How do you get to know someone? But really get to know them, beyond the surface level things like where they grew up, what they do for work, and what hobbies they enjoy?
Finding ways to get to know someone is especially important for writers. Whether you're interviewing someone for an article or book or interrogating your fictional characters as a characterization exercise, knowing people will inevitably make you a better writer.
One well-tested method to get to know someone is the Proust Questionnaire. Notably taken by French novelist Marcel Proust twice, it provides the perfect framework to better understand the deep motivation of a person.
In this article, we'll look at the origins of the Proust Questionnaire, look at memorable examples of its use among celebrities, and then we'll look at how to use it to better understand your characters.
Finally, we'll use a creative writing exercise to put these thirty-five questions to use in our writing.
The Origin of Proust's Questionnaire
In the late nineteenth century, lists of questions were a popular diversion designed to discover new things about old friends. They were similar to the lists of questions that get passed around social media.
Marcel Proust, the soon-to-be novelist and essayist, was just fourteen years old when he first filled out the questions in a confession album (a kind of bound journal with prompts) titled “An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, etc.” He must have enjoyed it, because he filled it out again six years later at the age of twenty.
Proust, who grew up among the French elite, had his answers discovered after his death in the belongings of his friend Antoinette Faure, the daughter of French President Félix Faure. That wasn't the end, though, because, in 2003 the album with Proust's answers were auctioned for €102,000.
Not bad for a parlor game!
Example: Vanity Fair's Proust Questionnaire
The Proust Questionnaire has frequently been used as an interview tool, most notably by the magazine Vanity Fair, who interviewed over a hundred celebrities using the questions including authors Joan Didion and Norman Mailer, singers David Bowie and Ray Charles, actors Sidney Poitier and Carrie Fischer, and many more.
These interviews were even turned into a book published in 2009, Vanity Fair's Proust Questionnaire: 101 Luminaries Ponder Love, Death, Happiness, and the Meaning of Life, complete with illustrations by Robert Risko.
The questionnaire obviously works to unearth interesting and unique knowledge about people.
How Creative Writers Can Use Proust's Questionnaire
If you distill a great story down to its most essential elements, you need two things at the very beginning: a great character and a difficult situation (also known as an inciting incident).
But how do you come up with interesting characters?
Even more, how do you get to know those characters well enough to write a great story about them?
That's where the Proust Questionnaire can help. More than just a parlor game, it will help you turn your characters from strangers into friends, from nobodies into heroes and heroines.
While these questions were originally intended for personal use, I found them to be helpful questions to ask my characters as a way to understand them more deeply.
To use it, instead of answering the questions for yourself, answer them for your characters. In other words, use the Proust Questionnaire to interview your characters!
The Proust Questionnaire
Here are the thirty-five questions Proust originally answered in 1890:
- What is your idea of perfect happiness?
- What is your greatest fear?
- What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
- What is the trait you most deplore in others?
- Which living person do you most admire?
- What is your greatest extravagance?
- What is your current state of mind?
- What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
- On what occasion do you lie?
- What do you most dislike about your appearance?
- Which living person do you most despise?
- What is the quality you most like in a man?
- What is the quality you most like in a woman?
- Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
- What or who is the greatest love of your life?
- When and where were you happiest?
- Which talent would you most like to have?
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
- What do you consider your greatest achievement?
- If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
- Where would you most like to live?
- What is your most treasured possession?
- What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
- What is your favorite occupation?
- What is your most marked characteristic?
- What do you most value in your friends?
- Who are your favorite writers?
- Who is your hero of fiction?
- Which historical figure do you most identify with?
- Who are your heroes in real life?
- What are your favorite names?
- What is it that you most dislike?
- What is your greatest regret?
- How would you like to die?
- What is your motto?
