Unlock Your Characters’ Depths: 115 Insightful Questions for Captivating Character Interviews

As writers, we understand the power of well-crafted characters in crafting compelling narratives that captivate readers. To breathe life into these characters and make them feel genuinely human, we need to intimately understand their nuances, motivations, and backstories. One powerful technique to achieve this is through character interviews, where we delve deep into their psyche by asking probing questions and imagining their responses.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore 115 thought-provoking questions that will help you uncover the depths of your characters, enabling you to create richer, more authentic personalities that resonate with your readers.

The Art of Character Interviews

Character interviews are a potent tool for writers to explore their characters’ innermost thoughts, desires, and fears. By imagining conversations with your characters, you can gain valuable insights into their personalities, backgrounds, and motivations, allowing you to craft more nuanced and believable narratives.

These interviews are not just a one-way street; they’re a dialogue between you and your characters, where you pose questions and imagine their responses. This process can reveal surprising revelations about your characters, unveiling aspects of their personalities that you might not have considered before.

115 Insightful Questions for Captivating Character Interviews

To help you dive deep into your characters’ psyches, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of 115 questions spanning various aspects of their lives, personalities, and experiences. These questions are designed to provoke thought-provoking responses that will enrich your understanding of your characters and enhance their authenticity on the page.

Basics

1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname (if so, who calls you this)?
2. Where and when were you born?
3. Who are/were your parents? (Their names, birthplaces, occupations, personalities, etc.)
4. Do you have any siblings? If you do, what are/were they like?
5. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place (home and location) and the person/people you live with.
6. What is your occupation?
7. To which social class do you belong?
8. Are you right- or left-handed?
9. What does your voice sound like?
10. On what occasions do you lie?
11. Do you have a motto? If so, what is it?
12. Do you have any annoying habits, quirks, strange mannerisms, or other defining characteristics?
13. What is your hair color and eye color?
14. What kind of distinguishing facial features do you have?
15. Do you have any physical traits that stand out (such as scars, birthmarks, tattoos, etc.)? If you have scars, how did you get them? If you have tattoos, why did you get them and what meaning do they have to you?
16. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Past

1. How would you describe your childhood?
2. How much schooling have you had?
3. Did you enjoy school? If not, why did you struggle?
4. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
5. Did you have any role models? If so, describe them and why they were your role models.
6. How did you get along with the other members of your family?
7. What did you want to be when you grew up?
8. What were your favorite activities?
9. When and where were you the happiest?
10. Who were your friends, and what were they like?
11. When did you have your first kiss, and who with?
12. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
13. Describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.
14. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
15. Who has had the most influence on you?
16. What do you consider your greatest achievement so far, why?
17. What is your greatest regret so far, why? Has this regret formed you into the person you are today? If so, why?
18. What is the most evil thing you have ever done so far?
19. Do you have a criminal record?
20. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you so far?
21. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
22. What is your best memory so far? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
23. What is your worst memory so far? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
24. What is your biggest secret? Does anyone else know about this? Which person do you least want to know about this secret, why?

Relationships With Others

1. In general, how do you treat others (politely, as they treat you, by keeping them at a distance, with sarcasm, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
2. How close are you to your family?
3. Which person do you wish you were closest to?
4. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person in some rough strokes.
5. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them in rough strokes. If not, do you want to start a family? Why or why not?
6. Who is the most important person in your life, why?
7. Who is the person you respect the most, why?
8. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? What do you most value in your friends? Describe them with some basics like their personalities, how you met them, what you have in common, etc.
9. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe in some rough strokes what happened (love at first sight, unrequited love, ended up marrying him/her, ended with heartbreak, etc.).
10. What do you look for in a potential lover?
11. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
12. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
13. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
14. Who is the person you despise the most, why?
15. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
16. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
17. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
18. Do you care what others think of you? Why or why not?

Personal

1. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?
2. What is your greatest strength?
3. What is your greatest weakness?
4. Which talent would you most like to have? Why?
5. Do you like yourself?
6. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
7. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
8. Are you generally organized or messy?
9. Name three things you consider yourself to be good at, and three things you consider yourself to be bad at.
10. What three words best describe your personality?
11. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
12. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your life?
13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
14. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
15. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
16. If you were to die and come back as a person, animal, or thing, what do you think it would be, and why?
17. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?

Fears and Desires

1. What is your greatest fear?
2. What is your greatest desire?
3. What is your greatest regret?
4. What is your greatest accomplishment?
5. What is your greatest failure?
6. What is your greatest joy?
7. What is your greatest sorrow?
8. What is your greatest hope?
9. What is your greatest dream?
10. What is your greatest nightmare?

Beliefs and Values

1. What are your core beliefs and values?
2. What is your religious or spiritual belief system?
3. What is your political ideology?
4. What are your views on morality and ethics?
5. What are your views on love and relationships?
6. What are your views on family and parenthood?
7. What are your views on success and failure?
8. What are your views on money and wealth?
9. What are your views on power and authority?
10. What are your views on justice and fairness?

Motivations and Aspirations

1. What motivates you to get up in the morning?
2. What is your ultimate goal in life?
3. What are your short-term and long-term aspirations?
4. What are your passions and interests?
5. What are your hobbies and leisure activities?
6. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
7. What are your talents and skills?
8. What are your hopes and dreams?
9. What are your fears and insecurities?
10. What are your priorities in life?

Personality and Behavior

1. How would you describe your personality?
2. What are your most prominent personality traits?
3. What are your most common behaviors and habits?
4. How do you typically react in stressful situations?
5. How do you typically react in social situations?
6. How do you typically react in romantic situations?
7. How do you typically react in confrontational situations?
8. How do you typically react in dangerous situations?
9. How do you typically react in situations of grief or loss?
10. How do you typically react in situations of joy or celebration?

By exploring these 115 questions, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your characters’ innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences, enabling you to craft richer, more authentic narratives that captivate readers and leave a lasting impact.

Putting Character Interviews into Practice

While the questions themselves are invaluable, the true power of character interviews lies in how you approach them. Here are some tips to help you make the most of this exercise:

• Set the stage: Imagine yourself sitting across from your character, ready to engage in a candid conversation. Visualize their mannerisms, expressions, and tone of voice as you ask each question.
• Let your character surprise you: Don’t censor or pre-judge your character’s responses. Allow them to reveal themselves authentically, even if their answers contradict your initial assumptions.
• Follow up and dig deeper: If a response piques your curiosity or raises new questions, don’t hesitate to probe further. Character interviews are meant to be organic and exploratory.
• Take notes: As you conduct the interview, jot down your character’s responses, any revelations or insights you gain, and any new questions that arise.
• Embrace contradictions: Characters, like real people, are complex and multifaceted. Don’t be alarmed if their responses seem contradictory or inconsistent – these paradoxes can add depth and realism to your characters.
• Revisit and refine: Character interviews are not a one-time exercise. As your story unfolds and your characters evolve, revisit the interviews and update them to reflect your characters’ growth and development.

By embracing the art of character interviews and using these 115 insightful questions as a guide, you’ll be well on your way to creating compelling, multidimensional characters that leap off the page and linger in your readers’ minds long after they’ve finished your story.

Happy writing, and may your characters reveal themselves to you in all their rich, complex glory!