Engaging, memorable characters make the best stories. To achieve these awesome creations, writers must dive deep into their characters' personalities to bring them to vivid life in the readers' minds. To do that, writers must really know their characters and use intentional details about them in their writing for readers to latch on and relate to. We've all come across nice, detailed checklists and character dossiers to fill in similar to paperwork at the doctor's office--and those are useful--but how do we get deeper, tangible details that'll easily play into our stories and bring out our characters' psychology?

Well, how about some quirky questions? I go into more depth with each question on different blogs I've written, so check out the links if you want to get down and dirty. But, at a glance, see if you can answer these seemingly simple, but actually complex questions to reveal details about your MC:

1. What's her favorite mug? And what does she put in it? Hot cocoa, tea, coffee, Irish coffee?

2. Does she make her bed? I know... it sounds like such a random, useless detail, but like the rest of these questions, it reveals a lot about her.

3. What's in her car? What kind of car is it? How does she feel about her car? And... what does it mean to her?

4. What would she see if she stared out her window all day?

5. What is she waiting for? Everyone's waiting for something... come on, massive book deal... please...

6. What does she pack in her lunchbox?

7. Who are her peeps? *Peeps are the people she turns to in the event of an emergency

8. What's in her closet?

9. What's broken in her life? Her microwave? Relationships? Feelings of security?

10. What does she think about in the shower?

11. What sparks joy? *It's okay to be trendy. *Smirk

12. Has she ever received or given bad advice? How'd that turn out for her?

13. What are her hobbies?

14. How does she keep her home? Her desk? Her bathroom?

15. Has she ever given or received a romantic gift fail?

16. What's in her grocery cart?

17. What's her spirit animal?

18. What is she most sensitive about? Or... what's the easiest way to hurt her feelings?

19. What was her first job?

20. What was her first buy with her own money?

21. What does she desperately want to control, but can't?

22. What's her favorite Christmas movie? How does she deal with gremlins?

23. What's contradictory about her? Like... a beach girl who's afraid of the water.

24. Has she ever committed a petty crime?

25. What does she dream about? At night and in the daytime.

26. What's her security "blanket"?

27. What's her best comfort food?

28. What product would she endorse?

29. If she had a gathering, who would she invite?

30. Has she ever had an almost... something she really wanted that was just out of reach?

31. What does she view as essential in her life?

Can you add to this list? What crazy question do you think reveals a lot about your character? Share your ideas in the comments below.

Want more ideas? Click on any of those links or this one for everything... www.coffeebrained.com

Happy brainstorming and character creating!