Other Characterization Questionnaires
Proust's Questionnaire is by no means the only set of questions you can use. Here are other popular sources of characterization questionnaires:
- James Lipton's Questionnaire
- Bernard Pivot Questionnaire
If you love some of Proust's questions but also want to find some fresh questions to add to your list, try mixing and matching with these other two options.
Knowing Characters (Well) Will Make Your Story Better
Getting to know lots of different people on a personal level will inevitably make you a better writer. Much of the time, our best creative ideas are inspired by what experiences we've had, and the people we've met along the way.
However, in order to really get to know someone—and avoid awkward small talk along the way—it helps to have a handy set of questions already stacked in your “what to ask” list.
The same goes for developing characters before writing them. The answers from the questionnaire likely won't be explicitly in your story, but the questions will reveal the character to you in a way that will help you write a richer character, simply because you know what makes them tick.
Proust made thirty-five questions that work as fantastic conversation starters because very few people will answer them in exactly the same way. Your characters should be the same.
Use a handful or all of his questions to interview the character for your stories (or people in your life) before you write them Doing this will ensure that you're crafting a diverse, rich cast with a variety of personalities—which makes for a more interesting plot and story, too!
How about you? Which question is your favorite? What do you ask your characters to get to know them better? Let us know in the comments section.
PRACTICE
Today, we're going to continue to develop our characters by going through these list of thirty-five questions made famous by the canonical French author, Marcel Proust.
Use this creative writing prompt to start your character development:
Ask one of your characters the thirty-five questions from Proust's Questionnaire. When you’re finished, share your work in the Pro Practice Workshop.
Not a member yet? Join us!
Either The Guardian Newspaper had seen these questions a long time ago or they are universal: they are almost word for word the questions the paper asks celebrities in its weekly weekend supplement.
Right! They got so popular, especially after Proust’s answers, that people started using them to interview celebrities.
A few random questions she answered:
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
EmilyDickinson, the recluse of Amherst.
What is it that you most dislike?
Large gatherings
How would you like to die?
In my sleep
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Thousands of pages of words
What is your most treasured possession?
My mother’s journal
Who is your hero of fiction?
Anne Shirley
Gilbert Blythe: Anne Shirley. What in heck are you doing here?
Anne Shirley: [with great dignity] Fishing. For lake trout.
Gilbert Blythe: [skeptically] For lake trout?
Anne Shirley: Mm-hmm.
~Anne of Green
Gables (1985)
On what occasion do you lie?
When someone asks me out
This is a great starting point for characterisation. I’m also in the process of developing characters. So far I’ve developed a basic outline for each. From reading this list, I’ve thought of other questions I could pose, so now I’m feeling much more motivated!
These were awesome. I started answering these for a story I just started but am frustrated with because I’m still figuring it out, so this helped. Thanks for the great post!
Excellent list! I often interview my characters and I’m amazed at what I learn about the characters or the story. Here are a few questions I’ve used that are not on Proust’s list:
If you could be a fly on the wall, what wall would that be?
What haunts you?
What’s your favorite smell? What does it remind you of?
Tell me about a time in your life when you were teased about something.
I got a visit from thewritepractice, like it so joined up! I’m one of the recipient of a blogging “award” and since it has one of the question asked by Proust, I would like to share it if you don’t mind –
1. Your life motto?
I like what Mr. Spock does, lifts up one hand, divide his fingers and said “Live long and prosper” so I have a somewhat similar motto – “Live an interesting life”. If you can’t, then try to make it as interesting as you can wherever you are.
Why “The Beauty of Imperfection”?
Because it encompassed my principle of living an interesting life in an imperfect world. To take beauty where I find it, to look for it when it when it is not apparent to the casual eyes, and to know I will find it if I just look hard enough. To live instead of waiting only to find –
Alas, I realized too late –
I was only meant to live
I love those questions! I like to use that psych degree I paid a LOT for and ask my character a lot of “how would you feel if” questions. I like to ask a lot of questions about whom they model themselves after, whom they admire, and what their short and long term goals are. For my YA characters I head to teen magazines and take quizzes as them. For my adult characters I take a lot of leadership, career, and applicable surveys.
