How well do you know your characters?

Why do you need to know your characters inside out?

The better you know your characters, the more your reader will know and understand them and their motivations.
It will also make it easier for you to write about them.
You will immediately know how they will react to situations you write for them.
In real life, everyone is unique and individual, so getting to know all your characters can help to make sure that they each seem unique and individual to your readers as well.

So how do you get to know them better? A really good way is to’INTERVIEW’ them!

You can ‘ask’ them any questions you like and build up a really good picture of them in your mind’s eye.
This doesn’t mean you will use all this information in your story (and it may not be necessary to know that he loves cornflakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner – or that he brushes his teeth for EXACTLY two and a half minutes – or that he hates wearing matching socks etc).
We may not even need to know the exact colour of his eyes, hair etc. And if you do give these bits of information, make sure it doesn’t sound like a shopping list!
But knowing these facts about him will make him more real to you, and when he’s real to you, you can write a nice rounded character that will engage your reader.

What is your name?
How old are you?
Are you tall, short, skinny etc?
What colour is you hair? Is it long/short? Do you have to keep blowing it out of your eyes?
Do you have any distinguishing features (crooked nose, any scars, spots etc)?
What colour are your eyes?
Do you have a certain way of moving? (Awkward/confident etc…)

Check here for a quick Character Interview.

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