When writing a novel, how can a character be developed well, but QUICKLY?

“About wearing more clothes? How am I supposed to catch any fish if I don’t show off the bait?”

“It’s not looking at you.”

“No way.”

What measures do celebrities take to protect their images from being used for commercial purposes without permission? How much does this typically cost them?

“Perv.”

After Eunice and I finished London Under Veil, I entered the first chapter in a contest at a convention where you could submit something and have it critiqued by a professional book agent.

“Tart!”

Is there a reason why many men give up on dating and relationships? Is the dating scene difficult for them?

Doing something they enjoy, that expresses their personality, and that is in some way unusual or noteworthy;

Claire, one of May’s three flatmates, former university roommate, and best friend in all the world, shrugged expansively. “It’s a Saturday night. What else would I be doing?”

“No, about the cat. You don’t need a cat. You remember what happened to your spider plant, right?”

If the world was flat, would it be possible to see Mount Everest if it was on the other side of the Earth on a clear sunny day?

“I’m just a fan of your catch and release program.”

Essentially, what you do is show the character:

“From the look of you, if you try to sleep now, you’ll spend the next three hours hanging onto your bed trying to stop the world spinning. Since you’re not going to sleep anyway, you might as well keep me company.”

How do I seduce a maid for sex?

“They are! He broke the rules of the boarding house by petting this character while she was in cat form, so they invoke the ancient rules of single combat via ping-pong, and—”

They both burst out laughing. “I’m right, though,” Claire went on.

“Exactly.”

As a friend of Megan's who also watches Suits, would you advise her not to return to the show in order to protect her character's reputation?

“Number one, it’s not porn, it’s ecchi, and number two, why would I waste a perfectly good Saturday doing anything else?” Claire pulled at her tea and sighed. “The only thing that could make this day better is if you'd come home with some cute boy, so that after you kicked him out tomorrow I could live vicariously through you.”

May studied the black and white comic panels. “Oh, my. She looks…anatomically implausible. What is she doing to that poor man? Wait, are those cat ears?”

“I try not to, but thank you for reminding me. I know I don’t need a cat. I don’t want a cat. What would I do with a cat?”

What a list actors/ actresses are notorious for being jerks in real life?

“It’s a cat. All cats are weird.” May sipped from her mug, inhaling the warmth. She closed her eyes. The room spun. She opened them again. “Ugh. I think I drank too much.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m serious!” Claire said. “It’s staring straight at me.” She let the curtain fall. “Weird.”

Who has experienced what they called a happy accident (bestiality)?

“None of those either. Look upon the wasteland that is my sex life, and see that it is barren. Naught but a moggie followed me home.”

“Nope, I mean a cat followed me home. A black cat, to be exact. All the way from the club. Probably still out there, for all I know.”

Engaging in conversation that also shows something about their intelligence, personality, wit (or lack thereof); and

Could some kind lady post me a photo of her hairy spread pussy? It has become extremely difficult to find new amateur photos and I would be infinitely grateful.

“Yep!” Claire chirped. “There’s this schoolboy, see, and he’s homeless, so he lives in this boarding house that used to be a hot springs bathhouse, which is cheap because it’s haunted, so he decides—”

“I’m glad my sex life is so entertaining.”

“Claire, I—”

How can I be okay with being ugly? What is the bright side?

“Claire! Why are you still up?”

Here’s how we presented the character Claire when she was introduced, which the agent particularly singled out:

“I don’t know. Partying. Going to a pub. Anything besides sitting on the couch reading…” She squinted. “What the hell are you reading?”

Is there any evidence to support the existence of people who have experienced "gangstalking"? Or is it a psychological phenomenon?

“You don’t need a cat. You can’t take care of a cat. You can’t take care of a ficus.” Claire flopped on the other side of the sofa and wriggled her feet beneath May.

“Yes way. It’s washing itself under the street light. Uh-oh, I think it spotted me. It knows I’m watching it. I swear it’s looking at me.”

“May! You’re home late! Early, I mean. Well, I mean, it’s early in the morning, but you’re home before I expected. Er, after. Before?”

What are some ways to cope with paranoid thoughts about being gangstalked or targeted individuals?

“I’ll put the kettle on.”

“But they’re cold!”

“Well, maybe if you’d wear more clothes, they wouldn’t feel so cold. Hussy!”

Why did McLaren hope that the Ferrari pair would pit twice during the Italian Grand Prix?

“Fine.” May collapsed into the warm spot Claire had just vacated.

The agent had only one bad thing to say (the synopsis was crap; writing synopses is hard!), but praised the characterization and particularly how well we introduced a character’s personality quickly.

“Thanks. You’re looking pretty ratty yourself. Have you been in that bathrobe all day?”

I took a video of my serve (60 FPS) and it took 0.4 seconds from my racket to the service line. How fast would you say my serve was?

“I need to do laundry.”

“Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs!” Claire turned the book around.

“Damn straight. So get to it! This time next week, I want to hear some moans coming through that wall.”

What do you think, TikTok is nothing but another porn site? Do you agree or not? Why?

“Cute girls?”

Create a context between this character and other characters.

“You need some tea!”

Why do you think Filipinos are conservatives?

In the kitchen, Claire set out a battered pair of mugs: May’s black, with “PEBKAC: Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair” in white letters; Claire’s white, with “This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays” in dark blue. She carried both mugs into the living room. “A moggie followed you home? Is this some weird Internet slang I’m not current on?”

“Why is that always your first suggestion? I do not need some tea. It’s three o’clock in the morning! If I have tea, I’ll never get to sleep.”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t spend all day reading—” May prodded the book with its garishly-coloured cover with her foot. “Bizarre comic book porn…”

May yelped. “Hey! Your feet are cold!”

“I know! That’s why I’m putting them under you!”

May pushed Claire’s feet away. Claire rose to peer out the window. “Huh. It’s still there.”

“Nary a cute boy in sight.”

“You know what? Never mind,” May said. “I am way, way too drunk to be having this conversation.”

Claire sat back down, legs tucked elegantly beneath her. “You are looking a bit sloppy,” she said, inspecting May through narrowed eyes.

“Hang on, are they playing ping-pong?”

“So you didn’t meet any cute boys at the club tonight?” Claire called as she bustled about the small kitchen.

Do that and you can ground your characters quite quickly.