Writerly Wednesday: Character of Characters

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I was recently asked what drew me to writing in the first place. When I really thought about it, I realized it all boiled down to character - the character of the characters.

For me, people move a story forward. Yes, they participate in scenes, actions, thoughts, and such. Some stories contain so much adventure and mystery that it's easy to get completely absorbed in the world of the characters. But, as a reader, without developing a relatable connection with the who of a character or
characters I lose interest. Therefore, I probably won't care what the story is about or where it's headed. 

This thought process lends lots of positive avenues, when I'm in the mist of developing the who of my characters. Their likes and dislikes, their hopes, dreams, and frustrations are what not only motivate them to progress in the story, but also move me to push them and explore the world I live in as well as the one I'm creating for them. 

So, to begin developing character within my characters I usually ask all or at least a combination of the following:

1. Conflicts - What is my character going to face that he/she would rather not?
2. Motivations - What motivates my character to move/change/change way of thinking?
3. Intentions - What are my characters inner and outer intentions?
4. Weakness - What weaknesses affect my character? How do these change his/her behavior both inwardly and outwardly? 
5. Fears - What frightens my character? What fears will not change his/her reaction to the world around them and what fears will? What is his/her greatest fear?
6. Quirks - What strange or unusual feature does my character possess? Is it a physical feature or an ideal? Maybe both. 
7. Perceptions - How does my character view his/her world at the beginning of the story? (include both public and private views) 
8. Foundation - What is the one thing this character will not ever bend on? What influenced them to be so steadfast in this belief that it has helped mold them into who they are at the story's starting point?
9. Likability - Would I like this character? Would we be friends?
10. Connections - Does this character remind me of someone in my life? Why and what about him/her does?

I ask that last two questions to help myself become better in tune with the character and who he or she really is. As the writer, I want my readers to believe the character is living and breathing off the pages. To do that, I must believe that as I write.

What questions do you ask yourself, while developing character?