I’m definitely going to bookmark this for use with my characters.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
(A) To spend time with friends and family.
What is your greatest fear?
(A) Being left alone.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
(A) Recklessness
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
(A) Cowardice
Which living person do you most admire?
(A) My Brother.
What is your current state of mind?
(A) In love.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
(A) Compassionate
On what occasion do you lie?
(A) To save my loved ones.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
(A) Everything. Too beautiful so people think that I am weak.
Which living person do you most despise?
(A) Too many to name.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
(A) Bravery
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
(A) Independent
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
(A) Wimp!
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
(A) My Fiancee
When and where were you happiest?
(A) When I spend time with my daughter and fiancee.
Which talent would you most like to have?
(A) Painting
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
(A) Hot Temper
Where would you most like to live?
(A) Anywhere in thew world with the people I love.
What is your most treasured possession?
(A) My sword.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
(A) Loving a person who doesn’t love you back.
What is your most marked characteristic?
(A) Passionate
What do you most value in your friends?
(A) kind Hearted, Brave, Stubborn, Independent
How would you like to die?
(A) Peacefully
What is your motto?
(A) It’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt- then its hilarious!
Beautiful list….l
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As the main character in my book series, Zack Henderson.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Lying in bed with a full stomach with the ones I love, knowing we’re all safe and happy.
What is your greatest fear?
Death of a loved one.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My emotions kick my ass too much. They blind me. I screw up, and then it all cycles.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Either judgement or bigotry. I’d say the second is a part of the first. Just let people be who they are and stop worrying about if they’re like you. Who wants to live in that boring, screwed up world where everyone’s the same?
Which living person do you most admire?
Depends on what we’re talking about. I admire my significant other’s ability to know what he wants and go after it. I admire my girlfriend’s ability to love unconditionally. I admire my mom’s sense of humor. I admire Alton Brown’s ability to cook. I don’t know that I admire any one person more than anyone else in the world.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Books. I buy books like I could live on them alone. I guess video games cost more, though.
What is your current state of mind?
Stressed. You have no idea how much shit is going down around you all the time. I do.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Purity.
On what occasion do you lie?
Usually when the cops are around. Or my mom—who I hate lying to.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I look effeminate, and I’ve taken a lot of shit for it. On the other hand, it got me my girl, so…
Which living person do you most despise?
Whoever is threatening my family.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
A sense of humor. I was going to divide it into romantic and not, and then I realized it doesn’t really change. I like someone I can laugh with, have fun with.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Why would that be different from what I like in a man?
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I swear too much. “Realize” is a word I think too much.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Being there for people. I can’t say a who because I’ve discovered that I’m not monogamous, so–it’s not like I love one more or less than the other. It would tear me apart to lose either of them.
When and where were you happiest?
Read my first answer.
Which talent would you most like to have?
The talent to never piss people off, no matter what I say.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I wouldn’t be so weak.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Still working on that.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Leaning toward vampire. I mean, that’s kinda the plan right now…
Where would you most like to live?
The Wizarding World—and NOT as a muggle! Or on a starship in the Star Trek universe—back when it was a utopia, before things got dark in DS9.
What is your most treasured possession?
My custom blue and black Fender Stratocaster.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Being tied naked to a chair in a dark room knowing that the people who have me plan to torture me to death.
What is your favorite occupation?
Well, honestly… Sex?
What is your most marked characteristic?
Probably my knee from all the times I’ve tripped and fallen on it.
What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
Who are your favorite writers?
Come visit my bookstore. I have a special shelf for those.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Spiderman
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I don’t.
Who are your heroes in real life?
First responders.
What are your favorite names?
For a son, Alexander. For a daughter, Amelia.
What is it that you most dislike?
Hateful people.
What is your greatest regret?
Not calling my mom to let her know I was alive before she found out from the police.
