the window. Ultimately, he has to overcome his jealousy, cooperate with Buzz, and learn that they can both have a place in Andy's heart.

Some other common examples of character strengths are courage, intelligence, resilience, integrity, perseverance, and creativity, whereas character flaws are qualities like bitterness, arrogance, greed, selfishness, deceitfulness, and pessimism.  

• What are your character’s best qualities?
• What are some of their negative traits?

Pick a mix of both to give your readers something to root for. Your character should be plausibly able to overcome the challenges the plot throws at them, whether that’s destroying the ring or saving the wizarding world. At the same time, there should be a real risk that your character will fail — whether they fall prey to the ring’s power at the very edge of Mt. Doom, or die in a burst of green light from the Dark Lord’s wand. 

This brings us to another key piece of character development, which is sketching out your hero’s main antagonist. 

What is your character's archetype?

Take our 1-minute quiz to find out.

An important point to make is that you can’t create a character in a vacuum. You need to define them in relation to other people and the world they inhabit. As John Truby writes in The Anatomy of Story , “[to] create great characters, think of all your characters as part of a web in which each helps define the others. To put it another way, a character is often defined by who he is not.” 

Of particular importance, according to Truby, is your primary antagonist . “The relationship between the hero and the opponent is the single most important relationship in the story. In working out the struggle between these two characters, the larger issues and themes of the story unfold.”

It bears noting that the main antagonist doesn’t have to be another character (or even have evil intent). As we explain in our post on types of conflict , your hero might be up against nature, technology, society at large, or other forces that keep them from achieving what they want. Regardless of the form your story’s opposing force will take, Truby reminds us that it’s crucial to develop their morals or logic in parallel to your hero’s. 

“The main opponent is the one person in the world best able to attack the great weakness of the hero. And he should attack it relentlessly. The necessary opponent either forces the hero to overcome his weakness or destroys him. Put another way, the necessary opponent makes it possible for the hero to grow.” 

Think of Voldemort: an orphan and a brilliant wizard, he deeply understands Harry. He also knows his main weakness 一 the death of his parents 一 because he’s responsible for it. And he keeps putting his finger in the wound: from (indirectly) killing Sirius Black and other people he loves, to pervading his mind with fear, to literally trying to kill him. Ultimately, it’s his evil competence that forces Harry to grow into the wise and selfless man he needs to become. 

• Who is your hero’s antagonist? 
• What is their background? What are their motivations?
• How do they relentlessly attack the hero?

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And other secondary characters

While the antagonist is the most important other character in the story, you can also craft your hero by sketching out secondary characters 一 other enemies or allies who contrasts with the hero in order to highlight some qualities of their personality. 

In Tarantino’s Django Unchained for example, both Django and Stephen display high intelligence and adaptability in dealing with enslavement. But their paths couldn’t be further from each other. Django uses his wit and skills to free himself and others, while Stephen embraces racism and even participates in its practices in order to gain protection and comfort for himself. The juxtaposition between Django's quest for freedom and justice and Stephen's acquiescence to the status quo of slavery sharpens Django's resolve and moral stance. 

For another quick example, think of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird : despite his flat arc , his steadfast belief in justice allows Scout to evolve from an innocent child into a girl with a strong sense of right and wrong.

As Truby explains, each secondary character can make the hero confront the central moral problem of the story, either by providing support and new perspectives or throwing obstacles at them trying to tear him down. 

• Who are the allies your hero will need on their path to achieve their goal?
• Which other enemies (or false enemies) can force them to grow?

Alright, after mapping the inner life of our main characters, it’s now time to look outwards.. 

Yes, the internal goals and motivations are the "heart" of a character. But that doesn't mean that their external characteristics should just be an afterthought. Sure, the fact that your protagonist has blonde hair may not impact the plot — but it might color how other characters respond to them. So, early in your character development, put a bit of time into sketching out your protagonist's physical features.

• Appearance : What do they look like? Does their look play a role in the story?
• Voice: What do they sound like? Does their voice match their look?

Remember that people’s looks don’t always match who they are inside. Some of the most compelling characters are baby-faced killers and brutes with a heart of gold. So try and play around with interesting contradictions.

Reedsy’s Character Profile Template

Physical traits don’t end with eye color and voice type. To make your brown-eyed alto stand out from similar characters in the literary canon, you’ll want to round out that physical profile with some distinctive mannerisms . 

After all, a character’s physicality takes so much more than describing their static body in isolation. It’s about how they move through space — and about how they interact with everything around them, from objects to other characters. By focusing on their mannerisms, you take a step towards showing instead of telling: big, bold movements imply confidence so you don’t have to spell it out, whereas frantically moving or fidgeting suggests a nervous nature.

To achieve this, you’ll want to reflect on how your character consciously and subconsciously responds to the world around them.

• Communication style : How do they engage in dialogue ? How does that shape their relationships? Does their speech have any idiosyncrasies or quirks ?
• Gait : How do they make their way around their environment, and how does this impact how they’re treated?
• Tics and tells : What do they do when they’re nervous, uncertain of how to proceed, or telling lies?

Reedsy’s Character Questionnaire

40 questions to help you develop memorable characters.

Some character mannerisms will be situationally dependent and can serve as a shorthand for describing a character’s emotional state. For example, Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time series tugs on her braid when she's agitated, and Bond villain Le Chiffre bleeds from his eye when under intense pressure.

Other mannerisms, however, are part of a character’s default state — as essential to our view of them as their coloring. Just think of Draco Malfoy’s permanent sneer: it’s as much a part of him as his pale blond hair.

To make your character truly memorable, you’ll want to consider adding both these types of mannerisms to their behavioral repertoire. Anger shouldn’t look the same on everyone: someone might flare up like an inferno, going red in the face, while others turn icily polite, smiling insincerely. 

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When it comes to character development, imagination will only take you so far. Unless you’re intimately familiar with your protagonist’s world, you’ll need to work to get the details right. 

If your hero is a NASA astronaut or a veteran of the Vietnam war, there are readily available resources that will let you find out what their life might be like. You might uncover small details that are key to bringing them to life — perhaps some slang they used back in the seventies, or some unusual morning routine astronauts go through. 

The research doesn’t stop at your character’s main trade, but it can include everything else about their culture 一 their ethnicity, social class, political and spiritual views, education, interests, and language. 

Say you’re writing a British character when you’ve never set foot outside of Florida, you’ll want to do a bit of research when scripting his dialogue . For example, you could search “croydon slang” on YouTube or watch a British-made TV show set in the character’s hometown. 

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By now, you will have chiseled away at the blank marble and uncovered enough about your character to have a good sense of them. You can now work on the fine details — those subtle psychological touches — by putting them through these eight character development exercises or by getting character feedback from groups such as CharacterHub . 

If you’re not sure how your characters might be received by people from different backgrounds consider engaging the services of a sensitivity reader . Think of them as research assistants, committed to making your character development as authentic and nuanced as possible. 

Be patient with yourself. Character development is hard. It will take a little time (and a lot of refining) before you’ll create a protagonist as complex and real as a person, but when you do — you’ll know it and your readers will thank you for it. With a fully developed character by your side, your story will almost start writing itself.

2 responses

Diane says:

07/06/2018 – 09:01

Indeed Indeed Indeed. Brilliant article. Everything is simple and difficult in the same time. But with this tips it is easier to create your full tutoriage character.

16/04/2020 – 19:50

clearly the writers of star wars episodes 7, 8, and 9 never read this article.

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801 Character Development Questions: Questionaire For Your Original Character

How well do you know your characters? These character-building questions are a great way to explore your OC’s background and even develop new story hooks. You can even use this massive list of original character interview questions to have them share their thoughts.

Why Use Character Development Questions?

Coming up with a character can be exciting, but figuring them out can be an ongoing process. Just as you and I learn and grow throughout life, our characters have their changes and stages they deal with, which inform how we develop them. Character questionnaires like this can help us zero in on their experiences at different points of their arcs and give characters a voice.

Character development questions can also be good as an exercise because they put the creator on the spot to develop ideas about a character’s past and experiences they may not have considered before. It can be a good way to develop traits and find inspiration .

However, these character questions can also be a great exercise of self-discovery for the character. While you do not have to do this, we recommend answering many of these questions while roleplaying the character. You may be surprised by what you find at the moment and how that can affect how you write and draw them.

Questions for Original Characters

These character questionnaires for writers are meant to provide insight into a character’s biography, development, and desires. With over 800 questions there are plenty to answer, so you can pick or choose a handful from each category to get a good overview of a character. Or, you can try answering all 801 questions for original characters.

One thing to consider for answering these questions is to do so in character. These can be used as original character interview questions, allowing you to practice writing in their unique voice if that is appealing to you. You could even use these responses to flesh out their CharacterHub profile when including their traits .

Note that while some of these questions may share premises, they can occupy different focuses and themes, so questions about family can take a purely biographic approach, while a similar question may be from a social approach.

Background and History:

These questions to develop characters focus on their family background. Consider these questions as more biographical and historical. As with all questions on this list, they can be answered by you, the creator of the character, but you could also treat them as original character interview questions, too.

Family background

• What was your OC's upbringing like within their family?
• How has your OC’s relationship with their family evolved?
• Were there any significant losses or separations within the family?
• How does your OC view their relationships with their parents/caregivers?
• Are there any significant events in the family history that shaped who they are now?
• What role did siblings play for your original character?
• Did your OC’s family environment create a sense of belonging?
• Were there any traditions or rituals within your OC’s family that they rejected?
• Did your OC experience any conflicts or tensions within their family?
• Does your character carry any unresolved baggage from their family?
• How has your character’s understanding of family evolved as they've grown?
• What values were instilled in your character by their family?
• How does your OC’s family background affect their relationships with others outside of the family?
• Have they ever felt the need to rebel against their family?
• Did your OC receive any special treatment or discrimination within their family?
• How do they reconcile conflicts between their family's beliefs and their own?
• Has your original character ever felt disconnected from their family?
• What role models within their family have shaped your OC’s identity?
• How did their family's social or economic status influence the character’s worldview?
• Were there any traditions or rituals within your original character’s family that they held onto?
• How does your OC define their sense of home based on their family?

Childhood experiences

• What were the happiest moments of your OCr's childhood?
• Did your OC have any significant friendships or relationships during their childhood that shaped who they are today?
• Were there any pivotal moments in their childhood that changed the course of the character’s life?
• How did the OC perceive the world around them during childhood?
• What were your character’s favorite childhood memories?
• Are there any lingering traumatic experiences in your character’s childhood?
• How did your OC’s childhood environment influence their development?
• Did your OC have any hobbies or interests as a child?
• As a child, how did your OC feel about authority figures?
• Did your OC face any challenges or obstacles during childhood?
• Were there any cultural or religious traditions practiced in their childhood home?
• Did your character experience any feelings of isolation during childhood?
• What were your OC’s dreams/ambitions as a child?
• How did the character’s family's financial situation impact them as a child?
• Did your OC experience any bullying during childhood?
• What role did education play in the OC’s childhood?
• Did they have any mentors or role models during childhood?
• How did your OC’s family dynamics affect their childhood relationships?
• Did your OC experience any major transitions or relocations during their childhood?
• How does your OC perceive their childhood self versus the person they have become?

Cultural influences

• How does your character identify culturally?
• How has your OC’s cultural background shaped their worldview?
• Has your OC ever experienced conflicts between their cultural identity and other aspects of their identity?
• What role does language play in the character’s identity?
• Has your OC experienced discrimination or prejudice based on their culture?
• How does your OC navigate between the different cultural environments of your setting?
• Are there any specific cultural values that your character prioritizes or struggles with?
• How does your OC observe cultural holidays and traditions?
• Has your character ever felt pressure to conform to certain cultural expectations?
• Has your OC experienced any cultural clashes or misunderstandings?
• What cultural artifacts, such as music, literature, or art, have had a significant influence on your character?
• How does your character feel about preserving their cultural heritage?
• Has your OC ever experienced a sense of longing for their homeland?
• How does your character feel about cultural appropriation?
• Has your OC ever explored other cultures outside of their own??
• What role do family expectations play in maintaining cultural traditions for your character?
• How does your OC respond to stereotypes about their culture?
• Did your OC ever experience a crisis of identity that was related to their culture?
• How does your character feel about being an ambassador of their culture to others?
• How attached to their cultural identity are they?

Educational background

• How would your character describe their experiences in education?
• What were their favorite subjects or areas of interest?
• Did your OC face any challenges in their education?
• Did your character’s educational experiences shape their ability to interact with others?
• What was the single most painful lesson your character learned about life?
• Does your character consider themselves to be well educated for their setting?
• Did they ever have to make difficult decisions regarding their education?
• Did your OC have a specific learning style?
• How did your character’s education prepare them for the real world?
• Has your OC pursued any additional learning?
• How does your character feel about the system they were educated in?
• Has your character ever experienced discrimination in their education?
• Does your OC practice self-learning?
• How did your character’s relationship with teachers and mentors influence them?
• Did your OC have any extracurricular activities or clubs?
• Does your character value their education?
• What was the greatest lesson your character ever learned from a mentor?
• What motivated your character to learn a new skill?
• Has your character ever experienced imposter syndrome in their schooling?
• How does your OC balance academic pursuits with the other parts of life?

