How to get to know your character for fiction.

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I've been a writer for about ten years now, and this is an exercise I've used a few times in various pieces to get to know my characters. The vital statistics. Sometimes this doesn't work, or there are things that won't come out until later. Sometimes the character won't tell you what they're like at all, and decide instead to surprise you at the most vital moment and screw up the story so that you have to rewrite entire sections. However, when it does work, it's very useful as a reference list. First off - The basics. Their name, their age. Sometimes it's useful to know when they were born too, at least what season. If you're writing historical fiction, or character fiction it can be very useful. Hair colour, hair style, eye colour - all help in description of the character. It also means you can go back and make sure you have the right colour and won't confuse the readers. Distinguishing features - do they have tattoos? scars? Is their nose hooked or has it been broken? All these could give allusions to their lives before your book or things for people to notice about them. The foods they like or dislike. The clothes they wear. These can also help get to know the characters. Their hobbies, their build, the way they like their coffee. Anything that helps you get into the character's head will help. Of course - you don't have to (and in some cases probably shouldn't) share all this information in the book unless it's a life story but knowing the character, living the character through your exploration helps immensely in making a believable, well rounded character. Have you ever tried this sort of exercise for getting to know your character? How did it go? and if not, would you try it?