Knowing Your Character, Knowing Yourself

Lately I've been interviewing the characters for my manuscript "Beyond the Rapids" and it's made me stop and think about more than just those characters. It's made me think about myself. It's also made me think I need to interview myself. Now there's a scary thought.

Here's just a small sampling of the questions I've been answering for Seth and Torie, the major characters in my manuscript...

1. What does your character want more than anything else in the world?

2. What is his/her goal?

3. Whom does he/she dream about, yearn for, hate?

4. What virtues characterize this person?

5. What is your character's greatest fear?

6. What one thing does your character hope no one will ever find out about him/her?

7. In one word, what motivates your character?

8. How would your character describe him/herself? (Self-concept determines destiny.)

9. What makes him/her laugh?

10. What is your character's personality temperament?

11. What is their deepest unfulfilled desire of their heart?

12. What is he/she most proud of accomplishing?

13. What is he/she least proud of having done or being a part of?

14. What are their warts?

15. What are their phobias?

16. If they had only one day to live, how would they spend that day?

17. What kind of obstacles will most challenge them?

18. What will it take for this character to get to where they need to be with God?

19. What is the pivotal issue of faith that will draw them to a closer relationship with God?


I don't know about you, but it would take me more than a few minutes to answer these questions about myself. In fact, some of these have had me pondering for several days now. Not just idly thinking or wondering, but heavy-duty thinking. And I don't know that I've come up with the answers even now!

Knowing our characters as we write fiction is important if we're going to tell their story and show how they get from point A to point B. Especially as we write Christian fiction that carries a message with it. But yanno, knowing ourselves helps us get from point A to point B without going around Robinson's barn 30 million times, or without wandering in a wilderness for 40 years.

Just like knowing the answers to these questions (and at least 100 others like this) will help you plot your characters' stories, knowing the answers about ourselves will help us plot our lives so the message of our lives is crystal clear to those that are watching and reading our lives.


So tell me, are you open for an interview with yourself?

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:56 AM

    Good post and very good questions.I want to
    read more about Seth & Torie.
    Sunny

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a good exercise for ourselves! It would be hard for me to answer some of these questions, too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fantastic questions, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LoL, Sunny.
    Love you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fantastic stuff! At SOME point, dear, I will ask you to send me the questions. They look AWESOME!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great way to give your character personality, as well as a past. Nicely done.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well, I'll have to ask my characters just these questions. Thanks, Peej.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am stumped right now in my manuscript. Your list is a great aid to help me flesh out the character and where to go with her. thank you.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for stopping by! I love hearing from you.

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