Fairy Tail Engine

Character Building

Answer these questions to develop your character notes. If you can’t answer a question come back to it later. Some questions are asked more than once in various ways. Practice answering them again using other words.

Your hero

The hero is the main character in your story and is on a quest of some sort. There are two kinds of heroes that we tend to remember. There are larger than life heroes who lead extraordinary lives filled with great feats. Maybe their accomplishments are surprising but their greatness is evident early on and it is no surprise that they should be the ones to step in and accomplish great deeds when no one else can. The larger than life hero lives for the glory that comes from his great accomplishments. Then there is the reluctant hero. This hero may have hidden talents that are only revealed when pushed to reveal them. Even this hero himself never imagined that he would ever do great things. His accomplishments are a surprise to everyone. Unlike the larger than life hero, he doesn’t want to go on the quest but reluctantly sees that the task is for him alone.

Deciding which kind of hero to use for your story is to decide which hero you admire most. The larger than life hero of our fantasies is fun to pretend to be. However the reluctant hero is the hero we hope we can be when we are pressed by circumstances confronting us. The questions about your hero’s are designed to give him some background – a history that took place before the quest began. Revealing background about your hero in subtle ways can make your character seem more realistic and can establish why he/she should be on this quest as opposed to anyone else. Remember the quest your hero is on is special and your hero is special for taking it on. No one else can accomplish the tasks before him. That’s what makes heroes unique.

1. Who is your hero?

2. What doe he/she look like?

3. Does he/she have special powers? What are they?

4. Is your hero male or female?

5. Is your hero an adult or child? What age?

6. List three adjectives that describe your hero.

7. How is your hero like you?

8. How is your hero different than you?

9. How is your hero like most people?

10. How is your hero different than most people?

11. What are your hero’s favorite things?

12. What are your hero’s hobbies?

13. How do others see your hero?

14. Was your hero always heroic?

15. Are your hero’s heroic qualities hidden or apparent to others?

16. If hidden, when and how will they be revealed?

17. If apparent, how and when did his heroic qualities become apparent to others?

18. Give examples of his heroism?

19. What does your hero fear?

20. What does your hero like most?

21. What are your hero’s strengths?

22. List two more adjectives that describe your hero.

23. What are your hero’s weaknesses?

24. Does your hero change through the story? How?

25. What makes your hero heroic?

26. Give another example of his heroism.

27. Where does your hero come from?

28. What is your hero’s job?

29. Who does your hero work for?

30. Who works for your hero?

31. Does your hero have siblings or parents?

32. Are the siblings older or younger than your hero?

33. Describe his relationship with them.

34. Does your hero have parents?

35. Is there anything special about the way your hero was born or where he came from?

36. Who are your hero’s closest friends?

37. Why are they close?

38. Describe something funny that once happened to your hero.

39. Describe something dramatic that once happened to your hero.

40. How did your hero get his/her special qualities?

41. How is your hero similar to your villain?

42. What does your hero realize at the end of the story?

43. What is your hero’s greatest desire?

44. What will fulfilling this desire do for your hero?

45. What are your hero’s least attractive qualities?

46. Why should readers like your hero?

47. Why do we want to see him win?