When I am writing a new story, I spend a lot of time getting to know my characters. This is important for several reasons. One, you can describe them to your readers more completely. Two, you know how they would react or respond in a certain situation. Three, you can be sure that you are consistent throughout your writing. Here are eight of the questions I use to learn about my main characters:
- What do they look like? This one is the most obvious one. You want to go beyond the hair and eye color, though. You want to find out if they have any birthmarks, tattoos, or scars, too (and the story behind how they got those scars).
- What are their fears or phobias? This will come in handy when you need to up the drama or suspense. You can put your characters into situations where they have to face those fears or overcome something. This can add great tension.
- What do they do for work and what kind of education do they have? This will affect the places they go, the people they meet, and even the types of clothing they wear. It will also determine how that person speaks. If you are writing a cozy mystery, it is a good idea to go for a job where your character has access to a lot of places, like being a caterer (Goldy Bear mysteries by Diane Mott Davidson comes to mind) or maybe a temp worker of some kind (the Lexie Graves Mysteries by Camila Chafer), a house painter, landscaper, or dog walker would also work.
- What are their flaws or quirks? You don’t want your main character to be perfect. That’s boring to readers (and writers!). They should be relatable in some way. Make them have some sort of character flaw that you can use to create their arc over the course of the book. Maybe they are greedy or vain. Could they be a perfectionist snob? Or a recluse? Even your villains need to have these. You can’t be all bad. Find something that the reader can at least feel a little sympathy for.
- What are their goals? Everyone has something that they are striving for. This can be internal, external, or both? Maybe they are in school trying to better their lives. Or they could be getting in shape to run a marathon. What about seeing a life coach to get themselves back on track after a tragedy? This can also play into their arc as the story goes by. It also gives you something to root for as a reader. You can even have the character have a symbol for this goal, like a tattoo, or maybe a picture they keep on the bathroom mirror.
- What kind of lifestyle do they live? Are they a minimalist who does yoga every day? Are they an activist who travels the country to rallies and is trying to make a difference in the world? Are they a gold digger who lives beyond their means to impress people? Do they prefer to stay home and read a book by the fire, or go to the clubs every night?
- What is a deep, dark secret that they keep? Use this to fuel their actions, lifestyle, quirks, and other components. It may not come out in the story, but as the writer, knowing this will explain why the character does and says the things they do.
- What kind of vehicle do they drive? This one might sound odd, but I find that people choose vehicles based on their personalities as much as on their financial situation or needs. Do they drive an old van with shag carpeting inside? A sports car with a loud sound system? A lifted truck covered in mud? Your readers will draw inferences about your character based on their choice of wheels.
There are many more aspects you can include in your quest to get to know your characters. These are just some of my favorites. I have a spreadsheet on my computer where I keep all this information for the book, so I can go back and look to see what details I need to incorporate. It also helps to make all my characters different.