#brainstorming tool

If they died, how would their death impact the story? ---How would it impact specific characters? ------Family, friends, enemies, lovers, etc.} ---Would it have a positive or negative impact? ------On what/who?

If they actually die, how would the story change if they lived? ---How would it impact specific characters? ------Family, friends, enemies, lovers, etc. ---Would it have a positive or negative impact? ------On what/who?

If they never existed to begin with, how would the story be different? ---What would/wouldn’t happen without them?

What is a major decision they make? ---How does it impact the plot? ---How does it impact other characters?

What is a decision they could make that would derail everything? ---Would it ruin or save someone/something?

What is a (seemingly) minor decision they make? ---How does it impact the plot? ---How does it impact other characters?

What is something they did in the past that changed them or the story?

What are their relationships with other characters? ---Who do they care about? ---Who cares about them? ---Who do they love? (platonic or romantic) ---Who loves them? (platonic or romantic) ------Why? What about them? ---Who do they dislike or hate? ------Why? What about them? ---Who hates them? ------Why? What about them? ---How do those relationships change throughout the story?

What motivates them the most? ---How does this impact their actions? ---How does this impact how others view them? ---What do they do to move the plot forward? ---Does it impact specific characters or many people?

Do they have a major influence on the plot? ---Are their decisions mostly minor? ------Why? What are some decisions that could have more impact?

What would break them? ---Why? ---Has it always been something that would break them or something that developed over time? ---How severely would it break them? ---How long would it take for them to recover? (if they can recover)

What do they want the most? ---Why? ---Have they always wanted it? ---Is it something they can ever get / achieve? ------If they can, how so? ---What would they do to get it? ------How far would they be willing to go?

What memories stick with them the most? ---Which is the best? ---Which is the worst? ---Which are the most ‘insignificant’ / small ---What is their first memory of success / happiness? ---What is their first memory of failure / rejection? ---What memory do they think of most often? ------Is it good or bad? ---What memory haunts them the most? ---What memory do they look back on the most fondly?

What do they tell other people? ---What do they not share with others? ------Why? ---What do they intentionally hide? ---What would they share if asked? ---What do they share with others? ------Why? ---How often do they share? ---Do they share intentionally or unintentionally?

What do they pretend to care about? ---Why? ---To who?

What do they pretend not to care about? ---Why? ---To who?

What do they lie about? ---Why? ---Is it something they’ve always lied about? ------If not, why did it change?

What would they say about other people if they weren’t there to hear it? (compared to what they say to their face)

How do they connect to those around them?

How do they feel about (romantic) relationships?

How do they feel about others around them? ---Do they genuinely like them or only pretend to? ---What kind of people do they like / want to be friends with? ------Do they have those types of people in their life? ---What kind of people do they not like? ------How do they deal with said people?

How do others see them? ---Why? ---Is it positive, negative, or in between? ------Does it vary from person to person?

How many friends do they have versus how many do they want to have? ---If they want more, why? ---If they want more, what prevents them from having more friends?

How do they portray themselves? ---Is it true to their real selves? ------Why or why not? ---Has it changed over time? ------How? ------Why? ---How does it compare to how they genuinely view themselves? ------Is it very different or is it similar? ---Do they prefer the person they portray to the person they really are? ---How does it compare to how others view them? ------Is it very different or is it similar? ---Do they know the difference between the person they portray and their true selves? (if any)

Who do they idolize the most? ---Why? ---Are they close with them? ---Is their view of them accurate? ------If not, how would finding out impact them?

Who has the biggest impact on their life? ---Is it someone they know in the current or knew in the past?

Who do they hate / would hate the most?

What makes them different from who they would love?

What about themself do they not like?

How would they tell someone good news?

How would they tell someone bad news?

How would they tell someone no?

How do they react to different situations? ---How do they react to good news? ---How do they react to bad news? ---How do they react to getting something they want? ---How do they react to losing something? ---How do they react to success? ---How do they react to failure? ---How do they react to being told no? ------Does it depend on who is saying it?

How do they communicate without words? ---How do they ‘show not tell’ their emotions? (Example: furrowing brow when frustrated) ---What are their ‘tells’ for lying? ---Do they show clear body language? ------What type? ------How often?

How do they express themselves? ---Why? ------Have they always done it that way?

If they could not speak, how would they express their thoughts / feelings to others?

What are their main personality traits? ---How do these traits impact them? ---How do these traits impact others? ---What do others think about them ---What traits do they like? ---What traits do they dislike? ------Would they want to change them? ------Why do they dislike them? ---How do their personality traits turn into flaws? (ex: Loyalty→blind trust / following) ---How do their strengths impact them?

Can their flaws be addressed / worked on? ---Will their flaws be resolved or improved on?

What do they want to change about themselves?

How does their past impact them? ---How often do they think about the past? ------Is it positive or negative? ---Are they happy with their past? ---What would they want to change about it? ---Do they dwell on it or try to move on? ------If they want to move on, are they successful? What kind of discipline did they have growing up? ---How do they reflect that? ---Are they happy with the amount they received?

Who raised them or influenced them the most? ---How do they reflect that?

Do they learn from the past / previous mistakes?

If they have trauma, how do they deal with it? ---In what ways do they cope / try to cope? ---Are they willing to work on it, or do they just want to forget it?

What are their speech patterns? (Volume, hand motions, speed, etc.)

What was/is their deepest disillusion? ---Why do they have that disillusion? ---How long have they had that disillusion? ---Do they lose it or does it stay throughout the story?

What are some of their strange habits?

What do others think of them?

Where would they want/not want to live? ---Why?

What are their sleeping patterns? ---Does it depend? ---Has it changed over time?

What is something they’re ashamed of?

What is something they’re proud of?