How to write fiction making up questions to help yourself to create characters

Characters…those little details. Ah, no, not details. Characters are the core of any story. What we can tell as minor details are all their tiny tics or ideas that have us go from the type to the individual. Let’s see how I tried and how you can go adding things you’re interested in, your friends, the things that matter to IG and that can be used to build up characters. So to say, let’s watch Seker the abstemious vampire who drinks tea with biscuits, being born.

1. Car they might posses (in case of having one)

Seker would have a Lambourghini (his circumstances in the story wouldn’t allow him to possess nothing as a fact)… Unfortunately, I’m zero car oriented thus to name a brand was (at the moment) quite eloquent. The idea comes from the fact that Sue Grafton describes a lot Kinsey Millhone’s car. It ain’t bullshit the idea is Instagramable since there are a lot of people who like cars and car’s photos are very attractive.

2. What do they clean their window shield with[1]?

Seker is quite proper and specially clean. He might have a special cabinet filled with micro fiber cloths in black, special waxes and detergents; intended for specific cases. Plus, he would vacuum the car every day and take it to the garage every six months.

3. What would they do in case on an unexpected burial*?

In Crimson Relish, the vampires can’t touch plants or flowers with their bare hands. Seker might sent someone to buy them or he’d buy them in wax. Preferably, someone else from Arisa. He always has a black suit with black shirt and matching black tie and black shoes. This is another IG characteristic for people don’t use to take selfies of themselves in the cemetery but a particular pic in zoom with an stone angel behind…

4. Were they to fall, would they feel embarrassed?

As a vampire, Seker has marvelous reflexes….except that his own mental state has him to fall or get hurt under pressure since he feels like a klutz. In case of forgetting this, it would be impossible. Given the case of stepping on a banana peel and falling –like in cartoons or old movies; his face would remain fixed whilst his inner self would have red ears. This is another IGable thing. Imagine your character on the floor! What about Tik Tok?

5. Whom do they call in case of sickness?

Arisa. No one else. Seker didn’t arrive to this world as an introvert. It’s the shame and embarrassment of being a “monster” what stops him to become friends with others. And yes, vampires will never get sick unless they don’t eat well. Seker, at avoiding feeding blood, is usually dizzy and his immune system might get in shock by ingesting blood by accident.

6. Where do they get their haircuts?

He doesn’t need to. His hair will always be the same shape and length.

7. Undies’ brand

Black. Armani or Boss. Medium size. The same way Arisa would buy a three cotton package or micro fiber together with a sports’ bra

8. Do they cook?

In lieu of my great inability to cook decently, I’d like all my characters cook well. Seker could…if he had to. Unlike Arisa and Nineveh, whom can just sit in front of the food. More IG. Photos of what we all do. What did I eat today?

9. What kind of music can you listen in their scenes?

Classic. Handel or Strauss plus a flash light of Stripped by Depeche Mode.

10. Can they sing?

Seker is so good at nullifying musicality, he is so proper and stiff that fun is out from his ammo.

11. Playlist?

I have recently met a girl whom creates playlists for her characters. Big-Choma puts together a list with the songs he listens to among the year… Music is something almost vital to our lives and can also be published in the Stories of IG. Seker would have Bach and Mozart in his playlist, besides Nick Cavendish.

12. Photograph of their bookshelves?

Nothing more sexy than peeking in someone else’s bookshelves. And book pics are popular. ¿Which are the favourite books of the character? Seker is fan of Paradise Lost by Milton.

13. What’s in their garden?

Truly beautiful and slightly toxic foxgloves? Adelfa? Tomatoes and roses. More to sell in IG, potos of the garden. Seker loves sunflowers.

14. Smartphone

Nothing more tell-tale tan an i-phone…Overpriced and snob or super chic. Seker owns a Galaxy. He doesn’t trust anything that doesn’t have anything in common to other brands.

As you can see, the details which make a character to be an individual; can be so different that you might find Macma biscuits side by side with the corner stand tacos plus Trueno undies. Criticise, share, have a nice time, subscribe, comment. Etc. I don’t think that my secret ambition for you to use this nonsensical questions would become true, unless you help a little.

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*[1] Another Sue Grafton’s characteristic. I think most of them come from her books.