Creating a character varies by author and sometimes by project. Regardless of whether one starts with a blank page or writes a lengthy outline first or something in between, its important to know ones character.
Was the character named after a family member, friend of the family, or someone/something else?
Does the character have a middle name? More than one middle name?
Does the character like his/her name? Why?
Does the character's name embarrass him or her? Why?
What is the character's surname/last name/family name's origin?
Does the character have a maiden name? (A married woman's original last name when she takes her husband's when she got married. It could also apply to a man in a same-sex marriage.)
Was the character adopted? Adoption agency. In-family adoption. Adopted by a step parent.
Was someone else in the character's family, prior to the character, adopted? (This would mean the character may have problems tracing genealogy. Or could have a surname/family name that is nonstandard. Criminal Mind's Garcia, for example.)
Does your character have a nickname the character likes? If not a standard name abbreviation, why is the character called by it?
Does your character have a nickname the character does not like? If not a standard name abbreviation, why is the character called by it? Why does the character not like it?
When and where was your character born?
What day, month and years? Does the character know what time?
Was he/she born: in a hospital, clinic, midwife center, at home, non traditional birthing center, somewhere different intentionally or unintentionally?
Did anything unusual happen during the labor/birth?
Did his/her mother survive, have any complications during and/or after?
Make sure if you are writing about an area you are unfamiliar with that you check for calendar differences. Chinese New Year, which affects China, is not set. It varies. (By the western calendar, I was born in 1977. By the Chinese calendar, I was born in 1976, because New Years came in February in 1977 (western) and I was born in January.)
Who are, or were, your character's parents/guardians? What are their names, ages, ethnic group(s,) occupation (s,) and income? Where do they live?
What effect did they have on the character?
Does the character have siblings? Adopted siblings. Half siblings. Step siblings. Siblings from foster care. Donor siblings. Who are there? How does the character interact with them? Has the character met all of them? Are there any siblings the character does not know about?
What other family members does the character have? Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, other? Step parent(s.) Foster parent(s.) Adopted parent(s.)
Is your character married? Spouse. Spouses. Ex spouses.
How does your character get along with his/her spouse(s?)
How does your character get along with his/her ex-spouse(s?)
Is your character involved with anyone? Boyfriend(s.) Girlfriend(s.) Dates. Lovers. Friends with benefits. Mistress(es.) Other.
Does your character have any children? How many? Other parent(s?)
Does your character have interaction with them? Are their any complications with interacting with them?
Does your character have any children he/she is not allowed to interact with? Why?
Does your character have any children he/she does not know about?
Does your character have any children that do not know about him/her? Donor siblings.
Has your character donated sperm, eggs, or genetic material in another manner? Willingly? Outcome? Eugenics.
What kind of personality traits does your character have?
What is your character's occupation? Is there more than one? Legit?
What talents and skills does your character have?
Does your character have any unusual or rare talents? Was he/she a prodigy?
Does your character like his/her talent? (For example, Good Will Hunting was incredible with math but it was so easy for him, he didn't care to pursue it.)
How did he/she learn his/her skills? Was each skill easy, difficult or hard to learn?
Does your character dream of something he/she will never manage? (For example, the character wants to be a ballet dancer but does not have the skills, physique, training opportunities, etc.)
Where does your character live? House, apartment, condo, timeshare, hotel, houseboat/boat. Squatter. Homeless.
Does your character live within his/her means?
Does your character have a lifestyle that exceeds his/her legit income? Does he/she hide it? If so, how?
How does your character manage his/her money? Debt. Credit. Bank accounts.
Any illegal aspects of your character's finances? Fraud. Embezzlement. Other illegal activities?
What does your character look like? Ethnic group. Height. Hair style. Eye color. Complexion. Suntan. Build. Choice of clothing. Identifying marks. Scars. Tattoos. Mannerisms. Piercings. Anything else.
Right- or left-handed.
What does your character think of his/her looks?
Has your character had any cosmetic changes? Does he/she want cosmetic changes?
Does your character use disguises? Why? What type?
What social class does your character belong do? Culture. Subculture.
What religious beliefs does your character have? Or faith that is not based on a religion.
How does it affect his/her social interaction?
Are his/her beliefs controversial? Fanatical? Dangerous?
Does your character believe in soul mates? If so, what type? How does it affect his/her view on life.
No religious beliefs.
What kind of mindset does your character have? Optimistic (glass half full.) Pessimistic (glass half empty.) Happy the glass has water in it. There is never enough water in the glass.
Is your character rigid, requiring a schedule?
Is your character spontaneous and impulsive?
What type of ethics does your character have? (His/her view on right and wrong.)
How does your character view honesty? Under what circumstances will he/she lie?
How does your character view violence? Is your character capable of killing? Under what circumstances?
In your character's opinion, what is the worse thing a person can do?
What biases or prejudices does your character have in regards to other people?
