The Back Story: A Character's Biography

Characters are the heartbeat of our stories but, for most of us, it takes some work for our heroes and heroines to become fully formed. The key is to create them with a past logical enough to make the story believable. The character interview is one way to become familiar with your characters and their back story (or their biography). The character interview is an old idea but an effective one. The purpose is to become the character in an attempt to figure him/her out.

The Interview

1. Make a list of possible questions to ask your character, leaving room for spontaneous questions as well.
2. Ask a friend to be your interviewer. If you have a friend who is a writer, ask that person because they are more sympathetic to what you are trying to do. There is a good chance that if your friend is a writer, they won't give you that look. You know that look I'm talking about. The one you get every time you talk to someone about your writing who is not a writer. Yeah, I get that look too often.
3. If possible, record the interview - this will leave you free to think about the character instead of taking notes. When you review the recording later, make your character notes then. Do not be afraid to collaborate with your interviewer later. They might have some insight that you missed.
4. Answer all of the questions in the first person.

Sample Questions

• Where and when were you born?
• Who are your parents? 
• Was your family rich, poor, or middle class? How did this affect you?
• Which parent were you closest to? What is your relationship today?
• Do you have any brothers or sisters? How many? Tell me about them. What is your relationship today?
• What is your educational background? 
• Did you like school? Why or why not?
• What skills and hobbies do you have?
• What is your religion? How does this effect your perception of the world around you?
• Did you have a pet? What kind of pet? What was their name(s)?
• Who were your lovers? What happened with them?
• Have you ever been married? What happened?
• What do you consider your best physical feature?
• What do you care about most?
• What are some key turning points in your life?
• What are your goals for the future?

Refer back to your notes and the answers as you create your story. You will find them helpful when keeping your character on track.