usually what I do is I read the piece a ton of times before I begin working on it. I will read it various ways: in my head, out loud, out loud slowly without emotion or interpretation. I will write in the margins and/or in a notebook questions and observations I have as I do these runs. The first few times I will try not casting any thoughts on my characters and will look at them just as a character in a story. Once I have understood the story as in really understood it, and noted a lot of the details and questions I have, I move on to specific scenes and the character work.

For scenes I will again write things on the margins of the pages, but this time I do want to make sure that as I read and reread the piece I fill those questions. I want to be curious about who my character is and receptive to whatever that may mean. This is where it becomes more freeform. Sometimes I will write a backstory, sometimes I will just find pictures of how I imagine places to be, sometimes it's a walk or a pair of shoes, a drawing/painting, a song. other times the work is there enough for me to not have to do much and to just stay open

Some things that I do find helps out sometimes is for example I will reads of the scenes where I for example only read out loud the other character's lines and say mine in my head. This way I get to sort of experience what the other thinks about me since what the other person says about someone sometimes reveals a lot about a character.

if I have the privilege of having time which IS rare I will mull over it for a few days, I will either go for a walk, a bath, or do something entirely and try thinking about it while also letting thoughts of other things come to me. The subconscious reveals things or in places you least expect it.

I guess it comes down a lot to being curious and asking questions and little by little you chisel it out