Talk about how all stories are about character's changing through time. Cinderella is not a story if she doesn't dream of going to the ball. No Wilbur, no story. Now,divide the class into partners and have them each create a character with a problem or goal on a piece of paper. Find out about your character by asking each other questions.
Students can do webs or simply list details and draw pictures.
Now each student gets to be their character for a minute or two in front of the whole class. Call it a press conference because the students will ask questions of the writer. Ask the students to avoid silly questions and focus on questions which tell more about the character and their problem. Encourage the follow-up question. As the students ask questions the character answers them and the teacher writes them down.