Character Bios & Backstory's

Writing all of this can consume a lot of your time but set up a check list to make it easier. The audience/reader doesn't need to know the majority of this information but as the writer you will, to have well rounded 3 dimensional characters you need to know your characters inside and out. Below are some example questions, etc. you can use in writing your characters bios and back story.

-- What is there gender and age?

-- What is their weight, height, build, color of hair, eyes and skin?

-- Are they right or left handed?

-- Do they wear glasses or contacts or nothing?

-- Do they have any facial expressions, or disabilities?

-- Do they have a limp, missing fingers, limbs etc.?

-- How do they walk, move?

-- What type of mannerisms or habits do they have?

-- Do they smoke, drink or do drugs? What do they think about their addiction(s)?

-- How do they speak and sound?

-- What pitch and speed is their voice?

-- Favorite quotes, words, poems etc.?

-- Do they swear? Do they speak their language well?

-- Do they live alone or with someone? Family, friends etc.

-- Do they have children? If so what kind of relationship do they have with them? What are their children like? Are they adopted? Were they, are they wanted? Were they planned or a surprise/accident?

-- Are they married? Do they have a partner or lover(s)? Girlfriend, boyfriend? Engaged?

-- Do they have any dependents?

-- Do they have a pet or pets?

-- Where do they live? Do they own their home? How much did/does it cost? How is it furnished? Are they tidy or messy?

-- Are they successful? Do they have a good job/career? Are they happy doing what they do? Do they make enough money?

-- Are they financially stable?

-- If they don't like their job/career what would they rather do and why?

-- Are their parents living? Do they, did they have a good relationship with them? Are they more fond of their mom or dad and why?

-- Did they grow up rich, poor or middle class?

-- What did they inherit from their parents, physically, psychologically etc.?

-- What type of education did they have?

-- Were they expected to do something with their life or did their parents let them choose their own path?

-- What is their nationality? Heritage? What language do they speak? Do they speak more than one language?

-- Do they live in their country of origin? If not why and how do they feel about it?

-- What is their sexuality and how do they feel about it?Are they proud of being straight, gay, bisexual? What is their opinion of other people's sexuality?

-- Can they be alone without being lonely or are they a lonely person no matter what?

-- Are they happy with themselves, their life?

-- What would they change if they could and why?

-- Do they read or write? What do they read and write? What are their hobbies?

-- What music do they like?

-- Favorite tv show(s)? Favorite movie(s)? Favorite book(s)?

-- What do they eat?

-- What does their favorite things say about them?

-- Do they get stressed out a lot or are they more laid back?

-- Are they quirky or weird?

-- Are they dorky or cool?

-- Sexy, cute, ugly, handsome, beautiful, gorgeous?

-- Do they have wild passionate relationships or do they play it cool and calm and prefer a routine or being in a rut?

-- What type of temper do they have? Are they a jerk, bitch, bully, pushover or do they know how to use the right emotions for the right situations?

-- Are they a charmer, creep or completely forgettable the moment they walk away?

-- Do they let their emotions control them?

-- Do they express stress and anger or bottle it  up? How does it affect them?

-- Are they comfortable expressing pleasure?

-- Are they liked or disliked by others?

-- Are they a rebel or do they play by the rules?

-- Do people admire them, respect them? Find them attractive?

-- What don't they like about themselves? Do they like any of their qualities? Do they deny who they are or apart of who they are? Would they change anything about their self and if so what and why?

-- Do they do things in order to please others although they may hate the things they do? If so why?

-- What is their favorite color?

-- Astrological sign and the details of it? Their birth stone?

-- Are they scientific, religious, spiritual or a combination? Do they believe in astrology?

-- What are their beliefs and ethics?

-- What is their opinion of other peoples beliefs?

-- Are they a fanatic about their beliefs?

-- Do they suffer from any phobias or mental disorder?

-- What do they REALLY want from life and why? Their goals, short and long term?

-- How do they want to be buried when they die and why? What do they want their funeral to be like? Music played? Any readings they would like? Do they even think about death or does the thought of it bother them too much?

-- What is their relationship to the other main characters in the story? Who or what is trying to keep them from reaching their goal(s)?

-- Do you like your character? Do you respect them? And how do you want your audience/readers to feel about them?

-- What is their dramatic need? What are they trying to achieve, gain or change?

-- By the end of the story how have they developed? Have they really changed or learned anything?

You may also want to take your character through a typical day in their life. When they're not dealing with all of the drama and challenges that your story is throwing at them to see what type of person they are and how they act under normal circumstances. Start with your character waking up in the morning and end it with your character going to sleep at night. See what you get from it. You can also write their bio/back story out as a story itself beginning from birth up until the moment your story begins but it can be a little more time consuming. Just don't get too hung up on your characters bios and back story's and put off writing the actual story.