40 Character Development Questions to Deepen Your Writing

A character isn’t just a name and a goal. It’s the sum of their fears, flaws, habits, desires, and contradictions. The more you understand your characters, the more naturally they’ll behave on the page—and the more real they’ll feel to readers. Use these questions to dig beneath the surface and write characters that breathe.

Identity & Backstory

1. What is their earliest memory?
2. What lie do they believe about themselves?
3. What’s something from their past they never talk about?
4. Who had the biggest influence on who they are today?
5. What’s a moment from childhood that still shapes them?
6. What’s the worst thing they’ve ever done?
7. How do they think others see them—and are they right?
8. What’s a nickname they secretly love (or hate)?
9. What’s something they lost that they still grieve?
10. What kind of home did they grow up in—emotionally, not just physically?

Desires & Fears

11. What do they want more than anything—and why?
12. What are they most afraid of losing?
13. What keeps them up at night?
14. What secret hope do they have that they’ve never voiced out loud?
15. What would they do if no one was watching?
16. What line would they never cross—until they do?
17. What’s their biggest fear that has nothing to do with death or violence?
18. What failure haunts them the most?
19. What do they envy in others but won’t admit?
20. What belief would shake them if it turned out to be wrong?

Relationships & Conflict

21. Who do they love, and how do they show it?
22. Who do they want approval from—and why?
23. Who could they never forgive, no matter what?
24. Who knows their biggest secret?
25. What’s something they’ve never said to someone they care about?
26. What kind of people do they clash with instinctively?
27. What’s their go-to defense mechanism when they feel vulnerable?
28. What does trust mean to them—and how do they decide who deserves it?
29. Who would they call in a crisis?
30. Who would they lie to protect?

Daily Life & Personality

31. What do they do when no one’s around?
32. What’s their most annoying habit?
33. What small, random thing brings them joy?
34. What’s something they always carry with them?
35. How do they handle stress—productively or destructively?
36. What’s a hobby or interest they don’t talk about?
37. What’s their relationship with money—spender, saver, avoider?
38. What’s something about them that surprises people once they get close?
39. How do they behave when they’re jealous, even if they hide it?
40. What’s one thing they want to change about themselves—but can’t seem to?

You don’t need to answer all of these for every character. Pick a few that spark something. Let the answers shape how your character speaks, reacts, lies, loves, and makes mistakes. The goal isn’t to build a perfect profile—it’s to discover the emotional logic that makes your character feel like a person.