How would you like to die?
Holding onto my significant other and wife as we watch the universe take its last breath.
What is your motto?
“Nothing’s the motto with me, what’s the motto with you?” Okay, okay. Probably… “Gray is a good color.”
Wait. In the fifth question, I need something cleared up. It says, “my significant other…he…” and the next sentence says, “I admire my girlfriend’s…” So does he have a boyfriend and a girlfriend, or did you misspell “she”? Just wondering.
And the second to last question…? What is going on?
Questions asked of Conrad Brown from “The Cough”
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Money and power
What is your greatest fear? Losing my money and my job
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Oversleeping
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Lack of discipline
Which living person do you most admire? Tony Robbins
What is your greatest extravagance? The $10K wedding ring I bought for my wife
What is your current state of mind? Anxious and stress
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Patience
On what occasion do you lie? Whenever it will get me ahead at work
What do you most dislike about your appearance? Wish I were taller
Which living person do you most despise? Oprah
What is the quality you most like in a man? Self-confidence
What is the quality you most like in a woman? I’m a breast man 🙂
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Dude, grow a pair”
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My English Bull Dog, Dozer
When and where were you happiest? My years at Stanford
Which talent would you most like to have? Photographic memory
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would
it be? To possess porn star stats
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Being candidate for VP at Phelps, Inc.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? CEO at Phelps, Inc.
Where would you most like to live? Manhattan
What is your most treasured possession? My Lamborghini
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being poor
What is your favorite occupation? Whatever pays the most
What is your most marked characteristic? My aggressiveness
What do you most value in your friends? Networking resources
Who are your favorite writers? Dave Ramsey
Who is your hero of fiction? Bruce Wayne/Batman
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Napoleon
Who are your heroes in real life? Chris Kyle, the American Sniper
What are your favorite names? Benjamin (Franklin)
What is it that you most dislike? People who say “No.”
What is your greatest regret? Liking sleep too much
How would you like to die? In bed with a beautiful woman and all my cash
What is your motto? I believe I can Fly
What
is your idea of perfect happiness?
Perfect happiness is unattainable here;
that only comes after death to those who deserve it.
What
is your greatest fear?
I have no deep fear. Fear stems from looking back.
What
is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Inability to forgive.
What
is the trait you most deplore in others?
Unscrupulousness.
Which
living person do you most admire?
Living? None at the moment.
What
is your greatest extravagance?
Revenge. It’s sweet.
What
is your current state of mind?
I struggle between wanting to do the Lord’s
work and wondering just what that is.
What
do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Kindness. Few see that in me.
On
what occasion do you lie?
To get information.
What
do you most dislike about your appearance?
My face is misleading.
Which
living person do you most despise?
Any man who comes between my mission
and me.
What
is the quality you most like in a man?
Strength and loyalty.
What
is the quality you most like in a woman?
Purity and dignity.
Which
words or phrases do you most overuse?
‘Well’
What
or who is the greatest love of your life?
I never had a great love, it was
mostly my work.
When
and where were you happiest?
I am happiest working.
Which
talent would you most like to have?
A better ability to debate and argue.
If you
could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would be
younger.
What
do you consider your greatest achievement?
Being forefront of the prohibition
wave.
If you
were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
That
seems ungodly.
Where
would you most like to live?
I’ve always liked California.
What
is your most treasured possession?
I’d rather not answer that.
What
do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Sin.
What
is your favorite occupation?
I was actually happiest as a copper, but I had
a higher calling.
What
is your most marked characteristic?
I am relentless.
What
do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
Who
are your favorite writers?
Dumas.
Who is
your hero of fiction?
Athos.
Which
historical figure do you most identify with?
I’ve never thought about it.
Who
are your heroes in real life?
My father had a friend who was copper, who
was killed in the riots. He was a true hero, and the reason I went into
enforcing the law.
What
are your favorite names?
