How would your character respond to some of these questions? Isn’t that a good question? Give it a try…
Do you have a main character whose development has stagnated? Use this series of questions to spark new ideas for your protagonist. Answer them as your character would. Answer all of them or a couple.
There are links embedded that can take you to menu pages and posts for ideas on that particular question. Follow them at your leisure or just answer off the top of your head… or the top of your character’s head.
At the bottom of this post are helpful ideas on how to insert some of your character’s answers into a narrative.
Enjoy!
Questions about your likes and dislikes…
- What is your favorite food? Do you have any cravings that just drive you mad? Do you associate any people or places with your favorite foods?
- Who is your favorite celebrity? How has this celebrity affected your life ? Do you imitate them in anyway? Have they inspired you to do something or try something?
- What is your favorite place when you need some “me time?” What’s your favorite place for quiet study or intense training? Do you have a special room or space that you consider your place?
- What things do people do that drive you absolutely mad? What would turn you off of someone? What do people do that you consider irritating?
- How do different smells and tastes affect you? Which smells are attractive or alluring to your senses? What flavors do you find revolting?
Questions about your Home Life
- Are you rich or poor…. or somewhere in between?
- What kind of home do you live in?
- What kind of home do you wish you lived in?
- Are you happy with your home life?
- Are you single, married, attached, divorced?
- Do you have kids?
- If you are a kid, do you feel like your parents treat you fairly?
- What’s your favorite thing to do at home?
- What kinds of food do you eat in a typical day?
- How much money do you keep at home and where do you stash it?
- Has there been violence in your home? Abuse or negligence?
Questions about your Stuff
- What is on your bookshelf?
- What is in your kitchen pantry?
- Do you have any collections? Why do you collect that thing?
- What would one find in your wallet, purse, codpiece, satchel, belt pouch?
- Have you kept any sentimental things around from your childhood?
- What souvenirs do you have from a special place or memorable trip?
- What do you have in your music collection?
- What pictures do you have on your walls? Posters? Plaques or certificates? Quotes? Velvet Elvis?
- Do you have a good luck charm, talisman, amulet? Where did it come from? Who gave it to you?
- Do you have any religious icons, pictures, books, objects?
Questions about your occupation or job…
- Do you like your job?
- Is it your dream job? Are you passionate about it?
- Have you followed in someone’s footsteps to get where you are? Who do you know that has helped you get ahead?
- What tools are critical to your trade?
- How did you get your job? Were you hired, appointed, enslaved, elected, chosen, recruited?
- Do you have a good salary, wage, pay check?
- What benefits do you have? Do you have any perks?
- How much do you work?
- Do you have a second job? What past jobs have you had?
- Do you own your own business or work for someone else?
- Is it a big corporate job or a small, family, mom-and-pop business?
- What are the key skills or areas of knowledge in your line of work?
How do you use these character thoughts in your narrative?
Now that you have answered a few questions, you can take the ideas from one of your answers and insert it into your narrative. Here are some ideas on how you can do that…
- Give your character a chance to ponder. Find an opportunity for some character “down time” where they can have a moment of reflection.
- Your character can notice something that serves as a reminder of something.
- A conversation somehow steers around to a particular topic.
- See a picture, painting, illustration that acts as a memory trigger.