One of the most important characters in your story is your Main Character(s) (MC). They are the primary driving force behind the narrative. They are the one(s) the reader will follow throughout the story. The MC is the thread that holds everything together.
There are many questions you should try to ask yourself when developing your MC. It's ok if you can't answer all of them. Aim for as many as possible.
These questions can ultimately be summarized as:
Who is my Main Character?
Sounds simple enough, right? Well...maybe not...
Let's start with the easy ones -
What is their full name?
--You might never share their middle name in the story, but names can reveal a lot about a person.
How old are they?
--This might seem obvious, but it's important. A child has different decision-making skills to a middle-aged adult. A teenager might be more emotional due to the changes affecting their bodies, and their ongoing brain development. (Did you know that the human brain is not fully developed until our mid-20s? Or that adults think using different parts of their brains to teenagers?)
What is their gender identity?
--Are they male, female, neither, both, non-gender conforming, trans, non-binary, or gender fluid?
Are they human?
--If not, what are they? This is High Fantasy, after all!
What do they look like?
--Some writers find it useful to choose a 'face-claim', which is a person (usually a celebrity) who fits your image of your character. Others create whole Pinterest boards of different images! Both of these options are useful when you're trying to figure out how to describe an aspect of your character. Staring at a photo for a while can really help!
Do they have a love interest?
--What sexuality does your MC identify as?
Do they have any disabilities?
--These could be visible (e.g. an amputated limb) or invisible (e.g. autism)
--How does this affect the story?
--For example: Percy Jackson has both ADHD and dyslexia, because he is a demi-god with 'battlefield reflexes' and his brain is wired to read Ancient Greek
Can they use magic?
--If so, what type?
--What is their current level? (Are they highly trained, or unaware of their abilities? Are they a natural, or do they have to work hard to achieve simple spells?)
What pet(s) do they have?
--What animal(s) are they?
--Are they magical creatures?
--What are their names?
--Do they have any special abilities?
With us so far? Let's get a bit trickier...
Are they rich or poor?
--This can influence a lot of their thought-processes and decision making.
--A character who comes from a food-insecure background might hoard their food, or eat with their arms wrapped around their plate in case someone steals it. This might continue even once they discover their true identity as the lost royal and move into the palace! (The servants and nobles would probably all be very concerned...)
--A member of nobility, however, might not realize their privilege and make off-hand comments like 'why don't you ask your maid to help you?' or 'just take the horse and carriage instead of walking'. They're not purposefully being insensitive, they've just never known life without these things.
What is their relationship with others like (parents, siblings, neighbors, spouse, etc)?
--Again, this will affect their behavior in a lot of ways.
--A character with an abusive parent might flinch at loud noises, or be hyper-vigilant. They might abhor drinking and drugs due to how it impacted their family.
--Characters who were an only child will behave differently to ones who grew up with five brothers and/or sisters. The gender of their siblings will make a difference too. It can be useful to look up the behavior associated with being the oldest child versus middle or youngest. There's often a kernel of truth in there!
--If your character is introverted, they might not have a good relationship with their neighbors (they might appear aloof). This could affect their support system if they're too shy to ask for help.
What is their job?
--Do they work indoors or outdoors?
--Is it more physical or academic?
--How well do they get paid?
--If they're a student, what's their favorite subject?
What are their hobbies?
--What do they do to de-stress?
--How do they spend their free time?
--Whether they're a knight who likes to sew, or a battle-mage who paints flowers, this can add a lot of depth to your character.
What was their family set-up growing up?
--Did they have two parents, a single parent (mother or father?), raised by their grandparents, did they have lots of extended family, were they an orphan?
--Was their childhood happy?
--What is their favorite childhood memory, and why?
--What is their worst, and why?
--Who were they closest to in their family (if anyone)?
Who do they live with now?
--With their parents, a spouse, friends, pets, alone?
--Who do they talk to after a long day?
Alright, time to really dig deep into your MC...
What role do they play at the start of the story?
Do they hold any political influence or power?
Do they have a religion?
--Are they a strong believer?
What is their goal and their motivation?
--You need to decide what the MC is trying to achieve and why.
--Are they trying to find riches to give their spouse the life they always wanted?
--Are they searching for a cure for the curse placed upon their child?
--Are they trying to bring honor to their family name?
What is their conflict?
--If they can easily achieve their goal, then there's no story! What is stopping them?
--Are they like Bilbo Baggins, dreaming of their comfortable house and garden?
--Or are they Boromir, torn between duty to the Fellowship and duty to their country?
--Perhaps they struggle with low self-esteem and jealousy like Ron Weasley?
Of course, these questions aren't an exhaustive list. Some writers might prefer to look at even more aspects of their MC, others might prefer to answer fewer questions. Zodiac signs and personality tests also can provide some ideas. Each writing journey is perfectly valid, this is hopefully just a suggestion for those who aren't quite sure where to start.
Are there any essential questions we've missed? What are the top three things you ask yourself when creating your MC?