Past traumas or challenges

• What past traumas or challenges has your character faced?
• How does your OC cope with triggers related to their trauma?
• Has your character sought professional help?
• How does your OC navigate relationships and trust issues based on their trauma?
• Have they found healthy coping mechanisms?
• How have your character’s past traumas affected their self-esteem?
• Do they experience survivor's guilt or feelings of responsibility for what happened?
• Has your OC found forgiveness for those who harmed them?
• Does your original character ever feel defined or limited by their past traumas?
• How have their traumas influenced their beliefs about themselves?
• Has your OC experienced any breakthrough moments??
• How does your character handle triggers that bring up painful memories?
• Has your character found a way to turn their past traumas into sources of strength?
• Does your OC talk about their trauma?
• Did your OC ever experience a relapse in their healing?
• Do they feel a sense of closure regarding the past, or are things still unresolved?
• How does your character view opening up to others about their past?
• Has your OC found a purpose in their experiences of overcoming their past?
• How do they reconcile their past traumas with their present situation?
• Does your character worry their trauma will forever control them?

Personality Traits:

These questions revolve around personality traits and may be similar to personality tests you may have taken. Consider these the “job interview” questions. See if you can adapt your responses to writing prompts .

Strengths and weaknesses

• What are your character's greatest strengths?
• How do your OC’s strengths contribute to their personal and professional life?
• Have they always been aware of their strengths?
• How does your original character handle situations where their strengths are not helpful?
• What limitations does your character recognize within themselves?
• Have your OC’s weaknesses ever held them back from pursuing their goals?
• Does your character view their weaknesses as areas for growth?
• How does your OC respond to feedback or criticism?
• Have they ever experienced imposter syndrome?
• How does your OC balance leveraging their strengths while addressing their weaknesses?
• Does your original character feel pressure to constantly perform at their best?
• Have they ever had to rely on their weaknesses?
• How do your OC’s strengths and weaknesses influence their relationships?
• Has your character ever experienced insecurity when comparing themselves to others?
• How does your OC adapt their approach to challenges based on their strengths and weaknesses?
• Have they ever experienced burnout or exhaustion?
• How does your OC prioritize personal growth where they perceive weaknesses?
• Have they ever had to confront their weaknesses in public?
• How does your character define success?
• How easily does your OC recognize when they are falling into their strengths and weaknesses?

Character flaws

• What character flaws does your character possess?
• Is your character aware of their flaws?
• Have their character flaws ever led to significant consequences?
• How does your OC justify or rationalize their character flaws?
• Has your character ever tried to hide or deny their flaws?
• Do your character’s flaws stem from past experiences or traumas?
• How do your OC’s flaws contribute to their character arc?
• Have they ever attempted to overcome their character flaws?
• How do your original character’s flaws manifest under stress?
• Do they feel ashamed about their character flaws?
• Have their flaws ever caused them to sabotage their success or happiness?
• How do your OC’s flaws affect their interactions with others?
• Have they ever received feedback or criticism about their flaws?
• Does your character see their flaws as fixed aspects of their personality, or do they believe they can change?
• Has your OC ever turned a flaw into a strength?
• Have your character’s flaws ever been exploited or manipulated?
• Does your character use deflection as a coping mechanism to avoid confronting their flaws?
• How do your OC’s flaws contribute to their struggles?
• Have they ever sought guidance or support from others regarding their flaws?
• Does your character embrace their flaws?

Habits and quirks

• What are some habits or quirks that define your character's daily routine?
• How do these habits and quirks reflect their personality?
• Have your character’s habits and quirks evolved, or are they a constant?
• Are there any particular triggers behind your OC’s habits and quirks?
• How do your OC’s habits and quirks affect their relationships?
• Has your original character ever faced judgment from others because of their quirks?
• Does your character see their quirks as strengths or weaknesses?
• How do your OC’s habits serve as coping mechanisms?
• Have they ever broken any of their habits?
• Are there any habits or quirks that your OC is particularly protective of?
• Do their habits and quirks help or hinder them?
• How do your character’s habits and quirks manifest in different social or professional situations?
• Has your OC ever formed new quirks as a result of significant life experiences?
• How do your character’s habits affect their self-perception?
• Do they ever feel self-conscious about their quirks?
• Have your character’s habits ever led to conflict?
• Does your OC actively seek out or avoid situations that challenge their quirks?
• How do their habits and quirks contribute to their overall character arc?
• Do your OC’s habits and quirks rub off on other characters?
• Has your OC ever managed to substitute one habit for another?

Beliefs and values

• What core beliefs and values guide your character's actions?
• How were these beliefs and values instilled in your OC?
• Have your character’s beliefs and values evolved?
• Are there any specific life events that have challenged your character’s values?
• How do your original character’s beliefs shape their relationships?
• Have they ever experienced conflicts over their values?
• Does your OC prioritize certain beliefs over others in different situations?
• How do your character’s beliefs and values influence their goals?
• Has your OC ever been forced to compromise their values?
• Does your character actively seek out opportunities to advocate their beliefs?
• How do your character’s values contribute to their sense of identity?
• Have they ever experienced uncertainty about their beliefs?
• Does your OC adhere to any particular moral code?
• How do your OC’s beliefs and values impact their decision-making process?
• Haas your OC ever had to reconcile conflicting beliefs within themselves?
• How does your character respond to opposition to their beliefs?
• Has your OC ever been influenced to question their beliefs by someone they admire?
• Does your character actively seek out opportunities to learn from others who hold different beliefs?
• How do your OC’s values influence their perception of right and wrong?
• Are there any life events that reinforced your OC’s beliefs?

Attitudes toward others

• How does your character generally perceive others?
• Does your OC tend to be trusting or skeptical of others?
• How do your character’s attitudes towards others impact their relationships?
• Has your OC ever experienced significant changes in their attitudes towards someone?
• Does your character approach new encounters with openness and curiosity, or do they default to suspicion and caution?
• How do your character’s attitudes towards others affect their ability to collaborate?
• Has your OC ever experienced conflicts due to their attitudes toward others?
• Are there any specific traits your OC admires or dislikes in others?
• How does your OC navigate power dynamics and hierarchies?
• Has your original character ever been influenced to change their attitude towards others?
• How does your OC respond to individuals who hold beliefs that conflict with their own?
• Has your character ever experienced feelings of resentment towards someone?
• Does your OC tend to judge others quickly?
• Does your OC tend to hold grudges?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of empathy or compassion toward others that challenged their preconceived beliefs?
• How does your OC’s attitude towards others affect their sense of empathy and understanding?
• Does your OC actively seek out opportunities to learn from others?
• How does your character express appreciation or gratitude?
• Has your OC ever experienced feelings of loneliness due to their attitude towards others?
• How resistant is your character to dealing with new people?

Motivations and Goals:

This series of questions revolves around what your character wants and what helps them achieve those wants. For example, things such as short-term versus long-term goals have their own sets of questions.

One spin of these questions you can try is to develop a brand new character and build them through answering these questions.

Short-Term Goals

• What immediate goals is your character currently focused on achieving?
• How do these short-term goals align with your OC’s long-term aspirations?
• What steps are they taking to actively pursue their short-term goals?
• Are there any obstacles or challenges standing in the way of your OC’s short-term goals?
• How does your OC prioritize their short-term goals over other aspects of their life?
• Have your original character’s short-term goals changed or evolved?
• How do your OC’s short-term goals contribute to their overall sense of purpose?
• Has your OC set specific timelines for achieving their short-term goals?
• How does your character measure progress toward their short-term goals?
• Are there any sacrifices or compromises your OC will make to achieve their short-term goals?
• How does your original character handle setbacks to their short-term goals?
• Does your OC seek out support from others regarding their short-term goals?
• Have they ever had to reassess their short-term goals?
• How do your character’s short-term goals reflect their values, beliefs, or priorities?
• Does your OC experience any internal conflicts about their short-term goals?
• How do your OC’s short-term goals impact their relationships?
• Have they ever felt pressure or competition from others regarding short-term goals?
• How does your OC celebrate when they achieve a short-term goal?
• How does your character express impatience or frustration while working towards their short-term goals?
• How will their short-term goal shape their future?

Long-Term Aspirations

• What is your character's ultimate long-term aspiration?
• How did your OC develop their long-term aspirations?
• Have their long-term aspirations evolved or changed over time?
• What steps is your OC taking toward achieving their long-term goals?
• How do your OC’s aspirations align with their values, beliefs, and personal identity?
• Have they ever had to make sacrifices that challenged their commitment to their ultimate goal?
• How do they define success concerning their long-term goals?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of doubt regarding their dream?
• How does your OC envision their life once they have achieved their long-term goal?
• Does your OC have an idea of the obstacles they will need to face to pursue their dream, or are they winging it?
• Are there any specific milestones your character hopes to achieve along the way?
• How does your original character handle challenges while pursuing their long-term goals?
• Has your OC made any sacrifices in pursuit of their aspirations?
• How do their long-term aspirations influence their decision-making?
• Do they have a strategy for achieving their long-term goals?
• How do their aspirations impact their relationships?
• Have they ever experienced uncertainty about their ability to achieve their goals?
• What resources or support systems does your OC rely on to help them achieve their dreams?
• Do they ever feel expectations from others regarding their long-term aspirations?
• How does your OC balance pursuing their dreams with other responsibilities?

External and Internal Motivations

• What external goal does your character desire most?
• What is your character’s greatest internal desire?
• How do these desires drive your character's actions and decisions?
• Has your OC always been driven by these external motivations?
• What specific goals or achievements are they striving for in pursuit of their cause/motivations?
• How does your OC’s external motivation influence their relationships?
• Are there any sacrifices your character is willing to make to attain their external goal?
• How do they prioritize their goals concerning their day-to-day life?
• Has your OC ever experienced dilemmas because of their motivation/goal?
• How do they measure progress toward achieving their external goal?
• Are there any external pressures or expectations from others that contribute to your character’s motivations?
• How do your character’s external motivations align with their values?
• Has your OC ever questioned their goal?
• What tactics do they use to make their dream a reality?
• How does your character handle setbacks concerning their external motivation?
• Do they ever experience feelings of insecurity about the chances of meeting their external goal?
• How do your character’s external motivations impact their sense of happiness?
• Has your OC experienced ethical dilemmas related to their big dream?
• How does your original character envision their life once they have achieved their goal?
• Does your character stress out about exceeding expectations associated with their motivations?

Conflicting Desires

• What are the conflicting desires that your character grapples with?
• How do these conflicting desires manifest in your OC’s choices?
• Are there any external pressures that contribute to these conflicts?
• How do your OC’s conflicting desires impact their relationships?
• Has the character ever experienced internal turmoil because of their conflicting desires?
• How does your character weigh selfless and selfish choices?
• Does your character ever try to suppress a conflicting desire in favor of another?
• How does the character deal with the epics of their conflicting wants?
• How has the conflict in desire influenced your OC’s development?
• Does your OC seek balance in their conflicting wants?
• Has your character experienced feelings of guilt or shame because of their conflicting desires?
• How does the conflict in their desires affect their sense of self?
• Has the OC ever made compromises to reconcile their conflicting desires?
• How do their conflicting wants influence their long-term aspirations?
• Does your OC ever feel torn between societal expectations and their desires?
• Does your OC prioritize their internal struggle over relationships?
• Has your character ever experienced a moment of clarity regarding their conflict?
• Does your character’s conflicting desires influence their risk tolerance?
• Does the character ever feel trapped by their conflicting desires?
• How much of a handle does the OC have on their internal conflict at any given time?

Maintaining Motivation

• What initially sparked your character's motivation toward their goal?
• How does your OC maintain their motivation during setbacks?
• Have there been moments when your character's motivation wavered?
• Are there specific strategies or routines your OC follows to keep their motivation levels high?
• How does your character handle distractions that threaten to derail their motivation?
• Have your OC ever sought inspiration or guidance to bolster their motivation?
• How does your character remind themselves of what they are striving for?
• What sort of milestones does your character set to maintain momentum?
• How does your character balance short-term rewards with long-term goals to sustain their motivation?
• Has your OC developed any motivation mechanisms for overcoming moments of self-doubt or uncertainty?
• How does your character maintain their motivation when presented with a sudden setback?
• Are there external factors that hinder your character's motivation?
• What does your OC do to psych themself up for an important task?
• Does your character ever reflect on past successes to reignite their motivation?
• How does your character stay accountable to themselves and others?
• Have they ever experienced burnout or fatigue?
• How does your character recharge after burnout?
• Has your OC ever had to reassess or realign their goals to maintain their motivation?
• How does your character prioritize self-care over the long term?
• What ends up being your OC’s greatest struggle when it comes to staying motivated?

Relationships:

Character can often be defined by their relationships. These questions focus on different relationship archetypes such as friendships, rivalries, and mentorships. How might you OC approach encounters with any number of cool OCs on CharacterHub?

