60 Questions To Help You Learn More About A Character When You’re Writing Fiction

If you want to write a compelling story, you should get to know your characters like the back of your hand. You might learn about them on the fly as you’re creating them — or you might want to have a clear image of who they really are before you put your fingers on the keyboard.

Here are a few questions that might help you get to know your characters better:

1. What posters/photographs/pieces of artwork are hanging on their wall?

2. What colors do you see hanging in their closet?

3. What’s their tell when they’re nervous?

4. What do they do when they need to relax and recharge?

5. How many tattoos and piercings do they have? What age did they get them?

6. How many hours of sleep do they get each night?

7. What’s their favorite season?

8. What’s their background on their phone/laptop?

9. How long have they known their best friend?

10. Are they an introvert or an extrovert?

11. Where did they have their first kiss?

12. Were they in AP classes, honors classes, or general classes?

13. Do they kill bugs or scream when they see bugs?

14. Who is their hero?

15. What phrase do they overuse?

16. How much time do they spend on hair and makeup?

17. How many languages do they know?

18. Are they a rightie or a lefty?

19. Have they ever been bullied?

20. Which family member do they spend the most time with?

21. Are they good at remembering faces and names?

22. What’s the longest relationship they’ve ever been in?

23. Are they a night owl or an early bird?

24. Do they wake up when their alarm goes off or hit snooze?

25. What do they keep on their nightstand?

26. What kind of car do they drive?

27. What kind of books are on their shelves?

28. How often do they drink?

29. Have they ever tried drugs?

30. How do they behave when they’re sick?

31. What type of person do they get along with the best?

32. What type of person do they have trouble getting along with?

33. What’s their favorite feature?

34. What feature are they the most insecure about?

35. How much money do they keep on them?

36. Do they believe in ghosts?

37. Do they believe in aliens?

38. What does their phone case look like?

39. How would their friends describe them?

40. How would they describe themselves?

41. What’s their best memory?

42. What is their love language?

43. What is their MBTI?

44. What is their horoscope?

45. Who took their virginity?

46. What is their dream vacation spot?

47. What is their texting style?

48. How many people have they loved?

49. Are they a hugger?

50. What’s the biggest lie they’ve ever told?

51. Do they believe in a higher power?

52. Do they pray every night?

53. Do they have any scars?

54. Have they ever been in prison/gotten detention?

55. What’s their least favorite holiday?

56. What is their spirit animal?

57. Do they have any plants?

58. What is their bad habit they aren’t able to break?

59. Do they have pets? What are their names? And what are their nicknames?

60. What is the most fascinating thing about them?