How to Write A Book: Characters

They’re not characters. They’re people. Ask them who they are. Ask them why they never wear button-up shirts.
Ask them their favorite ice cream flavor. If they get headaches and on what side of their head. If it’s pressure or stabbing pain.
Be their doctor. Take their blood pressure. Do they ever donate blood? Why? Why not?
Can they swallow pills without food, without water?
Which muscles are sore?
How do they pet cats?
Do they believe dogs should sleep on the bed?
Do socks annoy them?
Were they born with any health problems?
You’re their therapist. You’re their partner. You know what they like in bed, what they’ll never try, what they tried once. You know about the times they were used for their body and enjoyed it. You know about the times they were used for their love and hated it.
You are not their creator. You’re just channelling them, for a moment. You’re not telling them who they are. You’re listening.
Do they like water? Will they swim in an ocean, but not a lake? Do they grow plants? Do they like to garden? Did their father work in landscaping, and now they can’t stand the idea of working with their hands?
Did they learn an instrument as a kid? Did they want to? Were they forced?
Is there a song that annoys them because they were forced to play, over and over?
Do they have any scars? From bike riding? From chopping vegetables? From being hit? From falling? From a sibling? From climbing? Did they fall from a tree and bite their lip on the way down?
Do they like the taste of cold water, or do they prefer room temperature? Do they enjoy hot soups on a hot day? Do they sweat to cool down?
Do they put hard-boiled eggs in their salads?
Do they like crunchy or sticky rice? Do they eat fried food? What do they eat when they have no money? Do they boil noodles? Do they have canned tuna?
Have they ever been to jail? Why?
Did they believe something as a child that they no longer believe? Did they have a favorite parent? Is that still their favorite parent?
They’re not characters; they’re people with histories–changing opinions, changing hearts.
How do they act when they’re drunk? Hung over? Do they speak any other languages? Do they have a favorite flower? A favorite dress? A favorite photo? Do they have any pictures of their cousins? With a celebrity?
How many bathrooms were in their childhood home? Did anyone die there? Was anyone born there? Have they ever taken care of someone very old, or very young?
Have they ever had a parasite, a tick, a tapeworm? Have they ever had a jellyfish sting? Have they ever had poison ivy? Been to a party where the point was to get a disease?
Do they wear contacts? Do they like the color of their own eyes? What’s their favorite body part? If a fish were to hit them, where would it land? Do they have long or short arms? Is it hard to buy pants or jackets?
What’s their favorite pizza topping? If someone has dietary restrictions, are they considerate? Do they smoke inside? Do they think it’s sexy when a woman wears red lipstick? Do they shield themselves from the sun? Do they wear insect repellant? Have they ever had a sip from a hose?
Do they like BBQ sauce? Cheese? Olives? Cilantro?
Have they ever laughed at a 9/11 joke?
Do they laugh when nervous? Do they laugh when scared? Do they hide; do they avoid confrontation? Have they ever pretended to be asleep when they weren’t? Have they ever gone through another person’s phone, and why? Have they ever pretended to be someone else? Have they ever stolen money?
These are just some questions to ask your characters, to encourage them to come out from behind the veil, to write your book.