Friendships

• What qualities does your character value most in a friend?
• How do your OC’s friendships contribute to their sense of belonging?
• Has your character experienced any significant friendships in the past that have shaped who they are today?
• How does your OC navigate conflicts within their friendships?
• Are there any boundaries they set with their friends?
• How does your character support their friends during challenging times?
• Have they ever experienced betrayal from a friend?
• How does your OC balance their friendships with their goals?
• Do they have a small circle of close friends or a wide network of acquaintances?
• How does your character open up to others?
• Are there any patterns in your OC’s friendships that bother them?
• How do the character’s friendships influence their decisions?
• Have they ever felt pressure to conform to their friends' expectations?
• How does the character express appreciation and gratitude for their friends?
• Has your OC ever had to make difficult choices that tested their loyalty to a friend?
• Has your character ever drifted apart from a friend?
• Does your OC prioritize maintaining old friendships or forming new ones?
• Has your character ever had to confront conflicts of interest between different friendships?
• Who is your character’s best friend?
• Who is your character’s worst friend?

Romantic Relationships

• What qualities does your character seek in a romantic partner?
• Has your OC experienced any significant romantic relationships in the past that have shaped their views on love and intimacy?
• How do they approach dating?
• Does your OC have any patterns regarding relationships?
• How do they handle disagreements with their partners?
• Are there any red flags for your OC?
• How do the character’s romantic relationships impact their sense of identity?
• Have they ever experienced heartbreak or betrayal with a partner?
• How do they balance their romantic relationship with other aspects of their life?
• Does your OC believe in the concept of soulmates?
• How does the character express love and affection towards their romantic partner?
• Have they ever felt pressured to conform to norms within their romantic relationships?
• How does your OC handle jealousy or insecurity within their romantic relationships?
• Are there any cultural or religious factors that influence your original character’s approach to romance?
• Does the character find it hard to move from dating to a more long-term relationship?
• Have your OC ever had to sacrifice personal goals for the sake of love?
• How does your OC build trust in their relationships?
• How did your character realize they had met “the one”?
• What does your OC like least about their romantic partner?
• Who was your OC’s first love?

Rivalries or Conflicts

• What initially sparked the rivalry between your character and their rival?
• How does the rivalry impact your character's goals?
• Are there any specific traits or qualities in their rival that your character admires or envies?
• How does your OC perceive their rival's strengths and weaknesses compared to their own?
• Have there been moments of mutual respect or cooperation between your character and their rival?
• Have your OC’s interactions with their rivals influenced their personal growth?
• Does your character have romantic feelings toward their rival?
• How does the rivalry affect the characters associated with your OC?
• Are there any ethical or moral boundaries that your character refuses to cross in their rivalry?
• How does your OC  handle setbacks or defeats in their rivalry?
• Does your character look for alliances to get one over on their rival?
• How do they maintain focus and motivation in the face of their rivalry?
• Does your OC ever question the true nature of their rivalry?
• How does your character cope with the psychological toll of their rivalry with their rival?
• How violent would your OC be regarding their rivalry?
• Would you OC be willing to kill their rival?
• Has their rival caused your character to question their self-worth?
• How would your OC define successfully dealing with their rival?
• Is your OC’s rivalry one-sided?
• Who is your character’s biggest rival?

Mentorship or Guidance

• What qualities does your character seek in a mentor?
• Has your character ever had a mentor in the past?
• Why does your character seek the qualities in a mentor that they do?
• Are there any specific goals your character hopes to achieve through mentorship?
• How does your OC handle feedback and guidance from their mentor?
• Has the character ever experienced conflicts or disagreements with their mentor?
• Does your OC credit their mentor with their current success?
• Does your OC blame their mentor for their current failures?
• How does your OC balance the advice and guidance of their mentor with their instincts?
• Does your OC have something to teach their mentor?
• How do your character’s associates feel about their mentor?
• Has your OC ever felt pressure to live up to their mentor's expectations?
• How do they express gratitude towards their mentor for their guidance and support?
• Are there any cultural conflicts regarding your character and their mentor?
• How did your character handle the eventual conclusion of their mentorship relationship?
• Has your OC served as a mentor?
• Has your OC ever suffered from imposter syndrome while mentoring someone?
• Has your character worked under multiple mentors?
• Is your OC naturally gifted with teaching?
• Who taught your OC their greatest lesson?

Public Perception

• How does your character perceive their public image?
• Have there been moments when your character's public perception has significantly influenced their actions?
• How does your OC manage their public persona in different contexts?
• Are there any misconceptions or misunderstandings about your character that they actively try to correct or address?
• How does your OC handle criticism or negative feedback from the public?
• Has the character ever experienced backlash or controversy?
• Are there specific traits or qualities your character intentionally emphasizes or downplays in their public persona?
• How does your character balance authenticity with the expectations of their public image?
• Has your OC ever felt pressure to conform to societal norms or expectations to maintain their public image?
• How does your OC’s public perception influence their relationships?
• Has your character ever intentionally manipulated their public image for personal gain or to achieve specific goals?
• Are there any values or beliefs your character refuses to compromise to maintain their public image?
• How does your OC’s public perception impact their sense of self-worth and identity?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of vulnerability that challenged their public image?
• How does your OC respond to rumors or gossip about them?
• Are there any aspects of their private life that your character intentionally keeps separate from their public image?
• Does your OC like to brag about their achievements?
• How image-conscious is your character?
• Does your OC pay particular attention to their appearance?
• Does your character desire the spotlight?

Psychological Development:

These questions are meant to get deep into the headspace of your OC. Explore at your own risk! Or, do something cool and write an interview with your character using some of these questions as a social post on CharacterHub.

Emotional Intelligence

• How does your character perceive and understand their own emotions?
• How does your OC regulate their emotions during challenging situations?
• Has your character ever undergone moments of emotional self-discovery that significantly impacted them?
• How does your character empathize with the emotions of others?
• Are there any specific techniques or strategies your character employs to improve their emotional intelligence?
• How does your OC handle conflicts or disagreements while considering the emotions of others?
• Have they ever experienced emotional triggers or patterns that they actively work to address or overcome?
• How does your character respond to feedback or criticism that involves emotional content?
• Are there cultural or societal influences that shape your character's emotional intelligence?
• How does their emotional intelligence contribute to their decision-making process?
• Has your OC ever experienced a moment of emotional vulnerability?
• Does your OC struggle to balance their emotions with what needs to be done?
• Did your character ever talk to another character about their mental health?
• Does your OC express their emotions in healthy and constructive ways?
• How does your character’s emotional intelligence influence their leadership style?
• Has your OC ever struggled with understanding or expressing certain emotions?
• Does your character grow to be more emotionally open over their story?
• How does your OC handle situations where their emotions conflict with their responsibilities?
• How does your character approach emotional boundaries in their relationships with others?
• Does your character consider themselves in control of their emotions?

Coping Mechanisms

• What coping mechanisms does your character rely on during times of stress or adversity?
• How do your character's coping mechanisms reflect their personality and past experiences?
• Has your OC developed new coping mechanisms over time?
• Are there any coping mechanisms that your character considers unhealthy or problematic?
• How do your OC’s coping mechanisms impact their relationships with others?
• Have they ever received feedback or criticism from other characters about their coping mechanisms?
• How does your character recognize when their coping mechanisms are no longer effective?
• Are there specific triggers that prompt your character to use certain coping mechanisms?
• Has your character talked to another character about their coping mechanisms?
• Has your OC ever sought professional help regarding their coping mechanisms?
• Does your character have creative outlets or hobbies as coping mechanisms?
• Does your OC have any toxic coping mechanisms?
• Have they ever experienced moments of resistance or denial about their coping mechanisms?
• How do setbacks trigger your character?
• Are any of your OC’s coping traits based on their culture?
• Does your OC maintain a sense of vulnerability regarding their strategies?
• What is your OC’s most destructive trait in dealing with stress?
• Does your character try to build positive habits to relieve stress?
• How do their coping mechanisms evolve for their character arc?
• Are any of the character’s coping traits drawn from someone you know?

Mental Health Issues

• What mental health issues does your character struggle with?
• How do your character’s mental health issues influence their behaviors?
• Are there any specific triggers that intensify your OC’s mental health symptoms?
• How does your OC cope with stigma towards mental health?
• Has your OC sought professional help or treatment for their mental health issues?
• How do your character’s mental health issues impact their relationships with others?
• Does your character know how to manage their mental health?
• Has your OC ever experienced periods of denial about their mental health issues?
• How do their mental health issues intersect with other aspects of their identity?
• Does your character experience feelings of shame or guilt about their mental health issues?
• How does your character navigate the challenges of seeking support and understanding from others?
• Have your character’s mental health issues affected their goals?
• How does your character balance self-care with other responsibilities in their life?
• What was the moment your character realized they needed help?
• Does your character have any rituals or treatments they must use?
• Has your OC ever experienced discrimination or mistreatment because of these issues?
• Does your character recognize mental health issues in other characters?
• How does your OC define recovery or progress concerning their mental health journey?
• Is your OC’s best friend aware of their mental health issues?
• Does your OC represent any particular mental health issue you have experience with?

Self-Awareness

• How does your character perceive themselves, both in terms of strengths and weaknesses?
• What experiences or events have contributed to your character's self-awareness?
• How does your character handle feedback or criticism about themselves from others?
• Are there any blind spots or areas of self-awareness that your character struggles with?
• How do your character’s self-perceptions align with how their closest friends see them?
• Has your OC ever undergone a moment of self-discovery?
• Is your OC comfortable with self-reflection?
• Are there any cultural influences that shape your OC’s sense of self-awareness?
• How does your character balance self-acceptance with the desire for self-improvement?
• Has another character even said something that triggered growth in your OC’s sense of awareness?
• How does your OC’s self-awareness influence their decisions?
• Has your OC ever had a crisis upon realizing something about their life or reality?
• How does your character handle situations where their self-perception conflicts with reality?
• Does increased self-awareness benefit your character?
• How does your OC cope with feelings of vulnerability or discomfort that come with awareness?
• What is your character’s interpretation of the reality in which they live?
• Has a revelation ever resulted in your character being thankful?
• Has your OC grown more empathetic after coming to a moment of realization?
• Does your character have an open mind?
• Is your character aware that they are fictional?

Growth or Evolution

• In what ways has your character evolved or changed since their introduction in the story?
• What significant milestones have contributed to your character's growth?
• How does your OC handle challenges or obstacles differently now compared to earlier in the story?
• Are there any patterns or themes in your character's growth and evolution that you've noticed?
• How influential have other characters been on the growth of your OC?
• Has your OC overcome any internal conflicts or struggles that helped them evolve?
• How does your character reconcile their past actions with their present?
• What is the most important skill your OC has developed?
• Does your character manage change better now than when they started their journey?
• What was the single point in the character’s experiences that set up the most growth later on?
• Has a particularly devastating failure ever led to major growth for your OC?
• How does your OC view their evolution and how does this impact their self-image?
• What is one small moment of self-discovery in your character’s experience?
• Does your character struggle to balance developing themselves with developing relationships?
• Has your OC ever undergone a major shift in their beliefs based on their growth?
• How does your character handle uncertainty as they continue to evolve?
• Are there any specific goals your OC hopes to achieve as part of their ongoing growth?
• How likely is your character to seek out new opportunities to grow?
• Has your character ever hit a limitation they could not overcome?
• What is the first real success your OC can recall?

External Influences:

Any number of things in their setting can affect a character, from their economy to their system of government. These questions probe your character’s mind for their view of the world around them. Some question categories may not be relevant for some OCs but those that are can help flesh out their profile pages .

Socioeconomic status

• How does your character's socioeconomic status shape their daily life and experiences?
• What opportunities or limitations does your OC’s socioeconomic status present to them?
• How does your character perceive their socioeconomic status?
• Are there any societal or cultural expectations associated with their socioeconomic status that your OC feels pressure to conform to?
• How does your character navigate relationships with individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds?
• Has your OC ever experienced discrimination or prejudice because of their socioeconomic status?
• How do they view wealth and material possessions?
• Are there any specific challenges or obstacles that your character faces because of their socioeconomic status?
• How does your OC approach financial decisions in their daily life?
• Has your OC ever experienced feelings of shame or inadequacy because of their socioeconomic status?
• How does your character define success and achievement concerning their socioeconomic status?
• Are there any systemic barriers that your character actively works to overcome because of their socioeconomic status?
• How does your original character perceive social mobility?
• Has your OC ever felt pressure to hide or downplay their socioeconomic status?
• How does your character balance their aspirations and dreams with the realities of their socioeconomic status?
• Has your OC ever experienced feelings of resentment or envy towards individuals of higher socioeconomic status?
• How do they prioritize their well-being and happiness concerning their socioeconomic status?
• Are there any cultural or familial traditions associated with their socioeconomic status that your character embraces or rejects?
• How does your character view the role of societal institutions in addressing their socioeconomic status?
• Does your character have an impulse to hoard or splurge when they find money?

