Character Development Questionnaire: Updated November 2020

A mistake I've often made is under developing characters before I leap into a first draft. You do learn a lot about a character through writing them and their actions, but you should do extensive character work before writing a word. The script I won the silver at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards with was the first where I did a character questionnaire, and I will always do them now. 

Questionnaires can be tedious, difficult, and at times they feel pointless, but they're so important because they challenge you. The better you know your character, the more three-dimensional they will come across. Also, if you can't fill out the sheet, then you know you're not that well connected to your character yet and should do more work. It also gets you writing anecdotes about your character which can be useful for boosting your dialogue and helping you to learn more about the character dynamics within your story.

Most of what you write in a character questionnaire won't see the light of day, but subconsciously, you have so much more information to call upon should you need it. It's really useful in getting into key questions of motivation as you'll learn WHY your characters do the things they do and that gives them so many layers that make them interesting. For example, a brutish, dominating character is great, but why are they like that? What is it about their past or their desires that makes them behave that way?

Your character is the heart of your story, so focus on character, develop character, know your character, love or hate your character, then enjoy the journey you go on with them. The better you know them, the easier rewriting will be. You can learn more about character in my book The Craft of Character.

Below is my questionnaire. Adapt it to be your own, add and remove questions, and develop your own system of working to do what works for you, but put the work in. Remember, everything has an impact, even things like height. If I’m tall, how does that make me feel? Do I like that I’m tall? Do I hate it? Everything feeds into something psychological. The intention of this questionnaire is to give you a profile of your character to take forward. Characters always grow as we write them and they might surprise us, so for any questions that focus on an event or key moment, think of the scene and write it. Let your character exist, then once you start writing your story allow the character to lead you.

Happy writing.

CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

BASICS

What is your character’s name?

Where does their name come from and does it carry any significance?

How old are they? How do they feel being at their current age?

What is your character’s gender? How do they feel about their gender and how does it shape their view of other genders?

What is your character’s sexual orientation? How does it shape their world view and feelings about other sexual orientations?

Appearance: What is their build, height, weight, hair colour/ style, dress sense? How do they feel about all of those things? Do they see themselves as attractive?

How do they walk?

How do they sound?

CULTURE, RACE, POLITICS AND RELIGION

What is their race? How does it make them feel about the world and themselves? 

What is their class background? How does it make them feel about the world and themselves? 

Are they religious? How do they feel about religion?

How do they feel about politics?

How do they feel about authority?

THE CORE

What do they want more than anything and why?

What do they need more than anything and why?

What is their flaw and what experience does it come from? 

What is a lesson they need to learn about themselves through the story?

What is their coping/ defence mechanism? 

What do they represent in your story?

Do they believe they deserve to get what they want? Why?

Do we like them/ sympathise with them? Why/ why not?

What makes us want them to succeed/ fail?

What will happen if they fail? How will it impact their world?

What are the major decisions they have to make in pursuit of their goal?

What are the irreversible choices they make?

What are they most scared of? Why?

What are their hopes/ dreams? Why?

Are they an introvert or extrovert? Why?

FAMILY, FRIENDS, FOES, HOME AND LOVE

What is their relationship with their parents like? How does that make them feel?

What is their family life like? 

Do they have siblings? If yes, what is their relationship with them like and how do they feel about that relationship? 

Do they have any children? Do they want children?

Where did they grow up and what do they think about it?

Where do they live now? Are they happy/ sad there?

What is their ideal living situation?

What are they like to live with?

Do they have many friends?

Who is their best friend and what makes them a best friend?

Who is their worst enemy? Why?

Who do they hate and why?

Who do they love/ fancy and why?

How many relationships have they been in?

How would they describe their first sexual experience?

What is their idea of the perfect date?

What is the worst date they’ve ever been on?

Have they ever been in a fight? If so, what happened?

What’s the biggest argument they’ve ever gotten in to?

What are/ were they like at school?

WORK

What do they do for a living? 

How much do they earn? How does it make them feel?

Why do they do the job they do? 

What do they do if they’re struggling at work?

What do they want to do for a living?

What is their ambition?

How do they feel about their colleagues?

How do they feel about their boss?

What are they like to work with?

PERSONAL

What stresses them out? Why?

What would they change about themselves? Why?

What is the biggest lie they’ve ever told? Why?

Three words they’d use to describe themselves? Why?

What would they say is their greatest strength? Why?

What would they say is their greatest weakness? Why?

Do they have any disabilities? How do they feel about it?

Do they have any allergies/ intolerances? How do they feel about it?

Have they ever had any major sickness or injury? How did it impact the way they view life and the world?

Do they believe they are special in any way?

How do they feel about conflict?

Is there something your character wishes they were better at? Why?

Do they have any addictions/ habits? Where do they come from?

Do they like routine or spontaneity?

Do they seek the validation of others?

What is their biggest secret?

What is their biggest regret, and why?

What makes them happy and why?

What do they do to relax?

Do they have a hobby? If yes, what is it? 

Who are their idols and why?

How do they feel about animals?

Do they have any pets? If yes, how do they feel about them?

If they could be anyone, who would they choose to be?

Do they have any hidden talents?

What is their star sign? Do they care? 

Do they have any phobias and are they linked to any trauma?

If they could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

Do they have a favourite quote? What is it?

Do they engage in debates on social media? If yes, what is a debate they got involved in?

What would be the top 3 things on your character’s bucket list? Is there someone they want to experience those things with?

If they could, who would they bring back from the dead and why?

If you met them for the first time, what would you think about them?

What are they like when they meet people for the first time?

Are they open to new experiences or set in their ways? Why?

Are they open or closed minded?

Are they impulsive? Why?

TASTES

What is their favourite TV show/ magazine/ book/ computer game/ form of entertainment?

What is their favourite meal?

What would be their last meal and why?

What kind of music do they like?

What is their favourite song? Is it significant?

What is the last concert/ gig they went to?

What is their favourite sport?

KEY MOMENTS

What was the happiest day of their life and why?

What was the saddest day of their life and why?

What is their most treasured memory? Why?

When was a time they showed courage/ bravery?

When was a time they came face to face with their phobia?

When was a time someone showed them genuine generosity?

When did they believe they knew what love is?

What was their most memorable interaction with a random person?

When was a time they felt immense shame? 

What is the one moment they would revisit and change if they could?

When was a time they were proud of themselves?

AND WHEN YOU KNOW ALL OF THAT:

List twenty to thirty things that stop them getting what they want. It'll help you to figure out what obstacles they will face, both internal and external

Good luck!