For characters to be believable, the author needs to know each and every one of them in a very personal way. How they behave, their looks, their thoughts and pretty much everything else about them.
One of the most effective ways of achieving this is through the use of a character questionnaire. It is by asking questions about your characters that you gain full understanding of everything about them.
There are two notable character questionnaires that any writer can use. Others exist, and the following can be tweaked to better address your kind of writing.
You may also want to have a look at this 30-question character questionnaire.
Quetionnaire 1
This one is from Gotham's Writers' Writing Fiction Workshop.
Down the character questionnaire here [.doc 24.5KB]
Questionnaire 2
This questionnaire is available thanks to French author Marcel Proust. It is worth noting that these questions are frequently used during interviews.
Download the character questionnaire here [.doc 26KB]
In other news, reading a lot, much more than you write is necessary for any writer. In this regard, I have come across the following Writes for All compilation that was published in May 2011. It features wonderful short stories from talented emerging writers.
Until the next insights in our Creative Writing insights series, do have a great reading and writing.
Cheers :) Labels: character development, character questionnaire, characters, creative writing, fiction, Issuu, marcel proust, writes for all