Political beliefs

• What are your character's core political beliefs?
• How do their political beliefs align with or differ from those of their family or upbringing?
• Have there been any significant events or experiences that influenced your character's political ideology?
• How actively does your character engage with political issues?
• Are there any particular political figures or movements that your character admires?
• How do your OC’s political beliefs influence their relationships with others?
• Has your OC ever experienced conflicts or disagreements with friends or family over political matters?
• How informed about political issues is your OC?
• Are there any specific causes that your character is particularly passionate about?
• How does your OC advocate for their political beliefs?
• Has your character ever undergone a shift or evolution in their political beliefs?
• How do the character’s political beliefs intersect with other aspects of their identity?
• Does your OC prioritize compromise and collaboration or steadfast adherence to their politics?
• How does your character navigate political polarization and divisiveness?
• Has your OC ever faced backlash or criticism for their politics?
• How do your character’s political beliefs influence their personal goals?
• Are there any ethical or moral considerations that guide your character's politics?
• How does your OC handle disillusionment or cynicism towards the political system?
• How does your OC envision the role of political institutions in creating a better society?
• Where would your character be placed on a contemporary political spectrum?

Environmental Factors

• How does the environment in which your character was raised influence their personality and behavior?
• Are there any specific geographical or climatic factors that shape your OC’s daily life and experiences?
• How does the natural landscape of their environment impact your character’s connection to nature and the outdoors?
• Has your OC ever experienced natural disasters or environmental crises that affected them personally?
• How does your original character perceive and interact with wildlife and ecosystems in their environment?
• Are there any cultural or societal norms specific to their environment that influence your OC’s beliefs and values?
• How does the level of urbanization or ruralness in your character’s environment impact their lifestyle?
• Has your character ever experienced pollution or environmental degradation?
• Does your OC believe in conservation?
• How does your character feel about how the environment is treated in their world?
• How does your OC cope with changes in their environment?
• Would your OC be considered “outdoorsy?”
• How does your OC’s environment impact their physical health and well-being?
• Are there any environmental traditions or rituals that your OC participates in as part of their culture?
• Does your OC agree with the message of The Lorax ?
• Would your OC ever fight for their environment?
• How does your character envision the future of their environment?
• Are there any unique skills or knowledge your character developed as a result of growing up in their environment?
• How does your character adapt to changes in their environment, whether natural or societal?
• What is your OC’s favorite kind of weather?
• How does your character perceive the role of science and technology in their life?
• Are there any specific scientific or technological interests or fields that your character is passionate about?
• Does your OC try to stay informed about new scientific discoveries and technological advancements?
• Has your character ever faced ethical dilemmas related to science or technology?
• How does your OC approach skepticism or skepticism towards scientific consensus or technological progress?
• Are there any inventions or innovations in science and technology that your character dreams of creating or contributing to?
• How does your OC view the potential risks and benefits of emerging technologies?
• Has your character ever encountered instances of misuse or abuse of science or technology?
• How does your OC incorporate scientific principles or technological tools into their daily life?
• Are there any scientific or technological challenges that your character actively works to address or overcome?
• How does your OC approach collaboration and cooperation with other scientists?
• Has your character ever experienced failure or setbacks in their scientific or technological pursuits?
• How does your original character balance the pursuit of knowledge and innovation with ethical considerations?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your OC’s views on science and technology?
• How does your OC approach the intersection of science and spirituality or science and magic?
• As your OC ever undergone formal education or training in science or technology?
• How does your character handle public skepticism or resistance towards advancements?
• How does your OC envision the future of science and technology?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of wonder or awe inspired by scientific discoveries or technological achievements?
• Would your character be considered a techie or a luddite?
• How did your character discover their magical abilities?
• How does your character view their magic concerning their identity?
• Are there any limitations or drawbacks to their magical abilities that your OC must contend with?
• How does your character balance the use of their magic with ethical considerations?
• Has your OC undergone formal training or education to hone their magical skills?
• How does your character handle skepticism or disbelief from others who may not understand or accept their magic?
• Are there any specific rituals or practices your OC follows to enhance or control their magic?
• How does your character cope with the responsibility that comes with wielding magical power?
• Has the character ever experienced moments of doubt or insecurity regarding their magical abilities?
• How does your OC navigate the potential dangers or consequences of using their magic?
• Are there any cultural or societal norms surrounding magic that influence your OC’s experiences?
• How does your character perceive other magic users?
• Has your OC ever encountered individuals or groups who seek to exploit or suppress their magic?
• How does your OC handle the discovery of new or unknown magical abilities?
• Are there any emotional or psychological effects associated with the character’s magic use?
• How does their magical affinity influence your OC’s relationships with non-magic users?
• Has your OC ever struggled with the ethical implications of using their magic for personal gain?
• How does your character view the role of magic in the world around them?
• Have they ever experienced a loss or absence of their magical abilities?
• What is your character’s go-to magical ability?

Decision-Making:

This set of original character questions explores how your OC makes their decisions and decides to take action. There is a lot to learn here and incorporate into character profiles .

Moral Dilemmas

• What are the core moral principles or values that your character holds dear?
• Have they ever encountered a situation where their moral principles were challenged?
• How does your OC prioritize conflicting moral obligations when faced with a dilemma?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your OC’s moral compass?
• Has your character ever experienced guilt or remorse over a decision they made that conflicted with their morals?
• How does your OC reconcile their morals with the expectations or laws of society?
• Are there any moral gray areas where your character struggles to determine the right course of action?
• How do they handle situations where their morals conflict with the desires or needs of others?
• Has your OC ever faced criticism or backlash for adhering to their moral principles?
• How does your character approach forgiveness and redemption in the context of moral dilemmas?
• Are there any moral dilemmas from your OC’s past that continue to weigh on their conscience?
• How does your original character navigate the complexities of moral relativism and differing perspectives on right and wrong?
• Has your OC ever experienced a crisis of faith or belief concerning their moral principles?
• How does your character handle situations where the "right" moral choice is not clear or straightforward?
• Are there any personal biases or blind spots that influence the character’s moral decision-making?
• How do they view the role of empathy and compassion in guiding moral choices?
• Has your OC ever sacrificed their well-being or interests for the sake of upholding their morals?
• How does your character seek guidance or support when faced with difficult moral decisions?
• Have they ever witnessed or been involved in an act of moral courage that inspired them?
• What is the most notable “wrong” choice your character has made?

Killing and Harm

• Does your character believe killing is ever justified?
• Has your OC ever been forced to make a decision involving killing?
• How do they handle the moral and emotional aftermath of causing harm to another being?
• Are there any personal codes or ethical guidelines your character follows when it comes to engaging in violence or causing harm?
• How does your OC cope with feelings of guilt or remorse if they have caused harm unintentionally?
• Have they ever struggled with the concept of forgiveness when met with violence?
• How does your OC approach situations where they must choose between their survival and the safety of others?
• Are there any specific traumatic experiences involving killing or harm that have shaped your character's psyche?
• How does your OC reconcile their own beliefs about killing and harm with the expectations or norms of society?
• Have they ever faced retaliation or consequences as a result of violent actions?
• How does your OC view the concept of redemption or atonement for those who have caused harm?
• Are there any psychological or emotional effects of engaging in violence or causing harm that your character struggles with?
• How does your OC navigate relationships with others who have differing beliefs or experiences regarding killing and harm?
• Has your OC ever sought out guidance or support to help them cope with the moral complexities of violence?
• How does your character handle situations where they witness harm being inflicted on others but feel powerless to intervene?
• Are there any patterns or triggers that lead your character to resort to violence?
• What is the cruelest and most violent thing our character has ever done?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of transformation or growth as a result of their experiences with harming others?
• Does your OC tend to turn to fighting when challenged?
• What is the most violent act your OC has ever witnessed?

Showing Kindness

• What does kindness mean to your character?
• Has your OC ever experienced acts of kindness from others that profoundly impacted them?
• How does your character navigate situations where showing kindness conflicts with their self-interests?
• Are there any specific values or beliefs that guide your character's expressions of kindness?
• How does your OC handle situations where they witness others in need of kindness but are unsure how to help?
• Have they ever experienced backlash or criticism for their acts of kindness?
• How does your OC balance the desire to show kindness with the need to set boundaries?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your character’s understanding of kindness?
• How does your OC approach forgiveness and compassion towards those who may not deserve their kindness?
• Has your OC ever struggled with feelings of burnout or exhaustion from consistently showing kindness to others?
• How does your original character express gratitude towards those who have shown them kindness in return?
• Are there any specific acts of kindness they engage in regularly as part of their routine?
• How does your OC teach or model kindness to others?
• Has your character ever experienced moments of doubt or cynicism that challenged their belief in the power of kindness?
• What is the greatest act of kindness your character ever witnessed?
• Has your OC ever undergone personal growth or transformation as a result of someone’s kindness?
• How do they handle situations where their acts of kindness are misunderstood or taken advantage of?
• How does your OC incorporate kindness into their relationships?
• How does your character envision their legacy in terms of the kindness they leave behind in the world?
• What is the kindest thing your OC has ever done?

Risk-Taking Behavior

• What motivates your character to take risks?
• Are there any past experiences or individuals who have influenced your character's attitude toward risk?
• How does your OC weigh the potential rewards against the potential consequences before taking a risk?
• Are there specific types of risks your character is more comfortable taking, and if so, why?
• How does your OC handle uncertainty and fear when faced with risky situations?
• Has your character ever regretted taking a particular risk?
• How does your character approach risk-taking in their relationships?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your character’s perceptions of risk?
• How does your OC navigate situations where their risk-taking conflicts with the desires or concerns of others?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of self-doubt or hesitancy when considering taking a risk?
• How does your character learn from past failures or setbacks in their risk-taking endeavors?
• Are there any patterns or tendencies in your character's risk-taking behavior?
• How does your OC balance the need for caution and calculated risk-taking in their decision-making?
• Has your OC ever taken a risk that led to unexpected opportunities?
• What was the biggest backfire your OC experienced?
• Are there any ethical or moral boundaries that your character refuses to cross when taking a risk?
• Were there any moments where taking a risk was a learning moment for your OC?
• Does your OC find risk-taking to be thrilling?
• Does your OC judge other characters for their risk-taking??
• What is the riskiest thing your OC has ever done?

Consequences of Actions

• How does your character perceive the concept of consequences?
• Are there any past actions or decisions that have had significant consequences for your character?
• Does your character come off as responsible?
• Are there any patterns or tendencies in your character's behavior that lead to predictable consequences?
• How do they navigate situations where the consequences of their actions affect others around them?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of regret or remorse over the consequences of their actions?
• How does your character approach accountability and taking ownership of their actions when faced with consequences?
• Are there any coping mechanisms or strategies your OC uses to deal with the stress or anxiety of facing consequences?
• How does your character learn from past mistakes and adjust their behavior to avoid negative consequences in the future?
• Has your OC ever experienced situations where the consequences of their actions were unforeseen or unintended?
• How does your character handle situations where they must balance short-term gains with long-term consequences?
• Are there any cultural or societal norms that influence your OC’s perception of responsibility?
• How does your OC view the role of forgiveness and redemption in weighing the consequences of the actions of others?
• Has your OC ever faced backlash or criticism from others because of the consequences of their actions?
• How does your character approach situations where they must make difficult decisions knowing that there will be consequences?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of resilience or strength in the face of consequences?
• How does your character handle situations where the consequences of their actions impact their relationships or reputation?
• How does your OC approach situations where they must balance personal gain with the potential harm or negative consequences to others?
• What is your OC’s view of fairness as a concept?
• What was the most drastic result of a choice made by your character?

Personality and Taste:

These questions revolve around figuring out little bits about a character’s personality expressed by their tastes and interests. Judge your characters harshly for their tastes. It’s okay, you came up with them .

Personality Style

• How would you describe your character's personality style in a few words or phrases?
• What are the dominant traits or characteristics that define your character's personality style?
• Are there any specific personality tests or assessments that your character resonates with, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Big Five?
• How does your character's personality style influence their behavior and interactions with others?
• Are there any strengths or weaknesses associated with your character's personality style?
• How does your OC adapt their personality style in different social or professional settings?
• Has your character ever undergone personal growth or transformation that impacted their personality style?
• How does your OC perceive themselves concerning their personality style?
• Is your character the type to take a Buzzfeed “What character are you” quiz unironically?
• How does your OC handle conflicts or disagreements with others who have different personality styles?
• Are there any specific triggers or stressors that impact your character's personality style?
• How do they navigate relationships with individuals who have contrasting personality styles?
• What is your character’s spirit animal?
• What is your OC’s zodiac symbol?
• Are there any role models or fictional characters with similar personality styles that your character looks up to or identifies with?
• How does your OC’s personality style impact their decision-making process?
• Have they ever experienced moments of self-awareness or introspection that led to a deeper understanding of their personality?
• What is your character’s Chinese zodiac animal?
• Does your character come off as empathetic?
• Does your OC believe in astrology or similar markers for personality?

Taste and Food

• What is your character's favorite food?
• How does your character's cultural background influence their taste in food?
• Are there any specific childhood memories or experiences associated with certain foods that hold significance for your character?
• How adventurous is your character when it comes to trying new foods or cuisines?
• How does your character's taste in food reflect their values or beliefs?
• Are there any foods or flavors that your character dislikes or avoids?
• Is your OC any good at cooking?
• Are there any rituals or traditions related to food that your character participates in or observes?
• How does your character navigate dietary restrictions or preferences in social settings?
• Has your OC ever had a memorable dining experience that impacted them?
• How does your character view the relationship between food and health?
• Are there any foods or dishes that hold symbolic meaning for your character?
• How does your character's taste in food evolve throughout their life?
• How does your character express love or care through food?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your character's taste in food?
• How does your character's taste in food influence their relationships with others?
• Have they ever experienced conflict or disagreement with others over food choices?
• How does your character approach food as a source of pleasure or comfort?
• Are there any food-related goals or aspirations your character has?
• Would your character complement a friend’s cooking, even if it was bad?

