Interview another person in the class, using at least half of the questions below. Select the questions that will give the best portrait of your partner and/or those they can or are willing to answer. Think of what kind of fictional character s/he might make. Using the information from your interview, tell an anecdote about this character. It can be from their real life, a fictionalization based on interview info, or both. Use details from your understanding of them to make the anecdote vivid and interesting.
Post anecdote first, then follow with the interview questions & answers (you can copy questions and then just add answers).
Anecdote
Character Interview
- Name:
- Background:
- Birthday:
- Place of birth:
- Parents: What was important to the people who raised him:
- Siblings:
- Economic/social status growing up:
- Ethnic background:
- Places lived: Current address and phone number:
- Education: Favorite subject in school: Special training:
- Jobs: Salary:
- Travel:
- Friends:
- How do people view this character:
- Lives with:
- Fights with:
- Spends time with:
- Wishes to spend time with:
- Who depends on him and why:
- What people does he most admire:
- Enemies:
- why?
- describe a conflict(s)
- Dating, marriage:
- Children:
- Relationship with God/Earth/Animals: Beliefs:
- Overall outlook on life:
- Does this character like himself:
- What, if anything, would he like to change about his life:
- What personal demons haunt him:
- Is he lying to himself about something: Is he optimistic or pessimistic:
- Morality level:
- Confidence level:
- How is he viewed by others:
- Typical day:
- Physical appearance:
- Physical build:
- Posture:
- Head shape: Eyes: Nose: Mouth: Hair
- Skin: Tattoos/piercings/scars:
- Voice: What people notice first:
- Clothing:
- How would he describe himself:
- What five words would he use to describe himself?
- What five words would his best friend use?
- Health/disabilities/handicaps:
- Characteristics:
- Personality type (choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholy):
- Strongest/weakest character traits:
- How can the flip side of his strong point be a weakness:
- How much self-control and self-discipline does he have:
- What makes him irrationally angry:
- What makes him cry:
- Fears:
- Talents:
- What people like best about him:
- Interests and favorites:
- Political leaning:
- Collections:
- Food, drink:
- Music: Books: Movies:
- Sports, recreation: Did he play in school:
- Color:
- Best way to spend a weekend:
- A great gift for this person:
- Pets:
- Vehicles:
- What large possessions does he own (car, home, furnishings, boat, etc.) and which does he like best:
- Typical expressions: When happy: When angry: When frustrated: When sad: When afraid:
- Idiosyncrasies:
- Laughs or jeers at:
- Ways to cheer up this person:
- Ways to annoy this person:
- Hopes and dreams: How does he see himself accomplishing these dreams:
- What’s the worst thing he’s ever done to someone and why:
- Greatest success:
- Biggest trauma:
- Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to him:
- What does he care about most in the world:
- Does he have a secret:
- If he could do one thing and succeed at it, what would it be:
- He is the kind of person who:
- What do you love most about this character:
- Why will the reader sympathize with this person right away:
- How is the character ordinary or extraordinary?
- How is his situation ordinary or extraordinary?
- Core Need:
- Anecdote (Defining Moment):
- History:
Adapted from : K.M. Weiland. Crafting Unforgettable Characters