Compelling Need
What is the character's compelling need? Why do they need this?
Who else knows about this need?
What is the nature of this need? (passion, desire, fear, pain, etc.)
To what rules do they hold themselves to meet their needs?
What rules are imposed on their need from outside?
Work and Play
What is the character's work?
What is their play?
How and why did they acquire their job?
How and why did they choose their form of play?
How does their work affect their compelling need?
How does their play affect their compelling need?
Past
What event changed the character's life, and why?
Character's best moment, and why?
Character's worst moment, and why?
Which personal loss most deeply affected them, and why?
Who mattered most to the character, and why?
Character's greatest humiliation, how it happened, and why?
Present
What are the character's current goals, and why?
Worst thing happening to them currently, and why?
Best thing happening to them currently, and why?
Most important person recently met, and why?
Most important current belief or realization, and why?
Greatest current loss of belief or certainty, and why?
Future
Does the character view the future as positive or negative? Why?
How do they want to affect their own future? Why?
Do they imagine a role in a bigger future, and if so, what?
How do they think the future will affect them, and why?
How do they imagine their future? In what role?
What do they see as the worst threat to their future? Why?
Friends, Enemies, and Lovers
Whom do they love, and why?
Is this love secret or known? To their lover or others?
Whom do they hate? Why?
Is this hate secret or known? To their enemy or others?
Who do they like? Why? What values do they share? What values conflict?
Life and Death
How do they consider their own mortality? Why?
How do they value their daily life, and why?
Do they postpone their life for after death promises? Why?
Do they actively pursue self-destruction? How? Why?
How do they value others' lives? Why?
How do they act on their life and death values?
Culture, Philosophy, and Education
What is the underpinning of the character's culture? Why?
What are the culture's three most critical values?
What is the character's philosophy summed up? Why?
How does their philosophy fit or conflict with their culture? Why?
What knowledge have they pursued? Why?
How does what they know change their actions and life?
Moral Stance
What is the character's public moral stance?
What is the character's private moral stance?
How and why are the two different?
How do their public actions connect with their private values?
How do their private actions connect with their public values?
How do they choose the actions they take? Why?
Character Summary
The character's name:
A one-sentence summary of the character's storyline:
The character's motivation:
The character's goal: The character's conflict:
The character's epiphany:
A one-paragraph summary of the character's storyline:
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Resources to Better Writing (ReOrganizing & Editing)
Non-FictionI have done a considerable amount of research over the years in order to improve my writing abilities. Decided it might be a good time to share them with all the writers on Wattpad. I hope it helps. Enjoy!