Pop Culture

• What is your character's favorite movie? 
• What is your character's favorite TV show?
• What is your character's favorite book?
• What is your character's favorite toy?
• What is your character's favorite video game?
• How does your character engage with current pop culture trends and phenomena?
• Are there any specific pop culture icons or celebrities that your character idolizes or looks up to?
• How does your character's taste in fiction reflect their personality and interests?
• Have they ever bonded with others over shared interests in pop culture?
• Does your character have an interest in the behind-the-scenes world of production?
• Are there any pop culture references or quotes that your character frequently uses in conversation?
• How does your character's relationship with pop culture influence their creativity and imagination?
• Has your OC ever experienced disappointment or frustration with a particular pop culture franchise or phenomenon?
• How does your character approach fandom culture and fan communities related to their favorite pop culture interests?
• Are there any pop culture trends or genres that your character actively avoids or dislikes?
• How does your character's upbringing or background influence their exposure to and interest in pop culture?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of nostalgia or sentimentality related to stories and entertainment from their past?
• Are there any cultural milestones, events, or moments that your character considers significant or memorable in their life?
• How does your character incorporate elements of pop culture into their fashion or personal style?
• Are there any pop-culture theories or debates that your character enjoys discussing or engaging with?
• How important is physical fitness to your character?
• What type of exercise or physical activities does your character enjoy?
• Are there any specific fitness goals or achievements your character is working towards?
• How does your character incorporate exercise into their daily routine or schedule?
• Have they ever experienced challenges or setbacks in their fitness journey?
• How does your character approach recovery and rest days as part of their fitness regimen?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your character's attitudes toward exercise and physical fitness?
• How does your character handle competition or comparison with others in their fitness pursuits?
• What is the worst injury your character has ever had?
• How does your character balance their commitment to physical fitness with other priorities in their life?
• Are there any specific sports or activities that your character excels at or is passionate about?
• How does your character view the relationship between physical and mental health?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of self-doubt regarding their physical fitness?
• How does your character handle injuries or setbacks related to exercise?
• Are there any fitness challenges or obstacles your character faces that are unique to their circumstances?
• Does your character grow healthier over their arc?
• Does your character use exercise to cope with stress or difficult emotions?
• How does your character's fitness journey impact their relationships with others?
• Are there any fitness-related rituals or habits your character maintains as part of their routine?
• What is your OC’s greatest physical feat?
• How does your character define beauty and aesthetics?
• Are there any specific art forms or artistic movements that your character is drawn to?
• Does your character care about maintaining their appearance?
• What is your OC’s taste in decor?
• Are there any cultural or societal influences that shape your character's aesthetic preferences?
• Does your OC judge others for their fashion or style?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of inspiration or awe when encountering something aesthetically pleasing?
• Has your character ever debated the meaning of an artistic piece with someone?
• What is your OC’s favorite color?
• How does your character use aesthetics as a form of self-expression or identity?
• Have they ever faced criticism or judgment for their aesthetic choices?
• How does your character approach the process of curating their personal space or environment?
• Are there any historical or cultural influences that shape your character's aesthetic tastes?
• Does your character have a natural flourish in their actions?
• Has your OC ever experienced moments of disillusionment or disappointment when their aesthetic expectations were not met?
• How does your character view the relationship between aesthetics and inner beauty or personality?
• Are there any specific aesthetic experiences or memories that hold significance for your character?
• How does your character approach the process of finding beauty and meaning in the world around them?
• What is your character’s go-to outfit?
• What is the most beautiful thing your character ever experienced?

Looking for Character Questionnaires?

If this massive list of questions isn’t enough and you want to know even more about your character, we’ve got your back. CharacterHub offers daily and weekly quizzes that help explore details about a character. Best of all, answering these quizzes offers awesome trait badges that you can add to your character’s profile with just a couple of clicks of a button. Just look at the quiz results I received for my character Dash .

So, once you’ve figured out how to incorporate some of these questions into your character profile, consider taking a couple of extra quizzes as well. You never know what you may learn about your OC.

David Davis

David Davis is a cartoonist with around twenty years of experience in comics, including independent work and established IPs such as SpongeBob Squarepants. He also works as a college composition instructor and records weekly podcasts. Find out more about him at his website!

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Home / Book Writing / 200+ Character Development Questions: The Ultimate Questionnaire to Build a Character

200+ Character Development Questions: The Ultimate Questionnaire to Build a Character

Table of contents.

• What is a character interview?
• Why are character interviews important?
• How to Use a Character Questionnaire
• Basic Questions
• Physical Attributes
• Personality
• Relationships
• Values and Desires
• Lifestyle and Habits
• Emotions and Spirituality
• 1. What Do They Want Most?
• 2. What Is Their Greatest Fear?
• 3. What is Their Greatest Flaw?
• 4. What Is Their Character Type?

A lot can happen from the first time you think of a character, to when you begin writing them in your novel. One way to make things easier is to ask them a list of character development questions.

That’s right, I said ask them , i.e. your characters.

This is a discovery writing process that can be invaluable when beginning your story. Because the more you know your characters, the better your book will be.

• What a character interview is
• Why character interviews are important
• How to conduct a character interview
• A HUGE list of over 200 potential questions
• Some of the most important questions to get right/li>

By far the best way to get to know your character is with a character interview. The character questionnaire allows you to think of things you might not otherwise have done, and help you discover your character.

But first, let’s cover some basics.

The character interview is a time-honored method of discovering your character, learning what makes them tick.

Think of the process like outlining, but instead of a plot, you’re outlining a character.

Character interviews are one of the best ways to develop your characters and make them feel like real people .

If you want to follow the same path that I took, get this template today!

It’s more than just building a character profile, although it can be that too. It’s a way to not only learn the outward characteristics, but dig deep into their soul.

You want to build a real person, and what better way to do it than to interview that person.

For the pantser , this may seem tedious, and unnecessary. You may prefer to discover the character as they write the novel.

But think of it this way.

By taking the time to get to know your character, you engage in the discovery process ahead of time. Once you have a solid character, they will begin to take on a live of their own in the plot.

To conduct your character questionnaire, simply imagine that you are sitting in a room with your main character. You are allowed to be as nosy as you want, and they will understand everything you say. You simply ask them questions and see how they respond.

Repeat this process for any other important characters in your story.

Whatever you do, don’t use every question on this list .

Your character is unique, and you should tailor the questions you ask to that person, just as a real-life journalist would do in a real interview.

Pro Tip: There are more ways to flesh out a character backstory, but actually writing out their answers as if you were interviewing them is how we recommend building your character arc. It allows for the best immersion, and gives you practice writing in their voice.

Make sure you already have the broad strokes of your character in mind already. You should not start from scratch.

However, if you are starting from scratch, you can browse through these questions to brainstorm ideas. And you can start with the basic questions to build the character, then flesh out from there.

List of Questions

Without further ado, here is our full list of questions to ask your character.

Once again, you don’t have to use all of them, and you don’t have to go in order. Simply choose what works for you, and run with that.

• What is your Full name?
• How do you feel about your name?
• Does your name have any particular meaning/history?
• Do you have any nickname?
• When were you born?
• What is your age?
• Sexual orientation?
• What is your height?
• What is your weight?
• How are you built? (Skinny, fat, stocky, well muscled, etc.)
• What is your face shape?
• What is your hair color?
• How do you style your hair?
• What is your eye color?
• What is your eye shape?
• Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? If glasses, what style?
• Do you have any distinguishing facial features?
• What is your most prominent facial feature?
• What is your most prominent bodily feature?
• What is your skin tone?
• What is your race/ethnicity?
• Do you wear makeup?
• Do you have any scars, birthmarks, or tattoos?
• Do you have any physical handicaps or disabilities?
• What type of clothes do you typically wear? (at home, at work, out on the town, in bed)
• Do you wear any kind of jewelry or accessories?
• What type of shoes do you wear?
• Do you have any mannerisms?
• Would you say you are in good health?
• Are there any words or phrases that you overuse?
• What about a catchphrase?
• Are you a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty type of person?
• Are you more introverted or extroverted?
• What makes you laugh?
• What is your love language? How do you show affection?
• Do you have any mental disabilities?
• What do you want others to think about you?
• How do you see yourself?
• What is your strongest aspect?
• What is your weakest aspect?
• How competitive are you?
• Do you act on impulse or carefully think through decisions?
• What happens if someone praises your work?
• What happens if someone criticizes your work?
• What is your greatest fear?
• What is your biggest secret that you’ve never told anyone?
• What is the purpose of life?
• When did you last cry?
• What haunts you?
• What are your political views?
• What will you stand for?
• Who do you quote most often?
• Do you prefer the indoors or the outdoors?
• What is your guilty pleasure?
• What personal trait do you rely on the most?
• What do you value most in a friend?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
• What are you obsessed with?
• What are your pet peeves?
• What is your greatest regret?

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• Do you have a large family? Who are they?
• What do you think of your family?
• What is your current relationship with your parents?
• Do you have siblings? Where do you come in?
• Describe your best friend.
• Who is your ideal best friend?
• Who are your other friends?
• Do you make friends easily?
• Do you have any pets?
• Who do you naturally get along with?
• Who do you surprisingly get along with?
• Do you believe in love at first sight?
• Are you in a relationship?
• How do you act in a relationship?
• How many relationships have you had?
• When was the last time you engaged in intimacy?
• What kind of sex do you like to have?
• How would you feel after a one-night stand?
• How do you break up with someone?
• Have you ever been in love?
• Has anyone ever broken your heart?
• Who do you trust?
• Do you live with anyone? How do you get along with them?
• Do you get along with your neighbors? Why?
• How would your family describe you?
• How would your lover describe you?
• How would your boss describe you?
• How would your enemy describe you?
• What were you like as a baby/child?
• Did you grow up rich or poor?
• Were you nurtured or neglected in childhood?
• What is the most offensive thing a person has ever said to you?
• What has been your greatest achievement?
• How was your first kiss?
• What is the worst thing you did to someone you love?
• What is your greatest ambition?
• What advice would you give your younger self?
• What smells remind you of home/your childhood?
• What did you want to be when you grow up? Did it work out?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
• What is your worst childhood memory?
• Did you have any imaginary friends as a child?
• What are you most ashamed of?
• What are you most proud of?
• Has anyone saved your life?
• Were you ever bullied as a child?
• What is the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you?
• What are your values?
• What is the worst thing that can be done to a person?
• What is freedom?
• When did you last lie?
• What is your view of lying?
• Do you keep your promises?
• Who is your hero?
• If you could save one person, who would it be?
• If you could ask for help from one person, who would it be?
• What is your favorite proverb?
• Do you believe in happy endings?
• What is happiness?
• What is your dream job?
• What do you like to spend money on?
• What is something you would never do?
• What is something you would do that might surprise people?
• Are you a leader, follower, or lone wolf?
• Would you trade ten years of your life for money/beauty/intelligence?
• How do you respond to a threat?
• Do you prefer fighting with your fists or using diplomacy?
• What is your kryptonite?
• Your house is burning down, and you can only save one thing. What is it?
• How do you view strangers?
• What do you love to hate?
• What are your phobias?
• What is your ideal weapon?
• Who do you most despise in the world?
• What do you do when you get angry?
• Who are your enemies? Why?
• You witness a victimless crime, what do you do?
• You’re at a bar, and someone spills your drink, what do you do?
• Are you a forgiving person?
• Is there anything in your past that you can’t forgive?
• What are your bad habits?
• What is your job?
• What do you think about your job?
• What other jobs have you had?
• What are your hobbies?
• What is your educational background?
• Would you describe yourself as intelligent?
• Do you have any specialist training?
• Are you ‘naturally talented’ at anything?
• Do/have you played a sport?
• What is your socioeconomic position?
• What is in your fridge?
• What is in your car?
• What kind of car do you drive?
• What is in your pocket?
• What is your most treasured possession?
• Do you keep anything under your pillow? Next to your bed?
• What are your eating habits?
• Do you have any allergies?
• What does your home look like?
• Minimalist or hoarder?
• Are you organized or disorganized?
• Are you forgetful or easily distracted?
• Right brain or left brain?
• What do you do first on the weekend?
• What do you do first on a weekday?
• What do you do on a Sunday afternoon?
• What do you do on a Friday night?
• Are you comfortable with technology?
• How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
• What do you think about when you can’t sleep?
• What keeps you up at night?
• What is your morning routine?
• If you could relive any day of your life, what would it be?
• What is your favorite color?
• What is your favorite animal?
• What place would you like to visit the most?
• What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?
• What is your favorite song?
• What type of art do you prefer? (fine art, music, reading, film, etc.)
• What is your password?
• What is your favorite food?
• What is your favorite movie?
• What TV show can you just binge all day long?
• Who is your favorite musician?
• What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
• What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
• If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
• Who could be your guardian angel?
• Do you believe in the afterlife?
• What religion do you follow?
• Do you believe in heaven or hell?
• What do you think it’s like in heaven or hell?
• Are you superstitious?
• If you could be reincarnated, what would you like to be reincarnated as?
• What is your spirit animal?
• How would you like to die?
• What is your zodiac sign?
• What is your Chinese Horoscope?
• What is your motto or mantra for life?
• What would you dress up for on Halloween?
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
• Do you have any food allergies or sensitivities?

