Character Interviews (Method Mondays)

    Today's Method Mondays post is on (as the title probably suggests) character "interviews". This is something I suggest doing if you're trying to flesh out a character and make them seem more three-dimensional. Sometimes characters just stroll into a story, nearly fully developed, and there's little work to be done. Other times, you need a specific character for a specific reason, but they just won't develop beyond the function you needed them for. That's when this kind of thing comes in handy.
    I find the interview format helps more than just your run-of-the-mill jotting down of their history, personality, what have you, because it allows you to figure out all of that stuff, but it lets the character tell you in their own voice. This can be especially helpful if you're writing in first-person from their point of view, but it's equally helpful if you aren't, since, chances are, the character is going to have dialogue at some point in the story, and getting to develop their voice before you start writing helps prevent them from ending up sounding the same as other characters.
    I thought I'd jot down some basic questions that I use when I do something like this. You can also easily find lists of 100+ questions, but I find those a bit overwhelming when you're just starting off with a character, so I'll list 25 But please, let me know if you have questions I could add to the list or you want an expanded list from me, and I'll be happy to do that!

1. What's your name?
2. Are you named after anyone?
3. Do you like your name? Would you change it, and what to?
4. How old are you?
5. How old do you feel?
6. How would you describe your appearance?
7. How would you describe your personality?
8. Are you an introvert or extrovert?
9. Are you religious?
10. What do you do? (for a job, study, etc)
11. Do you like what you do?
12. What would your dream job be?
13. What's your family life like? (siblings, parents, pets, etc)
14. Do you have a lot of friends?
15. Are/were you romantically involved with or interested in anyone?
16. What are your hobbies?
17. What are your favourite foods? Do you get to eat them often? (this can tie into family life, social status, and world-building!)
18. How would you describe your clothing style? Is it considered normal for someone like you? Does it differ from what you actually wear, and if so, why? (again, more world-building!)
19. Do you have any opinions that would be considered controversial? (this is a good opportunity for world-building as well!)
20. Who inspires you the most? Is it someone famous (either real-world or within the world of the novel), a parent, a sibling, a friend?
21. What are your best and worst memories? (also, what was the best/worst day of their life)
22. What is your biggest fear?
23. What/who do you care most about? What lengths would you go to for them?
24. What is one thing you've never told anyone before?
25. Is there anything you don't like to admit to yourself?

    Of course, these aren't the only good questions to ask, nor should they be the only questions you ask. This list is very flexible; for example, if your character "says" something interesting you want to more about, add more questions to expand on that point. What you want to do is learn as much as possible about your character, and learn it in their voice so you know what that sounds like too.
    As always, thanks for reading! If you have any questions about this post, or you have recommendations for stuff I can add to it, or if you have any recommendations for a future post, don't hesitate to comment here or contact me on Twitter!

Filling Up Your Tank - Why Writers Have to Be Readers First (Method Mondays)

    If I'm honest, the past few months I've been in a huge writing rut. I haven't been writing consistently, and when I dedicate time to it, I don't get much, if anything, done. I'd been busy all the time, and in the evenings when I finally had the time to write, I didn't want to. It felt like a chore, and I just didn't feel motivated.
    Recently, though, I started making sure I took the time to read as often as possible. Preferably daily, although that isn't always realistic for my schedule. Once I started doing that, I started feeling that itch to write again. It wasn't something I had to sit down and force myself to do. It was something I found myself making time, and more importantly, wanting to make time to do.
    Don't get me wrong, self-care and relaxation are vitally important. I'm not suggesting you should work an entire day and then come home and write until you pass out. That's not sustainable, and it's not healthy.
    What I am trying to get at, though, is the realization I came to that I wasn't writing if I wasn't reading. It isn't that I'm copying another author's work, far from it. What I'm reading has nothing to do, content-wise, with what I'm currently writing. But if I'm not reading anything, I'm not writing anything either.
    I just want to ask a simple question: who are you writing for? Most likely, you're writing so people will read it. You're writing for readers, and it's likely you're writing for yourself. Toni Morrison's quote sums this up better than I could: "If there is a book you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."
    As a writer, if you're reading, you're learning. Even if you don't open a book thinking, "I'd like to look at how this author uses dialogue", you'll absorb it. You learn more by doing it, sure, but you can't start to learn by doing unless you see it done. The Stephen King quote I used at the top of this post describes this well. You really can't be an amazing writer unless you read amazing writers. Just like you wouldn't meet a famous actor who doesn't watch movies or TV to learn from other actors, you wouldn't meet a writer who can't give you the name of at least one other writer who inspired them or made them want to be a writer.
    One of the biggest things I find, for me, is that when I'm not reading I lose the passion to write. I forget why I'm writing, why it's so important to me to put words on a page and someday send them out into the world. If I'm not reading and feeling the emotion that comes with being really moved by a story, then I don't remember why I write: so I can tell a story that moves people.
    No time spent reading is ever wasted. If you've hit a writer's block that you can't push through, sit down and read for a while. Chances are, a switch will flip somewhere in your brain and you'll be able to write again. And if it takes a little longer, well, that's fine too, because now you get to read a great book!