Getting to Know Your Characters: Asking them the right questions

When writing, it's important to have a good sense of your characters as you compose a story, probably even before you begin. Though there are an incredible amount of ways to do this, most depending on the kind of writer you are, it helps to ask your character some basic questions.

These questions sound like they're off a cheesy "questions to ask on a date" site, but they can actually prove quite useful. Picturing your character outside the action in their normal life can help you stay true to them when writing. If you have a strong character, you should know the answer to these questions almost right away (even if your character is in a different world, a fantasy setting, or back in time, try tto place them in the situation where they could answer these questions.)

Questions for your characters:

1. Do you get up early, or do you like to sleep in?
2. What's your favorite time of day? Favorite season?
3. Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving?
4. Favorite meal of the day?
5. How do you spend a day off?
6. What are you most grateful for?
7. First memory?
8. If you could only spend the rest of your life with one person, who would it be?
9. Books or movies?
10. Do you or have you ever kept a journal?
11. Favorite color?
12. Ideal pet?
13. How many, if any, kids would you want? 
14. On vacation, do you generally like to sit on a beach relaxing or do something active/explore this new place?
15. Books or e-readers?
16. Planes, trains, or cars?
17. What is your favorite memory?
18. What are you most proud of?
19. Favorite subject in school?
20. What drink do you generally order at a bar?
21. Does the cold bother you?
22. If you a month to live, would you rather spend it seeing new things or revisiting places with memories?

This is just the beginning of what you could be asking your characters. Try finding a complete list of questions if your curious for more. Answer them as each of your important characters. Who knows, you could end up discovering something new about them!

What do you think of this list? Thoughts? Have any questions to add?