The Most Important Questions

That list can be a bit overwhelming. So I thought I’d spend some time discussing the most important questions that you should know before you start writing your book.

And I’ve boiled it down to four essential questions:

Every character should start by wanting something more than anything. It can be living a peaceful life, it can be wanting to explore the wide world out there, it can be protecting someone, it can be finding revenge.

Whatever it is, they have to want it badly.

Desires are what motivate our characters, and they provide us with action and logic behind that action.

They can be especially enticing when pursuing those desires create conflict, the driving fuel behind any good story.

A character’s motivation can change and evolve over the course of the novel. This may be in relation to our character flaw that we talk about below. Perhaps that person will realize that the thing they thought they wanted, wasn’t actually what they truly desired.

You’ll see this a lot in Hollywood. Pixar, for example, has got it down to a science.

Character wants something > they try to get it > they encounter challenges to their desires > those challenges help them understand the truth.

Combining that desire and change is a great way to create a satisfying character arc.

If your character wants something, there must be something else that stands in the way. In a satisfying character development arc, this is done by creating something that your character fears.

Fears create tension in the story, and they provide a superbly personal form of conflict for the character.

They also deepen a character’s backstory, giving us a more well-rounded look at what makes them tick.

If you create a situation where your character must confront their greatest fear to get what they want, you have just created one of the most memorable moments in the character’s development.

Let’s face it, no one is perfect. We all have some vice, a quirk, or a history we are not proud of.

Characters have these too, or at least, the good ones do.

When you give your character’s personality a flaw, you create internal conflict.

A flaw is a great place to start on your hero’s journey toward change. This is part of what makes a good story, watching the character overcome their flaws, and gain something in return, because that’s essentially what all of us go through.

The flaw in your character’s life will (and should) create problems (conflict). And by combining all three of these essential traits (desire, fear, flaw), you can create real depth to your character, and help chart their motivations when they encounter the situations you put them through.

Each character has a character type that they usually fit into. This can be the role of protagonist, antagonist, mentor, love interest, etc.

The nature of this role will determine what questions you ask in your questionnaire, and help you get an idea of what kind of character they should be.

Why is your antagonist antagonizing? What causes your protagonist to take action? Why would the love interest be appealing to your protagonist?

In short, knowing your character type can help you determine what kind of person they are. It’s a great place to start.

Final Thoughts

Let’s face it, if you went through this process for every character in your novel, you’d be writing a novel’s worth of pre-writing just about your characters.

So you shouldn’t follow this process for every character. But you should take them into consideration for the most important roles in your story, and you should at least ask some of the more important questions to every character that has a big role to play in your book.

Personally, I love the process of getting to know my characters. By interviewing them, I’m able to get to know them ahead of time, rather than during the process of writing my story, saving me some valuable editing time in the end.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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The Ultimate Character Questionnaire and Worksheet (over 150 character questions)

The Character Questionnaire is a list of questions, put into groups, to help prompt writers to add detail and depth to their characters.

The best way to use the Character Questionnaire is in the Novel Factory  writing software  (which you can try completely free), but if you don't fancy that, then you can scroll down to view all of the questions below. And if you join our mailing list (form at the bottom of the page), we'll email it to you as a PDF.

What is a Character Questionnaire?

A character questionnaire is a list of character development questions that can be used by writers to add depth and detail to the characters in their novels.

The questions are usually organised into categories, such as personal details, physical appearance, personality, friends and family and backstory.

More detailed character questionnaires may also include topics such as love, conflict, work, education, hobbies, favourites, possessions, spirituality, values, daily life, and more.

Why use a character questionnaire?

A character questionnaire is a great way to get our brains working in new directions.

It's not intended like an exam, that you must complete for each character in order to get full marks. In fact, you should only consider doing it at all for the major characters. And even then it's most useful as an inspirational tool, not a plodding box ticking exercise.

The questions can help us think about aspects of our characters we might not have considered otherwise. They can prompt us to develop new, unique elements of their personality.

We can use questions to give us ideas about how we can contrast our characters and create conflict between them.

Or they can help us discover details about their home or work life which will enrich our descriptions and make them feel more three dimensional to our readers.

Note - a questionnaire is not a good way to  start  building a character. The questions are too piecemeal, and your character needs to have a more coherent core before you get to this stage.

(The Novel Factory includes other  character development worksheets  to help building characters with strong central drives).

How to use these character development questions?

All tools are only really useful if you use them right. Here are a few dos and don'ts to help you get the most out of this character questionnaire:

• Start by browsing quickly over all of the questions to get a sense of the sections
• Vary how you use the questionnaire depending on the character / the day / your mood
• Pick out the questions that you find work best for you, and use them to create your own personal streamlined questionnaire
• Completely ignore any sections you don't feel are relevant to your character
• Mix it up - one day you might decide to pick 10 questions completely at random. Another day you might decide to complete all the questions in a single section.
• Approach it as a brainstorming exercise
• Allow your mind to go down a rabbit hole, if one question inspires you to write an entire scene from that character's history , than fantastic!
• Understand that your in-depth knowledge of the character will bleed into your writing, even if the vast majority of this information is never written in your manuscript
• Try to answer all of the questions for any given character
• Feel you have to go through the questions in order
• Try to follow a rigid pattern over and over
• Use it to start building a character - you should already have the broad brushstrokes of your character, including what drives them and their biggest flaw
• Use all of the information in your novel - most of the answers should be internalised, not spelled out

Don't forget, the Novel Factory software includes other character sheet templates for you to fill in, such as basic info character voice, game show introductions, characterisation and background.

If you like this, then you might want to check out our Roadmap - how to write a book and get published, in fifteen steps.

Would you like this questionnaire in PDF format? Then sign up for our newsletter below.

How to Conduct a “Character Interview”

Rather than simply sitting down and filling out the character development questions as the author, a fun way to use the questionnaire is to use it as a basis for 'interviewing' your character.

To do this, you can imagine you're sitting in a room with your character, and they are answering the questions directly for themselves, in the first person.

So if you had the question:

What is in their fridge?

A straightforward answer might be: seven types of cheese, lots of vegetables and a microwave lasagne.

But if you were conducting the questionnaire as an interview, you would ask the character:

What's in your fridge?

And the answer might be something like this:

"What's in my fridge? Now let me think. I've got that delicious Camembert, which goes perfectly with Merlot, and a few other delicacies for the board, but thinking about it I'm a bit low on cheeses, I should pop down to the market this week. I've got the bog standard veg in the crisper, you know, just the usual: courgettes, kale, celery, aubergine, beef tomatoes, spring onions, broccolli and cauliflower. What else? Oh yes, there's that God awful microwave lasagne that my son bought - I wouldn't go near the disgusting thing with a brage pole, but what can you do?"

As you can see, if you really try to get into the character's head while answering the questions, then you end up learning a lot more about their life and preferences, as well as developing their all important unique voice.

When doing character interviews, it can be very useful to get a clear visual in your head - not only of the character, but of their surroundings.

Where is the interview taking place - can it be somewhere that suits your story world or the character themselves?

Is it happening in a police interrogation room? In their living room? Even on a TV interview show? Having clear visuals like this can really help you get into the zone.

If you're doing this, you might also want to think about which questions you're going to ask in the interview. You may want to delve into their past and passions, particularly if it's a TV interview setting.

If it's a police interview, you might focus on questions relating to conflict, or work, education and hobbies.

Either way, as advised above in the general advice on how to use character questions, you are very unlikely to want to ask all of the questions in one sitting. Better to select a shortlist first and get more detailed answers, then try to rush through too many and get fatigued.

150+ Character Questions

Basic character questions.

• First name?
• Middle names?
• Date of birth?

Physical / Appearance

• Hair colour?
• Hair style?
• Eye colour?
• Glasses or contact lenses?
• Distinguishing facial features?
• Which facial feature is most prominent?
• Which bodily feature is most prominent?
• Other distinguishing features?
• Birthmarks?
• Physical handicaps?
• Type of clothes?
• How do they wear their clothes?
• What are their feet like? (type of shoes, state of shoes, socks, feet, pristine, dirty, worn, etc)
• Race / Ethnicity?
• Mannerisms?
• Are they in good health?
• Do they have any disabilities?

Personality

• What words or phrases do they overuse?
• Do they have a catchphrase?
• Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?
• Are they introverted or extroverted?
• Do they ever put on airs?
• What bad habits do they have?
• What makes them laugh out loud?
• How do they display affection?
• Mental handicaps?
• How do they want to be seen by others?
• How do they see themselves?
• How are they seen by others?
• Strongest character trait?
• Weakest character trait?
• How competitive are they?
• Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?
• How do they react to praise?
• How do they react to criticism?
• What is their greatest fear?
• What are their biggest secrets?
• What is their philosophy of life?
• When was the last time they cried?
• What haunts them?
• What are their political views?
• What will they stand up for?
• Who do they quote?
• Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy?
• What is their sinful little habit?
• What sense do they most rely on?
• How do they treat people better than them?
• How do they treat people worse than them?
• What quality do they most value in a friend?
• What do they consider an overrated virtue?
• If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?
• What is their obsession?
• What are their pet peeves?
• What are their idiosyncrasies?

Friends and Family

• Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?
• What is their perception of family?
• Do they have siblings? Older or younger?
• Describe their best friend.
• Ideal best friend?
• Describe their other friends.
• Describe their acquaintances.
• Do they have any pets?
• Who are their natural allies?
• Who are their surprising allies?

Past and Future

• What was your character like as a baby? As a child?
• Did they grow up rich or poor?
• Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?
• What is the most offensive thing they ever said?
• What is their greatest achievement?
• What was their first kiss like?
• What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?
• What are their ambitions?
• What advice would they give their younger self?
• What smells remind them of their childhood?
• What was their childhood ambition?
• What is their best childhood memory?
• What is their worst childhood memory?
• Did they have an imaginary childhood friend?
• When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment?
• What past act are they most ashamed of?
• What past act are they most proud of?
• Has anyone ever saved their life?
• Strongest childhood memory?
• Do they believe in love at first sight?
• Are they in a relationship?
• How do they behave in a relationship?
• When did you character last have sex?
• What sort of sex do they have?
• Has your character ever been in love?
• Have they ever had their heart broken?
• How do they respond to a threat?
• Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?
• What is your character’s kryptonite?
• If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?
• How do they perceive strangers?
• What do they love to hate?
• What are their phobias?
• What is their choice of weapon?
• What living person do they most despise?
• Have they ever been bullied or teased?
• Where do they go when they’re angry?
• Who are their enemies and why?

Work, Education and Hobbies

• What is their current job?
• What do they think about their current job?
• What are some of their past jobs?
• What are their hobbies?
• Educational background?
• Intelligence level?
• Do they have any specialist training?
• Do they have a natural talent for something?
• Do they play a sport? Are they any good?
• What is their socioeconomic status?
• What is their favourite animal?
• Which animal to they dislike the most?
• What place would they most like to visit?
• What is the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen?
• What is their favourite song?
• Music, art, reading preferred?
• What is their favourite colour?
• What is their password?
• Favourite food:
• What is their favourite work of art?
• Who is their favourite artist?
• What is their favourite day of the week?

Possessions

• What is in their fridge:
• What is on their bedside table?
• What is in their car?
• What is in their bin?
• What is in their purse or wallet?
• What is in their pockets?
• What is their most treasured possession?

Spirituality

• Who or what is your character’s guardian angel?
• Do they believe in the afterlife?
• What are their religious views?
• What do they think heaven is?
• What do they think hell is?
• Are they superstitious?
• What would they like to be reincarnated as?
• How would they like to die?
• What is your character’s spirit animal?
• What is their zodiac sign?
• What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?
• What is their view of ‘freedom’?
• When did they last lie?
• What’s their view of lying?
• When did they last make a promise?
• Did they keep or break their last promise?
• What are their eating habits?
• Do they have any allergies?
• Describe their home.
• Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?
• What do they do first thing on a weekday morning?
• What do they do on a Sunday afternoon?
• What do they do on a Friday night?
• What is the soft drink of choice?
• What is their alcoholic drink of choice?

Miscellaneous

• What is their  character archetype ?
• Who is their hero?
• What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?
• Are they comfortable with technology?
• If they could save one person, who would it be?
• If they could call one person for help, who would it be?
• What is their favourite proverb?
• What is their greatest extravagance?
• What is their greatest regret?
• What is their perception of redemption?
• What would they do if they won the lottery?
• What is their favourite fairytale?
• What fairytale do they hate?
• Do they believe in happy endings?
• What is their idea of perfect happiness?
• What would they ask a fortune teller?
• If your character could travel through time, where would they go?
• What sport do they excel at?
• What sport do they suck at?
• If they could have a superpower, what would they choose?

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Character Development Questions That Aren’t About Eye Color

Character development questions can help you transform a made-up person into a character that feels real. Like “on the verge of becoming sentient” real.

The only trick is that you have to ask the right questions.

