today's blog title is from rain in soho by the mountain goats
babylon 5
aviators, the 69 eyes, the mountain goats
the outer worlds 2
Showing 3 posts tagged character

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11Dec 2024

Character Development: 50 Questions

The Painter and the model (detail) Antonio Bueno 1952ALT
  1. What does your character do when they think no one’s looking?
  2. What’s the one thing your character would save in a fire (beyond the necessities)?
  3. Who’s on speed dial?
  4. Your character gets turned down for their dream job. What’s their second choice?
  5. What would they tell their ten-year-old self?
  6. Where would they want to go on a first date?
  7. What’s the best advice they’ve ever received?
  8. What’s the worst advice they’ve ever received?
  9. What’s one physical detail they’d change about themselves?
  10. When was the last time they were held? By who?
  11. What’s their favorite thing about their favorite season?
  12. Their wallet gets stolen. What do they do?
  13. Prioritize: Love, money, power, knowledge?
  14. What’s something nobody knows about them?
  15. What’s in their fridge?
  16. What (creature, object, substance) are they most disgusted by?
  17. What’s their second worst habit?
  18. What are the victory conditions for their life?
  19. In the end, your character fails to save the day. Assuming they survive, what do they do?
  20. Your character is charged with a crime they didn’t commit. What do they do?
  21. Your character is charged with a crime they did commit. What was the crime?
  22. How would you describe your character’s life in one sentence?
  23. What important statistic would they want displayed above them?
  24. What’s the first thing they would buy if they won the lottery?
  25. What profession do they most respect?
  26. What childhood injustice did they never get over?
  27. How would they handle having a panic attack?
  28. Your character is burdened with an inconvenient superpower. What is it?
  29. If they died and could come back as any person, animal, or object, what would they be?
  30. What’s the best meal they’ve ever had?
  31. Where would they stand at a dinner party?
  32. Who would they invite to the dinner party?
  33. What makes a perfect day for your character?
  34. If given the opportunity, would they want to know how and when they died?
  35. What’s the one thing they’ve always wanted to do? Why haven’t they done it yet?
  36. What do they tend to joke about?
  37. What’s off limits?
  38. Whose wedding would they cross the world to attend? Whose funeral?
  39. What impossible choice did they make that turned out to be the right one? The wrong one?
  40. Your character has someone to hype them up. What would they say to get everyone excited about your character?
  41. What recurring dream does your character have?
  42. What is the meaning of life to your character?
  43. What book does your character pretend to have read?
  44. Someone takes undeserved credit for your character’s work. What do they do?
  45. What controversial belief or view does your character hold? Why? Do they hide it?
  46. Your character is at a theme park. Where do they go first?
  47. What’s your character’s favorite name?
  48. What’s the biggest compliment they’d give themselves?
  49. How does your character feel about bugs?
  50. If your character could hit a reset button on their life, would they?

Source

10Nov 2024

Writing References: Character Development

Personality Traits

Tips/Editing

Writing Notes

Writing References: Plot World-building

07Nov 2024

20 Compelling Positive-Negative Trait Pairs

Here are 20 positive and negative trait pairs that can create compelling character dynamics in storytelling:

1. Bravery - Recklessness:
A character is courageous in the face of danger but often takes unnecessary risks.

2. Intelligence - Arrogance:
A character is exceptionally smart but looks down on others.

3. Compassion - Naivety:
A character is deeply caring but easily deceived due to their trusting nature.

4. Determination - Stubbornness:
A character is persistent in their goals but unwilling to adapt or compromise.

5. Charisma - Manipulativeness:
A character is charming and persuasive but often uses these traits to exploit others.

6. Resourcefulness - Opportunism:
A character is adept at finding solutions but is also quick to exploit situations for personal gain.

7. Loyalty - Blind Obedience:
A character is fiercely loyal but follows orders without question, even when they're wrong.

8. Optimism - Denial:
A character remains hopeful in difficult times but often ignores harsh realities.

9. Humor - Inappropriateness:
A character lightens the mood with jokes but often crosses the line with their humor.

10. Generosity - Lack of Boundaries:
A character is giving and selfless but often neglects their own needs and well-being.

11. Patience - Passivity:
A character is calm and tolerant but sometimes fails to take action when needed.

12. Wisdom - Cynicism:
A character has deep understanding and insight but is often pessimistic about the world.

13. Confidence - Overconfidence:
A character believes in their abilities but sometimes underestimates challenges.

14. Honesty - Bluntness:
A character is truthful and straightforward but often insensitive in their delivery.

15. Self-discipline - Rigidity:
A character maintains strong control over their actions but is inflexible and resistant to change.

16. Adventurousness - Impulsiveness:
A character loves exploring and trying new things but often acts without thinking.

17. Empathy - Overwhelm:
A character deeply understands and feels others' emotions but can become overwhelmed by them.

18. Ambition - Ruthlessness:
A character is driven to achieve great things but willing to do anything, even unethical, to succeed.

19. Resilience - Emotional Detachment:
A character can endure hardships without breaking but often seems emotionally distant.

20. Strategic - Calculative:
A character excels at planning and foresight but can be cold and overly pragmatic in their decisions.

These pairs create complex, multi-dimensional characters that can drive rich, dynamic storytelling.

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today's blog title is from rain in soho by the mountain goats
babylon 5
aviators, the 69 eyes, the mountain goats
the outer worlds 2