Characters

When reading through a few writing articles, I came upon this list of questions that authors should be able to answer for their main characters, namely in the Romance genre. I found it very conclusive and thought I would share the list. When developing characters it's important to be able to answer every question you can about your imaginary friends.

• What is this character’s name?
• What is her age and birth date?
• What does she look like?
• What is her astrological sign? Does it matter to her?
• What are her parents like?
• Does she have brothers and sisters?
• How important are her family relationships?
• Where does she live? (Urban? Small town? Rural?)
• Why did she choose to live there?
• Does she live in an apartment? House? What type or style? Did she choose the residence, and why?
• Does she live by herself? With others?
• What are her important material possessions?
• What are her hobbies?
• What is her education?
• What is her job? How does she feel about her work?
• Is this a long-term career or just a job?
• What does she want to be doing in 20 years?
• If she has unexpected free time, what does she do?
• How does she feel about the opposite sex?
• What is her relationship status? Single? Divorced?
• Does she have children?
• Who is her best friend? Why?
• Who is her worst enemy? Why?
• How would a former date describe her?
• What one event has made her who she is today?
• How does that turning point in the character’s life relate to the other main character in the story?
• What trait does she have that she wants to keep secret from the world?
• What does she like most about her life?
• What does she dislike most about her life?
• What would this character die to defend?
• What are her most likable and unlikable traits?
• As the story begins, what is her main problem?
• What does she do that makes this problem worse?
• Who is this person’s love interest?
• What qualities in the other main character are most attractive to this person?
• What is her ideal happy ending?
• What reaction do you want readers to have to her?
• Why should the reader care about her?