Questions For When You’re Stuck in Character Development
I like to ask myself questions about my characters when i am stuck in story. This helps me to create an idea of them as an actually living breathing person. They aren’t just some words or an idea. They can be an actual person with a family and a history. The things I create often times don’t end up on paper. I don’t publish information about my characters outside the books because it’s not important to the story. I don’t include tings that don’t matter. But the things that I create often times influence a characters behavior and the way a story is built. If someone has a bad relationship with their mother maybe they don’t associate with women well. This can be apparent at the beginning of a story, later in the story it can be shown why. Or possibly told why, when it feels right. IT doesn’t have to be said that there was some event that happened unless it fits the story to fully explain it. Still having that event in my back-pocket helps for the further development of character.
These can work for side characters as well, however I typically use them for my main character, as they are the most developed.
What is your Main Characters Biggest Fear?
What is something Your main character Regrets?
Who is in your Main characters family?
What events happened in your main characters past that they regret?
Who cares about the main character? (they aren’t alone)
Why do I care about the Main Character?
What is the Main Characters goal?
Why should they achieve their goal?
Why shouldn’t they achieve their goal?
What is the education level of this character? Do they speak intelligently, or do they have a restricted vocabulary? maybe an ascent.
Have I made this character before and just changed the name?
Am I writing myself and not realizing it?
