Assessment: Character Biography Rubric Tips and Questions

Creating a Full Life for the Character

Assessment: Character Biography Rubric

Choose a character in a play on which to write a complete character biography. Using the text as your guide write a creative telling of what we don’t know about the character. These answers are not all in the text, it is up to you to create them. When writing a character biography you are to create a full life for the character. The bio should be written in first person- take on the persona of the character and give information that is not in the play. It asks you to be creative. Here is a list of 100 questions that you can refer to when creating a character biography. You do not need to answer every single question, use the questions as a jumping off point to discover the inner truths of the character you have selected. Again, these answers are not all in the text, it is up to you to create them. Have fun. Be creative. Become a storyteller. Character biography should be 4-5 pages double spaced in length.Have fun. Be creative. Become a storyteller.

Remember to write in the first person. Become the character.

Who are you talking to?
What is your relationship with that person? 
What do you want in life? What is your intelligence? 
What are your strengths? Weaknesses? 
What makes you Happy? Sad? Laugh? Afraid? Nervous? Tense? Giddy? Complacent? Peaceful? Obsessive? Insecure? Love? Hate? Trust? Desire? Smile? Forget? 
What is your lifestyle?
What is a typical day like?
What other objectives could you have? 
What are brother/sister names? 
Where are they now?
What’s relationship like with them?
What’s relationship to person you are talking to? Who are you talking to? 
Where did you grow up?
What type of neighborhood? 
Where else have you lived? What do you like better? Why? Where would you love to live? Where would you like to visit? 
Who are your parents? What do they do? What were they like when you were a child? What are they like now? Where are they now? What is your relationship with each one of them like? 
What is your secret?
What are you hiding? 
Covering up? What makes you feel safe? 
What is your most embarrassing moment?
What do you regret?
What is your favorite restaurant?
What is your favorite home cooked meal?
What is the biggest grudge you have ever held?
What is the best moment that you have had so far in your life? What is the worst moment you have ever had in your life? Where did you go to college? Major? Go to class or skip? Happy or unhappy with outcome? What was campus like?
Best memory/ worst memory?
Night you wish you could remember? 
Thoughts on Sex? Drugs? Alcohol? Cigarettes? Abortion? Death Penalty? Athletes and Steroids? 
What are your 3 best qualities? What are your 3 worst qualities? Who do you look up to?
What is your religion? Do you really believe it or are you forced or habitual? What are your morals?
What is the best thing you have ever done for a person? What did you do that most wronged a person?
What is the best job you ever held? Worst Job?
Job you would most like to attempt? Job you would least like to attempt?

While you don’t need to answer every question, it is important for you to be descriptive and detailed. Write in the first person. Get to the heart and soul of the character.