When writers say that character interviews don’t actually help, it’s usually because they’re using a questionnaire designed to nail down surface-layer details.

What color are their eyes? Where were they born? What were they for Halloween last year?

Think of the last book you recommended to a friend. When gushing about how magnetic the protagonist was, did you happen to mention the fact that they played the tuba in seventh grade?

Of course you didn’t.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with creating a comprehensive image of your character in your own mind. There is value in knowing your protagonist so well you can name what they had for breakfast and how long it took them to digest it.

But when it comes to character development, it’s way easier to start with the deeper, more defining traits. Fears, dreams, relationships, flaws… when you clarify what’s going on inside your character, the external details emerge naturally. That’s why thought-provoking character development questions can make all the difference in the writing process. I’ll show you how. We’ll talk about what a character interview is, when to use it, and how to use it.

Then I’ll give you what you came for: sixty-five fresh-out-of-the-oven character development questions you can use today.

What is a Character Interview?

A character interview is a list of questions you “ask” your character in an effort to get to know them better. And I do mean “ask.”

This isn’t about building a character profile that lists facts about a fictional person. In a character interview, you treat this shapeless wisp of inspiration as if they are an actual fleshy person sitting across from you.

It’s a great exercise for planners who want to know their character’s whole deal before they start writing . But a character interview is also a great tool for pantsers because it’s essentially a form of discovery writing.

‍ You’re letting the character take shape as you write them. Instead of obsessing over whether your creature is “interesting” or “trending right now,” you get to step back and let them tell you who they are.

Even better, you can conduct a character interview at any phase of the writing process . If you want to launch into your draft all reckless and blind, go for it! When you get stuck on page ten (no judgment!), you can have an impromptu sit-down with your character.

The people who live in our heads tend to be available at a moment’s notice. It’s one of the benefits of living in imaginary worlds.

How to Use a Character Development Questions

So, how exactly does one interview a half-formed thought? Let me walk you through the details.

How Does a Character Interview Work?

Copy and paste the character development questions you like into your favorite writing software. If you’re a Dabble user, your Character Notes are a great place to store your interviews.

You can also use notecards or a notebook if you’re old-school and romantic like that.

Answer each question in writing, responding in your character’s voice. This is super important. Writing in your character’s voice sparks creativity and helps you forget about that article that said sassy witches are really hot right now.

Writing in the character’s voice also makes the character begin to feel more real to you. You know that feeling when you hear the voice of someone you love in the other room? There’s an instant familiarity—not just in the sound of their voice, but in the rhythm of their speech and the words they use.

Work on finding that familiarity with your character while going through character development questions. When you find it, you’ll be able to create that same familiarity for your readers.

Which Characters Should I Interview?

Whomever! Which character is eluding you? Talk to that one.

Character development questions can help you shape any character, from your hero to your villain to the cranky newsstand guy who appears on exactly three pages.

When Do I Use Character Development Questions?

When you need to know more about your character.

This could be when you’re still outlining your story and trying to get a better sense of the people who populate it. A character interview also comes in handy when you’re blocked on a scene. If it’s not clear what a character would do, pop into your character notes and ask them the questions that will help clarify their feelings and motivations.

You can even use character development questions during the editing process. Unless you’re some kind of literary magician, there will be moments in your early drafts where your characters fall flat. Maybe their choices don’t make sense or they feel a little generic.

Whatever it is, a nice imaginary chat can work wonders to get the wheels turning again.

Wherever you are in the process, be sure to ask your character questions based on where they are in their arc . If you’re just starting to develop your character, have them answer from their perspective at the beginning of the story. If you’re trying to make a breakthrough on a specific scene, let your character’s answers come from where they are in this moment.

Which Questions Should I Ask My Characters?

Only you can answer that and you’ll know when you know.

How’s that for a cop-out?

It’s true, though. Not every question on a character questionnaire is going to help you find out what you need to know. Check in with yourself as you approach each query. Do you feel any resistance? Do you get the feeling you’re digging into a topic that ultimately doesn’t matter for your character? Are you bored by the question? If so, skip it!

‍ Or do you feel the good kind of resistance—that sense that you’ve struck a nerve within yourself and you’re a little nervous about exploring it? Does this question create an emotional response for you? Does it feel relevant to your story? Do you find that you’re eager to know the answer?

And add questions as you go. As with any good interview, your character’s answers will probably spark new areas of curiosity. Ask everything you want to ask.

For now, here are some character development questions to get you started.

Questions to Ask Your Characters

When you start building a character, you can start with the mingling questions. You know: the semi-nonsense you ask at a work friend’s party. What do you do? Where do you live? Are you married? How do you know Sue?

‍ But as soon as you get the basics down, you gotta be the introvert at the party. Bring up religion. Ask about politics. Ask them which of their children they’d rescue from a burning building if they could only choose one. Look them dead in the eye while you wait for the response.

What follows is a list of sixty-five character development questions. I’ve separated them out by phase:

• Character Conception: This is when you first start dreaming up your character and you need some concrete, foundational information. Getting started is the hardest part, so if you need something to spark the imagination, check out our character archetype masterclass or our list of character ideas.
• Character Development: This is when you start finding the breathing human being inside the mental stick figure you drew in the previous phase.
• Character Clarification: This is when you realize you need to know more about your character. It may be that you’re not sure what your character would do next or that you’ve read over your first draft and realize your character needs more texture.

By all means, mix and match as it suits you. You may find that a question in the first phase is exactly what you need to make a breakthrough in the third phase.

The only real rule here is that you ask what you need to know.

Phase One: Character Conception Questions

• Tell me about your community.
• Who are the most important people in your life?
• What’s your favorite song and why?
• How do you spend your days?
• What activity brings you joy?
• What responsibility do you hate?
• Where do you live?
• What would you say is your best physical feature?
• What would you say is your worst physical feature?
• Are you responsible for anyone other than yourself?
• Is anyone else responsible for you?
• Have you ever been in love? Are you in love now?
• What are your pet peeves?
• What is your greatest fear?
• Tell me about your deepest longing.

Phase Two: Character Development Questions

• Describe your perfect day.
• What is the worst thing that ever happened to you in your life before this story?
• What is the best thing that ever happened to you?
• If the world were going to explode and you could only bring one person with you on the escape pod, who would it be and why?
• Tell me about a time when you truly felt safe.
• What would it mean to live as your true, authentic self?
• From your perspective, what is your biggest flaw ?
• What do other people say is your biggest flaw? How do you feel about that characterization?
• How do you want others to perceive you?
• Do you believe everyone has a purpose? Do you believe you have a purpose? If so, what is it?
• A hurricane is coming and you have time to grab exactly one object from your home before you evacuate. What object do you choose and why is it so important to you?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
• If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
• What do you do better than anyone else?
• What does everyone else seem to do better than you?
• Tell me about a time when you surprised yourself.
• What has been your proudest moment? How did you see yourself at the time?
• What values or beliefs were you taught when you were young? Do you still carry those same values and beliefs today?
• From your perspective, what’s really standing between you and your goal? Do other people see it that way?
• Who loves you with all their heart and soul? How does their love make you feel?
• Do you feel you have the life you deserve? If not, what do you deserve?
• Tell me about an enraging experience you had that everyone else thought was no big deal. Why was it so infuriating for you?
• What’s one habit you can’t seem to kick?
• What does it mean to belong?
• What role did/do you play in your family? In your friend group? In your larger community?

Phase Three: Character Clarification Questions

• What is the absolute worst thing that could happen to you at this point in the story?
• What is the best thing that could happen at this point in the story?
• Everybody’s hiding something—a fear, a weakness, a strength, an unpopular opinion. What are you hiding right now?
• How is this moment challenging your beliefs about yourself, the world, or the other people in the scene? If your beliefs are not being challenged, what would make you question everything?
• What’s one thing you would change about the person you love most in the world?
• What’s one thing you admire about your worst enemy?
• Of the many actions you could take at this moment, which would be the most difficult? The most effective? The most terrifying? The least forgivable?
• What do you know now that you didn’t know at the beginning of your arc?
• Who is your ally right now? How do you feel about having this person on your side?
• Who is your enemy right now? How do you feel about being up against this person?
• What is the outcome you’re hoping for? How much would you sacrifice to make it happen?
• What are you still resisting? Is there a specific belief or past experience makes that sense of resistance so strong?
• What is the best memory you share with the person in this scene?
• What is the worst memory you share with the person in this scene?
• In what ways do you see yourself in the person in this scene?
• Do you believe victory is possible at this point? Why or why not?
• Gut check: do you expect people to act in their own self-interest or in the interest of others?
• If someone really wanted to hurt you right now, what should they do?
• Who knows you better than anyone? Do you trust them with that knowledge?
• Who do you wish was here with you now? How would they make things better?
• What power do you hold in this situation?
• What did you dream about last night?
• Tell me the story of this scene like you were recounting it over a beer with your best friend.
• Who has it easier than you in this situation? Are you open to considering the possibility that they actually have it worse ?
• Has this journey already changed you? Do you like the change, or do you miss the person you used to be?

Great Character, Great Story

The first time all the Dabble writers got together, we discussed which content to prioritize. This sparked a delightfully heated debate about what matters more in crafting a strong story: character or plot.

I did not chime in, because nothing I would have said would have been as entertaining as the debate that was already raging. My answer to nearly every argument is, “It’s complicated,” and people hate that. I frequently get called “diplomatic,” which—as it turns out—is not a compliment.

But just between you and me, Internet, my answer to this great debate is that it’s an impossible question. Sure, as a reader forced to choose, I’d rather read about a fascinating character who does nothing than a half-baked caricature who has grand adventures.

But as a writer?

As a writer I know that no amount of crazy twists and turns will make my readers care what happens to a protagonist who reads like a talking stack of character traits. I also know that compelling characters make decisions. Loads of them. Hard decisions that result in bigger problems and an engaging plot.

This is what I love about good character development questions. They help us drill down to what actually motivates our characters. Character interviews reveal secrets and feelings and old memories that spark fear and longing and questionable decisions.

Character development questions point us to the cross-section of character and plot, and that’s where the good stuff is.

So open your Dabble Character Notes and get crackin’.

(Don’t have Dabble? No problem! You can try it for free for fourteen days by following this link . You don’t have to enter a credit card, and you get access to all the premium features, from co-authoring to the famous plot grid and more.)

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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A character flaw is a fault, limitation, or weakness that can be internal or external factors that affect your character and their life.

165 Must-Use Character Development Questions For Writers

If you’ve hit a wall with your latest story, sometimes all you need is to get better acquainted with your characters .

The more you know them, the more they talk to you. 

The more you understand what your characters want and why, the more your writing will help the reader understand.

And the harder it will be for them to put your book down. 

This is why we’ve created this list of character development questions for writers. Answering them will bring your characters to life. 

And when you hear their voices in your head, they can lead you down paths you hadn’t thought of before. 

Why do writers need a character questionnaire? 

Questions on character’s appearance, questions on character’s home, questions on character’s chosen career, questions on character’s family, questions on character’s friends and intimate relationships, questions on character’s personality and behavioral traits, questions on character’s goals, values, or motivations.

A character questionnaire forces you to get well-enough acquainted with your characters to know how they’d react to everything you plan on throwing at them in the story. 

• How will they respond to whatever stands in the way of what they want?
• What, if anything, do they want more than the thing they’re searching for or fighting for?

Answering the questions in the list below will help you see your characters as three-dimensional people who could be good friends, indifferent acquaintances, or bitter enemies. And none of them have to stay that way. 

What will your answers reveal to you about your main characters?

165 Character Development Questions

Welcome to Authority Pub’s comprehensive list of questions for character development.

Get yourself a mug or glass of something good, and answer these for each of the characters your story depends on. 

