Livvy asked Shannon A. Thompson:

How do you come up with interesting and realistic characters?

Shannon A. Thompson Great question! In all honesty, I think this is something writers have to figure out for themselves, because it has a lot to do with their writing process. As an example, I tend to start my novel with a particular scene/feeling rather than a character. (Probably because many of my novels are based off of dreams.) From there, I build the world, and once my world building starts to affect my characters, I begin to get to know them. When I start writing page one, I know little to nothing about my characters, but I listen to them. I let them grow into themselves, and sometimes, when they finally expose a secret about themselves on the last page, I know I will have to rewrite the entire manuscript to fit who they are. And that’s okay! Getting to know a character is a lot like getting to know a person. They open up slowly and on their own terms. Listening is important, researching to fully understand is important, and continuing to write is important. If you’re struggling to get to know your characters, try a character questionnaire. (There are a bunch of free ones online to try out.) These questionnaires cover backgrounds, secrets, situations, etc., so that you can essentially get to know your character outside of the book before you start. I have an app on my phone called “Character Planner” that includes one. It helps me take notes if something comes to me when I’m away from my computer. Good luck!

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