Developing your character is a lot like world building. It involves asking yourself a lot of questions and writing scenes and vignettes to help garner a better understanding of the person you're creating.
A lot of people tend to ask character questions like, what is this character's favorite color? What is their nickname? What do they dislike?
While these answers might be useful to know, deeper, more personal questions are going to benefit you--and your reader--a lot more. In order to help flesh out your character, try filling out our character development worksheet:
A lot of people tend to ask character questions like, what is this character's favorite color? What is their nickname? What do they dislike?
While these answers might be useful to know, deeper, more personal questions are going to benefit you--and your reader--a lot more. In order to help flesh out your character, try filling out our character development worksheet:
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Once you have more knowledge of your character, try writing scenes with them in it. These scenes don't need to take place in your sci fi or fantasy world, or any sci fi or fantasy setting (though you can always do that too!). You can also think about how your character would act if they lived in our world.
Consider the following prompts:
What would your character do if...
Consider the following prompts:
What would your character do if...
- ...they were waiting in line at the grocery store and it was taking a really long time?
- ...they found a lost dog?
- ...a stranger insulted them on the bus?
- ...they saw someone drop a twenty dollar bill and not realize it?
- ...they won the lottery?
- ...they only had a month left to live?
- ...they were president (or the equivalent in their world)?
- ...they made a horrible mistake?
- ...they were mistaken for a celebrity?
- ...they came face to face with their nemesis?
History and backstory can be really important in a character, but don't forget to think about who they are now and, perhaps most importantly, what motivates them.