1. What are your character’s physical traits? (skin color, hair color, eye color….)

2. What is their ethnic origin or ancestry?

3. What does your character typically wear? What is their personal style?

4. Do they care about fashion? Or do they just wear what they like?

5. Do they dress provocatively (according to some)? 

6. How do they wear their hair? 

7. Do they groom their eyebrows? 

8. Do they struggle with acne?

9. Do they wear make-up?

10. Do they use hair styling products? What kind?

11. Do they wear glasses or contacts? 

12. Would they wear a swimsuit in public? If yes, what kind?

13. What do they wear when they go to sleep (pajamas? regular clothes? nothing?)

14. What is noticeable about your character’s presence? (Confidence? Nervousness?)

15. Do they sit up or stand up straight? Or do they slouch? 

16. How does your character walk? Run? Dance? 

17. What body language is typical of your character?

18. Does your character have scars or birthmarks?

19. Does your character have any physical disabilities? 

20. What actor would you want playing your character in a movie?

21. Does your character wear any jewelry? Favorite pieces?

22. Does your character have any tattoos? Do they want any?

23. What do they wear on their feet?

24. Do they like/wear hats?

25. Do they color their hair?

26. Do they have any piercings?

27. Do they carry a purse or messenger bag  / backpack / briefcase? 

28. Are they coordinated? How well do they catch things?

29. Are they graceful or clumsy? Do they have natural poise?

30. Would anyone describe them as beautiful? Cute? Hot? Classically handsome?

1. House, apartment, duplex, etc. 

2. Do they live in a city , a suburb, a rural area? 

3. Describe your character’s neighborhood. 

4. Do they have any favorite neighborhood haunts?

5. With whom does your character live?

6. How often does your character eat out or order in?

7. What’s in the fridge? 

8. Do they have a favorite room? 

9. Do they feel at home in the kitchen?

10. What’s the view from their window/s?

11. How does your character feel about their living situation?

12. Neighbors? Do they get along with them?

13. What items does the character keep close to their bed?

14. What do they sleep on?

15. Does your character have their own room? 

16. What is their most prized possession, and where do they keep it?

17. Does your character like having people over?

18. How clean or tidy is your character’s home or private room?

19. Does your character have a pet? Or are there pets in the home?

20. Does your character want to live somewhere else?

21. What would your character’s dream home look like and where would it be?

1. What job does your character have?

2. How did your character get the job they now have?

3. How do they feel about the job? 

4. How do they get along with their boss and coworkers?

5. Does your character have authority over any of their coworkers?

6. Do they ever spend time with coworkers outside work hours?

7. Has your character ever been harassed by coworkers or by their boss?

8. Do they plan on staying there long-term, or are they looking for something else?

9. If they could go (back) to college, what would they study?

10. If they could earn a good living with any job, which would they choose?

11. What is your character’s highest level of education?

12. Does your character want to learn a new trade? 

13. Does your character have a side gig that generates some income?

14. What are some skills or talents your character has?

1. Does the character have a relationship with both parents?

2. To which parent does your character feel closest?

3. Does your character have relationships with any grandparents?

4. Do your character’s political or religious beliefs match those of their parents?

5. Do their parents support them financially in any way?

6. Do their parents accept them as they are? 

7.How involved are their parents in their life?

8. Do they have siblings? If so, how many brothers and how many sisters?

9. If they have siblings, to which of them do they feel closest?

10. Is there someone in the family who is their #1 confidante?

11. Have they ever felt betrayed or abandoned by a family member?

12. How have their family relationships affected their ability to trust?

13. How have their parents disciplined them growing up (if they did)?

14. Can they count on family members to have their back? 

15. What was their financial situation growing up?

16. What jobs do their parents have?

17. What is their family culture and what do they love most about it?

18. Have your character clashed with any of their parents’ beliefs?

19. What languages are spoken at home? 

20. What is your character’s favorite comfort food — and who makes it best?

21. Is your character married or in a committed relationship?

22. Does your character have children of their own? By birth or adoption?

23. What other relatives does your character have? Any of them close?

24. How does your character feel about family functions or gatherings?

25. Has your character ever been embarrased of a family member — or vice-versa?

1. Is your character straight? Gay? Bisexual? Pansexual? Transgender? Asexual? …

2. Has your character come out to anyone? 

3. Does your character have a best friend? Who is it?

4. How does your character feel about dating?

5. How easily does your character make friends?

6. What do your character and their friends do together?

7. Has your character ever lost a friend to political or religious differences?

8. How does your character respond to political or religious differences?

9. Does your character see the best or the worst in others? 

10. Does your character want to trust others and repair relationships?

11. Or is your character more likely to hold a grudge and see forgiveness as weakness?

12. How easy is it to make your character angry? What would it take?

13. Has a friend ever betrayed your character’s trust? Or vice-versa?

14. Has your character ever fallen for someone who was wrong for them?

15. What does your character expect from their closest relationship?

16. Have they found someone they’d want to commit to for life? 

17. Is your character’s significant other (S.O.) someone their friends like, too?

18. Has your character ever had their heart broken? 

19. Is your character someone their friends can count on to be there for them?

20. Do any of your character’s friends go to them for advice? Or vice-versa?

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1. Is your character introverted or extroverted?

2. Do they have issues with hyperactivity or distractibility? 

3. Is your character introspective or outward-focused?

4. Are they Intuitive or do they rely more on their senses?

5. Are they thinking-focused or feeling-focused? 

6. What is their relationship with routines & rituals?

7. What is their relationship with the natural world?

8. What is their sociability quotient (SQ) — low, average, or high?

9. Are they generally compliant or rebellious? 

10. Are they musical? Do they have a favorite musical instrument?

11. What does your character do to relax?

12. Does your character have any addictions? 

13. What music do they listen to? 

14. What books do they read? 

15. What extracurricular activities appeal to your character?

16. How does your character respond to bullies? 

17. How far will your character go to have someone’s back?

18. What TV or movie characters would your character most love to know?

19. Does your character have crushes? How do they act around their crushes?

20. How does your character display affection? Do they like PDA? 

21. Does your character enjoy traveling — or want to travel?

22. Is your character an overachiever, an underachiever, or just an achiever?

23. How well does your character get along with authority figures?

24. How would they respond to a crisis? 

25. Are they a leader, a follower, or neither?

26. Are they more likely to see the best in others or the worst?

27. Are they a good listener? 

28. Would they ever spread a rumor about someone?

29. How would they respond to someone who betrayed their trust?

30. Is your character neurotypical or atypical? 

31. Does your character struggle with depression or anxiety?

32. Do they struggle with a learning disability (ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia…)?

33. Do they struggle socially? If so, are they on the autism spectrum? 

34. Is it a challenge for them to feel complete without a love interest?

35. Do they self-medicate (with legal or illegal drugs)? 

36. Would they avoid or eagerly participate in religious or political discussions?

37. Is your character a dog person? Cat person? Do they want any kind of pet?

1. What does the character want in the story?

2. What is standing in their way?

3. What are they willing to do to remove the obstacle/s? 

4. What gets the character up in the morning?

5. Do they hit the snooze button or get right up at the first alarm?

6. What is their morning routine ?

7. What is their nighttime routine?

8. What do they want to be or to do when they grow up?

9. What would they do if they won the lottery jackpot?

10. How do they generally respond to failure? 

11. How does your character respond to stress? 

12. Would your character create a vision board?

13. Do they journal ? 

14. Do they consciously plan their day? Or do they just take it as it comes?

15. Do they prefer writing things down or using an app?

16. Do they exercise regularly, or are they involved in sports?

17. Describe your character’s ideal love interest and/or ideal relationship status.

18. Do your character’s goals or desires ever get in the way of their relationships?

Did these character questions help you flesh out your characters?

Once you get through these character creation questions, you’ll have a better sense of who each character is and what they would do in a given situation. 

And that makes it a lot easier to keep going when things get rough. 

If you do get stuck, though, try journaling as one of your characters (voice journaling). When you vent their thoughts and feelings about the situation they’re in, you can also more clearly see how they would respond to it.

It’s easier just to make them do what you would do. But it’s not authentic.

Use these questions to invite your characters to come to life and lead the story where they want it to go. 

And be prepared to learn something new about yourself, too. Because when you take a deeper look into your character’s personalities, you also gain insight into your own.

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How systems transitions can improve sustainable development

Clark, William, et al. Systems transitions research and sustainable development: Challenges, progress, and prospects ,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Vol. 120, No. 47, Nov. 2023).

Faculty Authors

William Clark

What’s the issue.

Making development sustainable is a central challenge of our age. The field of sustainability science tries to figure out how interactions of nature and society can support sustainable development. One key goal is figuring out how to restructure complex consumption-production systems. Examples of these systems are production and consumption of food, energy, and mobility. Scientists are studying how transitions in these production-consumption systems can bend development pathways toward sustainability.

What does the research say?

Writing in a special edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scholars Frank Geels of the University of Manchester, Florian Kern of the Institute for Ecological Economy Research in Berlin, and William C. Clark of Harvard Kennedy School bring together insights from experts on system transitions that shape sustainable development. This work weighs how potential solutions might fundamentally shift consumption-production systems. The authors note that radical innovations in small niches can lead to major transitions in large consumption-production systems. The three lead authors call on more than a dozen sustainable development scholars to examine specific innovations and obstacles to progress. These experts look at the drivers and barriers to sustainability in electricity, food, and mobility systems; they also consider larger cross-cutting systems issues. For example, one essay analyzes the British electricity system since World War Two, and the role that increasing concerns about climate change played in generating a more interventionist policy approach to shift electricity production and consumption. These systems changes led to an 86% reduction in emissions from 2006 to 2019. The authors note that political and economic struggles as well as technological advances drove this transition. Another paper analyzes how recent technology advances in energy storage, microgrids, and digitized systems in the United States have helped undermine long-time obstacles to small-scale solar energy development. Other essays look at the adoption of electric vehicles in Norway, the systems issues involved in car-sharing, agroecology in Nicaragua, and the shift to plant-based alternatives to meat production. 

More from HKS

For more than four decades, professor bill clark has championed sustainability, walking the talk: how students can contribute to the hks sustainability agenda, pursuing sustainability: a guide to the science and practice.

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The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is premiering a trio of new resource guides for our partners in law enforcement, the fire and emergency medical services, and emergency management.

Our nation’s first responders often don’t seek out the spotlight or consider themselves to be superheroes, but we at S&T know that’s exactly what they are. It’s why S&T has a dedicated research and development (R&D) mission and why we work directly with responders of all disciplines to deliver the technology solutions they need.

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of kicking off the annual gathering of our First Responder Resource Group (FRRG) and meeting many of its more than 140 volunteer members, and I’ll say that these heroes did not disappoint. They came ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work, and we came ready to listen and document their priorities. It was a thrill to witness firsthand one of the first steps in S&T’s responder R&D lifecycle and also a great source of pride for me being able to brief them on how far we’ve come in delivering what they’ve asked for. For instance, at previous years’ meetings, the FRRG expressed a need for enhanced situational awareness technologies—the impetus for efforts like C-THRU and DePLife™ . When they shared a desire for next-generation navigational tools, the seeds were planted for Mappedin and POINTER . And when they requested personal protective equipment to help them breathe easier, well, there’s the Wildland Firefighter Respirator .

All of these and more are documented in S&T’s new series of resource guides: Supporting First Responders Through Science and Technology . The guides aggregate S&T’s available assets and in-process R&D in support of the fire and emergency medical services (EMS), emergency management, and law enforcement. They are living reports that will be updated as our responder mission expands alongside the evolving responder threat and safety landscapes. For the first time, this year’s FRRG-identified priority areas include a big focus on S&T investments in artificial intelligence—to support everything from assessing mass-casualty incidents to analyzing crowd flow at large events to streamlining incident reporting. I can’t wait to keep them (and all of you) posted on how we plan to tackle all of this moving forward.

To our colleagues in blue: we celebrate your commitment and steadfast service this National Police Week. Our Providing Police Backup Through Science and Technology guide was created with your unique requirements in mind, and we look forward to continued collaboration.

To our colleagues in the fire service who recently celebrated International Firefighter Day, as well as those who will soon commemorate the 50th Anniversary of National EMS Week: we remain in awe of your selflessness and stewardship of our communities. Our Fighting Fires and Saving Lives Through Science and Technology guide offers you access to tools that can help you accomplish your important missions safely and efficiently.

And to our colleagues in emergency management who stay cool under pressure: we see you always seeing the big picture. Our Managing Emergency Response with Science and Technology guide curates tools to help you continue to deploy critical resources and manpower wherever they need to go.

Keep an eye on this blog, the Technologically Speaking Podcast , and our social media accounts (@DHSSciTech) as we continue to honor and highlight S&T’s support for first responders throughout the month of May. For more information about the FRRG and our First Responder Capability program, contact [email protected] .

• Science and Technology
• First Responders

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May 13, 2024

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Protein assembly research shows molecular roll of the dice delivers winning combinations

by ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB)

Australian researchers have shed light on the shape-shifting capabilities of protein assemblies, with results that could revolutionize fields from biomanufacturing to vaccine development.

Led by the University of Sydney's Dr. Taylor Szyszka and Dr. Yu Heng Lau, of the ARC Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, research published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences delves into the intricate world of encapsulins. These icosahedral protein cages play a crucial role in making nano reactors, with their pores acting like doors to tiny nano factories.

"By manipulating the pores and changing their size and charge, we can have better control over substrates entering the cages and being turned into products by the enzymes packaged inside," says Dr. Szyzska.

However, the team's exploration took an unexpected turn when they began making slight mutations to observe the effects.

This roll of the molecular dice led to the creation of structures resembling tetrahedra, a pyramid shape vastly different from the usual spherical encapsulins. In terms of assembly shape, it's akin to changing a 20-sided dice to a four-sided dice. These tetrahedral assemblies, comprising a mere 36 protein subunits compared to the usual 180, open up a realm of possibilities previously unexplored in protein engineering

"What we found is that minimal mutations are required to drastically change the shape of the final assembly," says Dr. Szyszka. "We expected it to be a much more complicated process."

The study's findings not only challenge existing understandings of protein assembly but also offer insights into evolutionary biology . Encapsulins, while not viruses themselves, share evolutionary ties with viral structures. The researchers speculate that the flexibility observed in encapsulins could be attributed to their smaller cargo size compared to viruses, potentially influencing their ability to adopt diverse shapes.

"This discovery suggests that there are other shapes that we can make, with broad implications for bioengineering and biomanufacturing," Dr. Szyszka says.

With further research, the team hope to unlock the full potential of these shape-shifting proteins, paving the way for innovations that could reshape industries and improve human health .

Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB)

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