Character Interviews

I just posted an INTERVIEW with my main character. I started doing this when I received a 'questionnaire' on Facebook and decided to answer the questions from a character's point of view. Doing little tricks like these really helps me bring my character to life.


What is your full name?
- Sypherie Vix Quarter

Do you enjoy listening to music?
- On occasion. Music is hard to come by and the only way we can get anything decent is to illegally purchase smuggled homemade discs from independent bands.

What is your favorite mode of transportation?
- Honestly, walking. Sandporters often smell like Nomads and the noise from their engines would make you go deaf. I currently ride around in a Silverton C8. Its fun when it isn’t scary, but I think I can blame the pilot for that.

What do you hate the most about Nomads?
- Oh.. you mean besides the fact that they murdered my parents? Geesh! Where should I start? They stink, obviously, they also order us around and threaten us whenever we break a rule. And there are a ton of rules! I mean, how could anyone appreciate his or her oppressor?

Dilutes seem to like them.
- Is that a question?

Ok. What is your opinion of Dilutes?
- They are traitors; traitors to all other humans. They are willing to stomp all over us just to receive higher ranks under the Nomad rule. I mean, don’t they realize that they are STILL slaves to them?

What is your current job?
- I work as a crewmember for Captain Meyson. He is a Skyshipper.

What are your duties?
- Well, I help to do repairs on the ship, cook, load and unload supplies.

Is that all?
- That is all I’m going to tell you.

How did you learn to be a mechanic?
- From my father. He worked as a well miner. He taught me how to use a terradrill by the time I was 10. All those mining machines need repairs and such, so I was there to observe and help. I worked for him up until he died.

Do you have any hobbies?
- No, not really. I spend most of my free time sleeping. When I am not sleeping, I am working.

Do you have any parting advice for those who dream of working for a Skyshipper?
- Yes. Don’t work for a Dilute, don’t work on a Nomad ship, and for God’s sake, never ever work for Captain Meyson! The man is nuts!

Thank you for your time. I know it isn’t easy for you to step away from your busy day.
- Heh.. you have no idea.

what an awesome idea, Turkey. It really would help to flush them out and get to know them that much better.

I like collecting all of those questionnaires (Meme?) that I get, just so I can have the questions on hand if I need to do one of these. Thanks!

since i started writing, i created full lives for my characters and i keep them on recipe cards in a box... the type of music they like, where they've holidayed, foods they might not like, scars, parents and siblings... it really helped me to keep them straight in my head and know who they are, and it also gave me information to go back to further in, so it helped with continuity.

Looks like a good way to find out things about your characters with the questionaire, and you are truly organized with the recipe cards.

Very neat Turkey, and a neat character too. He has a snide sense of humor. Makes me think of another Harrison Ford role.

Sy had a tough day. First she finds that her parents were killed by the local species, outruns them back to town, passes out from the heat, escapes from the same species as they try to board the space ship she was on, and narrowly escaped some revolutionists who were shooting at her. Now she is face to face with a bad guy. Poor kid.

Oops! Sy, Shpherie, a she. I guess that means it would be a feminine form of Harrison Ford? Sounds like it's a romp. I love adventures.

I think you got that perfectly. She is definitely a Harrison Ford. :) I love adventures too.