What Is A Character Questionnaire

A character questionnaire is a tool used by writers to develop their characters and make them feel more real and multi-dimensional. It typically includes a list of questions about the character’s background, personality traits, motivations, and relationships with other characters in the story.

For example, even though some of this information won’t make it into the text, it can be helpful in situations that arise in the text unexpectedly, and give you easy answers to if your character is more geared towards flight or fight. Say if a fire started, what would be their first move? Would it be to help others, or put the fire out, or maybe to run?

We can tailor the questions in the questionnaire to suit the specific needs of the novel and the author’s writing style. For example, a questionnaire for a romance novel might focus more on the character’s romantic history and preferences, while a questionnaire for a thriller might focus on the character’s fears and survival instincts.

How Does it Help A Writer

By answering these questions, we can gain a deeper understanding of our characters and use that knowledge to create more engaging and realistic stories. A well-developed character can help readers relate to the story and become invested in the outcome.

Overall, a character questionnaire is a powerful tool for any writer looking to create complex, realistic characters that readers will love.

Do I use them

Even though my characters usually come to me fully formed, I always make myself write out all their information so that later I can make sure that they are consistent.

This also helps me to develop my characters and expand on them. Developing my characters helps me to feel as if they are real people, and that I am simply telling a friend’s story. A flat character never caught the attention of a reader, but a writer’s friend, trapped in a book, will become a friend to the reader too.

When To Use Them

Sometimes I ask these questions both at the start and at the end of the book. If it’s a series, I make one questionnaire for each book and keep them all together, so that I can see the character’s progression through the entire story, but it’s broken up from book to book to keep it simple.

Questionnaire

1. What is your full name (middle name included)
2. Where were you born/ raised?
3. Do you have any royal blood? 
4. Current family
5. Describe five aspects of each of your parents.
6. Do you have any siblings? What are their names, how many are there, and what are your views about them?
7. Friends
8. Relationship status
9. Who was your first love?
10. Other close relationships
11. Relationship with men
12. Relationship with women
13. Were you popular as a child? Explain why or why not.
14. Did you ever train with a master or at a school? If so, what for?
15. Do you have any work experience? Describe.
16. Job
17. Ambitions
18. Dress style
19. Describe yourself physically
20. Hobbies
21. Favourite foods
22. Describe your diet. (Example: Vegetarian)
23. Are you allergic to anything?
24. The positive personality traits
25. The negative personality traits
26. Other traits, especially those to be brought out in the story
27. The most important thing to know about you
28. Sense of humour
29. Temper
30. Are you a light or heavy drinker? What type of drunkard are you?
31. Have you committed any crimes? Details, please.
32. Have you gone to prison?
33. Are you able to sleep during the day? Are you a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Do you drool, sleep talk, snore, sleepwalk, or have nightmares or dreams?

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What questions do you use?

Are there any here you have added to your own questionnaire?

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