Writing Trick

Two blog posts in one day, gasp!  I tried to resist but decided I couldn't.  I decided to share with y'all something I use to help me flesh out a character and really get to know who they are.  I don't include it in the book, of course-that would be weird-but I can really imagine the character afterward!  It's something I got off a thread on this forum website I go on, and while I filled it out myself, it's now something I use for my characters.  It's called Sixty Questions and Answers.  With your characters, basically you'll have to choose a random day in their life to fill it out from.  Maybe start with a day in your book, or start prior to when the first chapter begins.  Below is the blank form, and I'll also share one for my newest character.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
2. Diamonds or pearls?
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies?
4. What is your favorite TV show?

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
6. Favorite fruit?
7. Do you play any instruments?
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
9. What kind of car do you drive?
10. Favorite sandwich?
11. Aeropostale or Hollister?
12. Favorite item of clothing?
13. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go?
14. What color is your bathroom?
15. Favorite brand of clothing?
16. Where would you retire?
17. When was the last time you got a happy meal?
18. Favorite sport to watch?
19. Do you care if your socks are dirty?
20. Favorite kind of pie?
21. Where is the weirdest place you have slept?
22. Favorite saying?
23. When is your birthday?
24. Are you a morning person or a night person?
25. Favorite store?
26. Pets?
27. What did you want to be when you were little?
28. How are you today?
29. Carebears or Hello Kitty?
30. What is your favorite flower?
31. What's the next day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
32. Ice Cream or Frozen Custard?
33. Favorite Actor?
34. What was the last thing you ate?
36. Do you believe in Bigfoot?
37. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
38. Giraffes or Llamas?
39. McDonalds or Burger King?
41. Favorite candy?
42. Last book you read?
43. Favorite Color?
44. Siblings?
45. Favorite day of the year?
46. What was your favorite toy as a child?
47. Summer or winter?
48. Coke or Pepsi?
49. Chocolate or vanilla?
50. Where do you keep your spare change?
51. When was the last time you cried?
52. What is under your bed?
53. Who is the friend you've had the longest?
54. What did you do last night?
55. Favorite smell?
56. What are you afraid of?
57. What makes you laugh?
58. How many years at your current job?
59. Favorite day of the week?
60. Favorite book?

This is for Eleanora (I'm pronouncing it El-ee-uh-nor-uh) Baker, or as she's nicknamed, Lea.  She's in my short story "Dancing in the Rain".

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30 AM (I had ballet!)
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? The Amazing Spider-Man
4. What is your favorite TV show? Say Yes to the Dress and Once Upon a Time

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? fruit, toast, eggs
6. Favorite fruit? cherries
7. Do you play any instruments? nope.
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? All Things Bright and Beautiful ~ Owl City
9. What kind of car do you drive? Can’t drive yet.
10. Favorite sandwich? Grilled cheese
11. Aeropostale or Hollister? Aeropostale
12. Favorite item of clothing? My toe shoes
13. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go? London, England
14. What color is your bathroom? Um…pale green
15. Favorite brand of clothing? dELiA*s
16. Where would you retire? Someplace where I have regular access to ballet performances.
17. When was the last time you got a happy meal? Not sure.  It’s been awhile since we’re not supposed to eat junk food.
18. Favorite sport to watch? Gymnastics, swimming, and equestrian in the Olympics.
19. Do you care if your socks are dirty? Yes
20. Favorite kind of pie? Dutch apple
21. Where is the weirdest place you have slept? The trunk area of my family’s mini-van
22. Favorite saying? “Someday my prince will come.”
23. When is your birthday? August 3
24. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night person
25. Favorite store? dELiA*s
26. Pets? A cat named Charlie
27. What did you want to be when you were little? A ballerina, just like I do now.
28. How are you today? Tired.
29. Carebears or Hello Kitty? Neither, really, but I guess I’d have to say Hello Kitty.
30. What is your favorite flower? Iris
31. What's the next day on the calendar you are looking forward to? The dance at the performing arts festival on April 15
32. Ice Cream or Frozen Custard? Frozen custard
33. Favorite Actor? Emma Stone
34. What was the last thing you ate? Soup, a grilled cheese, and an apple for lunch.
36. Do you believe in Bigfoot? No way.
37. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red.
38. Giraffes or Llamas? giraffes
39. McDonalds or Burger King? Burger King
41. Favorite candy? Kit-Kats
42. Last book you read? The Scarlet Letter for school and Sense and Sensibility for enjoyment
43. Favorite Color? red
44. Siblings? A younger brother (he’s 13) and an older sister (she’s 17)
45. Favorite day of the year? I love, love, love the first day of school.
46. What was your favorite toy as a child? My ballerina Barbies
47. Summer or winter? winter
48. Coke or Pepsi? Coke
49. Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
50. Where do you keep your spare change? I’m not saying!
51. When was the last time you cried? When I watched A Walk to Remember with my big sister
52. What is under your bed? Under-the-bed boxes, mostly, but also some old newspapers, I’m betting and then also my box with extra toe shoes
53. Who is the friend you've had the longest? I met Avalon and Bailey on the same day
54. What did you do last night? Read, worked a little on homework, called and chatted with my cousin in Massachusetts
55. Favorite smell? My favorite lotion which smells like vanilla and sugar
56. What are you afraid of? Rejection, people who judge, roller coasters
57. What makes you laugh? My friends, a good sitcom, a good book
58. How many years at your current job? Just a couple weeks
59. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
60. Favorite book? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen