CHARACTER-SPECIFIC
[please include a character’s name(s) along with question number when applicable!]
1.) Tell a bit about a main protagonist and a main antagonist? If your story doesn’t really have “good guys and bad guysâ€, tell about two characters with opposing viewpoints!
2.) Does [character] have any siblings?
3.) Tell a bit about [character]’s parents?
4.) What are some of [character]’s hobbies or interests?
5.) Is [character] lucky in love? Can you describe any of their past relationships?
6.) I know you’ve probably answered every favorite food question under the sun, but how about [character]’s favorite DRINK, DESSERT and SNACK?
7.) What are [character]’s pet peeves?
8.) If you had to pick three words to describe [character], you would choose:
9.) Can you list some traits you have in common with your cast? How about things that are completely different?
10.) Is there anything you can talk about from [character]’s childhood or younger years that was significant to their development?
11.) [Character]: Truth or Dare?
12.) Describe the relationship between [character] and [other character]? If it’s very spoiler-y, just tell what you can!
13.) This might seem an odd question, but are there any colors you affiliate with certain characters?
STORY ELEMENTS
14.) Are there any principal themes or messages in the narrative?
15.) How long have you been working on this story?
16.) If you could attribute one or two genres to your story, what would they be?
17.) Do you have a “pitch†worked out for this project? If so, let’s hear it! If not, there is no time like the present to come up with one…
18.) Are there any authors, artists, stories or other elements that have offered inspirations for this story?
ENVIRONMENT / CULTURE
19.) Is there a main place where your story takes place? If so, can you tell a little bit about it?
20.) Tell about a significant location in your setting - it can be a city, a country, or even a specific venue, home, etc.?
21.) Tell a bit about the different types of architecture in your story. Is it based on any existing styles, have you created new types of structures, or a mix?
22.) Do you have a favorite place in this world? It can, again, be a city, country, specific building, or anything else!
23.) How prominent are things like natural disasters? What types can occur?
24.) What are some of the predominant modes of transportation?
25.) Do your characters travel around the world or to a different place at any point in the story?
26.) Are different backgrounds or cultures explored at all, whether through characters or locations? This can include different fads, fashions or slang specific to an area.
27.) Does social hierarchy play a huge role, i.e. cliques, clubs, clans, or other specific groupings or separations of people?
28.) Is clothing or fashion (whether individual or regional) ever used to convey important information about a person or place?
29.) Is the environment a character in-and-of-itself in this story, or is it inconsequential as far as the focus of character relationships goes?
FICTIONAL WORLD SETTINGS
30.) What kind of vegetation can be found in this world that might be considered unusual?
31.) Describe the seasons and weather?
32.) Are there special abilities, magic powers, or warped laws of physics in this world?
33.) What holidays are celebrated here?
34.) Are there any important political standards or practices?
35.) How about religious or spiritual beliefs?
REAL WORLD SETTINGS
36.) Is there a specific time period this story takes place in?
37.) What was it that drew you to a real world setting?
38.) Do you conduct lots of research for this setting, is it some place you are already familiar with, or is a vague enough locale to not require much background?
39.) Do you think it is more or less difficult to obey real world laws within a story?
SEMI-REAL WORLD SETTINGS
40.) What are the main differences between your setting and the real world?
41.) Conversely, what are the main similarities?
42.) If super-powers, magic or other abilities are part of what sets this world apart from real world, can you describe a few?
43.) Is your story an alternate past / alternate future / alternate universe / or something else entirely?
