Free Download: A Character Questionnaire

In my article “7 Steps to Plotting Your Novel”, I talked about creating character sheets. Filling out character sheets can be a really effective way to know your characters inside and out before you write. It is also a valuable first step in making your characters memorable, well-rounded, consistent and alive to your reader. I find that the easiest way to do a character sheet is to fill out a pre-made questionnaire.

I use and can highly recommend the questionnaire in the book “Building Believable Characters” by Marc McCutcheon which is a sourcebook for character traits (like a thesaurus but for characters). Over time, however, I’ve created a shorter version that works for me. I’ve posted it as a free download below. It’s nothing too fancy so if you prefer, you can just view the four-page questionnaire here instead (click through the pages), take some ideas from it and redesign your own. If you like mine, the questionnaire comes with two lined pages for writing out your notes.

I’ve got a post coming soon about some simple but highly effective ways to create very memorable characters using some of the details from your questionnaire, but for now, keep these six things in mind:

1. If you don’t have all the answers, write only what is clear to you now. Sometimes characters prefer to reveal themselves as you write.
2. You don’t need to fill out the questionnaire for every character, only the major ones who need to be fully fleshed out in your novel.
3. You don’t need to fill out pages and pages for the minor characters, but you definitely want to avoid flat, unrealistic secondary characters who are only there to say lines and move the plot for the major characters. To do that, at least pick a few interesting topics from the questionnaire and jot a few paragraphs down.
4. Don’t try to include everything from your questionnaire in the book. It will be far too much. A few key and memorable facts are all you need.
5. Even though not every fact from the questionnaire will appear in your book, fill out as much as you can anyway. Your writing will improve by leaps and bounds if YOU know these things about your character and they are real and fully rounded in your mind.
6. Make sure you weave character traits into the story or let it come out as actions, internal monologue, conversations, drama. Exposition is your last resort.

QUESTION: Who is or who are the most memorable character/s you’ve ever come across in any novels you’ve read? Let me know in the comments below.

About the Author: Lisa Saul

Author, editor, artist and mixed-bag creative. As well as writing fantasy novels of her own (The Lonely Creative Books) , Lisa has 25+ years of editing experience, including working with many published and budding authors. She is also a mixed-bag artist, working mainly with watercolour and gouache in a mixed-bag of styles. Her other mixed-bag creative pursuits and careers include journalism, interior design, and photography. She and her sister Naomi are the co-founders of The Lonely Creative Books, and Willow Lane Art & Design: Lisa's art & writing, Naomi's designs and publishing. Go behind the scenes of her books and art, and find out about the latest Willow Lane products and happenings. www.thelonelycreative.com/blog