Everyone has a line they won't cross. Examples: I will lie, if necessary, but not to my mother. I have no problem killing a person but I won't rape that person. I will kill men and/or women, but I won't hurt children.
Is there anything your character will not do under any circumstances?
Is there anyone and/or anything your character would be willing to die for?
How does your character view him/herself? Is it different from how others see him/her?
Does your character have a daily routine? What is it?
How does your character feel about it being disrupted?
What are your character's strengths?
What are your character's weaknesses? Does your character realize he/she has them?
Does your character want to change aspects of his/her personality and/or lifestyle? If so, why and in what ways?
Is your character organized? Describe his/her idea of managing a desk or bedroom.
What are three things that your character excels at?
What are three things your character does not excel at? Does he/she realize it?
Does your character like his/her self? Why?
What would your character like to accomplish in life? Is it possible?
What are your characters goals for the near future? Are they possible?
How does your character want to be remembered if he/she dies? Or does he/she want to be forgotten?
How would your character describe his/her personality?
How would others describe your character's personality? Does it vary for any reason?
What health problems does your character have? Allergies. Diseases. Physical weaknesses.
Does your character suffer from insomnia?
What psychological problems does your character have? Anxieties. Depression. Fears. Mood disorders. Personality disorders. Phobias. Stress. Other.
How does your character deal with stress?
What flaws does your character have?
Does your character have words and/or phrases that he/she uses regularly? Do they annoy people?
Does your character have quirks, odd or unusual behavior, annoying or other noticeable/memorable traits?
What was your character's childhood like?
What memories are important? Cherished. Painful. Traumatic.
What schools did he/she attend? What type of grades? Did he/she enjoy school?
What subjects did he like? What subjects did he not like?
What activities/hobbies did he/she participate in? Did he/she like them?
Did your character have a role model? Who? Why?
How did your character interact with his/her family?
Did your character have friends? Did he/she want more? Was he/she social? Was he/she popular?
What social group did your character belong to as a teenager?
Did he/she have problems with peer pressure? Drugs. Crime. Violence.
What occupation(s) did he/she want to pursue? If different from current occupation, what changed or didn't happen?
How does your character view romantic relationships, sexuality and sex?
Has your character ever been in love? If so, how many times? Any regrets?
How old was the character for his/her first kiss? With who?
Heterosexual (straight.) Bisexual. Homosexual (gay.) Transsexual. Gender or sexual identity difficulties.
Is your character a virgin? How did he/she lose his/her virginity? Who and where.
How did your character chose dates? What were they like?
Will your character date outside his/her ethnic group/religion/social status/other?
Does your character have casual, sexual relationships? Why? How does he/she chose lovers?
Does your character believe in true love, soul mates, and/or one person is it for life?
How does your character interact with others?
Is your character a leader, follower, or loner? Does that change do to circumstances?
Is your character polite, rude, indifferent?
Does your character tend to argue?
How does your character handle conflict?
Does your character care what others think about him/her? Does that vary any by circumstances?
Does your character like social situations? Small group? Large group? With or without strangers?
How trusting is your character? How important is trust to your character?
How does he/she view friends? (Example: conveniences or the most valuable thing in the world)
Are their behaviors, that people have, that significantly bother your character?
Who is the most important in your character's life? Why? What would your character do to protect them?
Who does your character respect the most? Why?
Who are your character's friends? Best friend/BFF.
Does your character know who his/her neighbors are? Why or why not?
Who would your character turn to if desperate?
Would your character trust someone to protect him/her? Why? Who?
If your character died or went missing, would anyone care? Would anyone notice?
What person despised your character the most? Why?
What events shaped your characters views on life? Positive and negative.
What person most influenced your character's life?
What is your character's greatest accomplishment?
What does your character regret the most?
What experience was the character's most frightening? How did it affect him/her long term?
What is your character's most embarrassing moment? How did it affect him/her long term?
What is the darkest thing your character have ever done? Why did he/she do it? Does he/she regret it?
Does your character have a criminal record? Is he/she suspected of any crimes? If so, did he/she commit any or all of those suspected crimes? Has he/she spent time in prison? How long? What prison(s)? How did it affect him/her?
If your character could change one event/experience from his/her past, what would it be? Why?
What does your character enjoy?
What hobbies does your character have? Does he share his hobbies with others?
What is your character's most important possession? Where does he/she keep it?
What is your character's favorite color? Is it something other people know?
Does your character read books, magazines, anything on-line regularly? Does he/she like reading?
What kind of entertainment does your character prefer? Is it reasonable with his/her income and living expenses?
Does your character smoke, drink, and/or do illegal drugs? Can he/she afford it?
What does your character typically do on a day off? How often does he/she have them?
What makes your character laugh? Do others find the same things funny?
What shocks and/or offends your character?
If your character has psi, magical, shape-shifting, supernatural powers, etc.
What type of power(s) does your character have?
How does it affect his/her interact with people who do not have those powers?
How does it affect his/her interact with people who do have those powers?