From Denise Jaden’s Fast Fiction (also see Fast Fiction Printables).

Fast fiction: Speed drill

• I am…
• I live with…
• My main job is…
• I’m really good at…
• My mother thinks I…
• I hate it when I…
• I most admire…
• The last time I cried was…
• My favorite memory is…
• I wish I could be better at…
• My dad is…
• It makes me really angry when…
• The best gift I’ve ever been given is…
• I believe in…
• I love it when…
• My mother is…
• The most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me is…
• The thing I want most today is…
• My favorite book is…
• My dad thinks I…
• The best thing I’ve ever done is…
• My favorite thing about myself is…
• I feel guilty about…
• Three things I can’t live without are…
• What makes me laugh is…
• My favorite movie is…
• My biggest secret is…
• The worst thing I’ve ever done is…
• What I want most of all in life is…

Fast fiction: basics

• Full Name:
• Male or Female:
• Age:
• Education:
• Job:
• Likes:
• Dislikes:
• Strong or weak (1-10):
• Outgoing or shy (1-10):
• Short or tall:
• Detailed physical description:

Fast fiction: detail

• How does my character feel about him or herself?
• Will this be different at the beginning of my book than at the end?
• How does my character feel about his or her father?
• His or her mother?
• Does my character have any pets?
• How do they feel about their pets?
• What does my character want most in the world?
• What do they hope to avoid, above all else?
• What are five adjectives that would describe my character?
• What does my character do with his or her spare time?
• Do they have any hobbies?
• Does my character have special talents?
• Where does my character fall on the intelligence scale (1-10)?
• Where do they think they fall on the intelligence scale?
• What was my character’s most embarrassing moment?
• Proudest moment?
• Most hurtful moment?
• What is my character’s favorite movie?
• What’s their favorite music?
• Does my character have any bad habits?
• Any habits that annoy others?
• Who’s their best friend?
• Their worst enemy?
• What’s their dream job?
• Their dream vacation?

Fast fiction: exercises

• The power has just gone out at the worst possible time in your character’s life. Why is this the worst possible time? What does your character do?
• Your character looks in the mirror. What does he or she see? What does he or she like or dislike? (The reader doesn’t necessarily need to see this, but the author needs to know it.)
• An uninvited guest who will change his or her life shows up at your character’s door. Who is it, and what does your character say?
• If your character could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why? Take the character there. Is it what he or she expects?