Um…my niece, Julia, I named her. For a man, maybe
John.
What
is it that you most dislike?
Liars.
What
is your greatest regret?
Underestimating certain people and what they
would do.
How
would you like to die?
With my boots on.
What
is your motto?
You do the Lord’s work and the Lord will provide.
I picked my 10 favorite questions to ask both of my main characters, Alexandra MacBride and Alicia Cameron (I also changed the questions to first person; I find it less disconcerting).
Alex
· What is her idea of perfect happiness?
Passing her classes, writing regularly and well, and having a supportive circle of family and friends
· What is her greatest fear?
Never being good enough
· What is the trait she most deplores in herself?
Being indecisive or inactive
· What is the trait she most deplores in others?
Condescension
· What or who is the greatest love of her life?
Alicia Cameron
· If she could change one thing about herself, what would it be?
Her freckles
· Who are her favorite writers?
Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters
· Who is her hero of fiction?
Amelia Peabody
· How would she like to die?
Preferably when she’s very old, and in her sleep
· What is her motto?
“Don’t fuck up”
Alicia
· What is her idea of perfect happiness?
A murder to solve with Alex by her side
· What is her greatest fear?
Never accomplishing her goals, and being unloved
· What is the trait she most deplores in herself?
Impetuousness
· What is the trait she most deplores in others?
Cruelty
· What or who is the greatest love of her life?
Alex MacBride
· If she could change one thing about herself, what would it be?
She’d be quicker on the draw (idiomatically speaking)
· Who are her favorite writers?
Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
· Who is her hero of fiction?
Sherlock Holmes
· How would she like to die?
Awake and aware of what’s happening; she’d like to be able to take everything in
· What is her motto?
“Faint heart ne’er won fair lady”
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
John and Sarah: Having to answer these questions.
What is your most marked characteristic?
John and Sarah: Hating surveys.
What is it that you most dislike?
John and Sarah: Taking surveys.
What is your greatest regret?
John and Sarah: We agreed to answer these questions.
How would you like to die?
John and Sarah: Choking the life out of Marcel Prost.
What is your motto?
John and Sarah: Tain’t what you want that makes you fat it’s what you get.
This was exactly what I was looking for when I Googled ‘Character Questions’. Thanks Joe!
Elizabeth from The Beautiful Wallflower.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Not having depression and being able to live life without being dragged down.
What is your greatest fear? Losing my mind.
Which living person do you most admire? My Dad.
What is your current state of mind? I… don’t know.
On what occasion do you lie? When I have to protect others from the hurtful truth.
What do you most dislike about your appearance? … Everything?
Which living person do you most despise? Jared.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Kindness.
When and where were you happiest? When my Mum was alive.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My stupid mind and how it doesn’t seem to work properly.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A bird, so I could feel the freedom I’ve always wanted to feel.
Where would you most like to live? A tropical island somewhere.
What is your most treasured possession? My heart…
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being stuck in your own terrifying, dark mind.
What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty.
Who are your heroes in real life? Dad. Mum (as an angel), and Reagan my best friend.
What are your favorite names? I’ve always loved the name Imogen.
What is it that you most dislike? Depression.
What is your greatest regret? Falling for a guy like Jared.
How would you like to die? With atleast a shred of dignity.
I actually started this as a character exercise and ended up doing one about myself first and then my character. I found it extremely enlightening. We think we know ourselves so well, but we change a little every day.
So I have decided to make this a new years day ritual. One for myself and one for a character I am working on or thinking of working on, but not really aware that I am working on, you know how they lurk in the corners and sometimes have to be encouraged to come out and play. LOL!
All in all loved this exercise. Great post! Will share with all my friends, writers and non.
Proust’s interrogatives are an excellent starting point for one’s own ‘soul’ work. Doing personal journal work is an excellent place to figure out a lot the difficulties in one’s own life.
I answered all the questions for one of my characters.
I imagined the questions were asked by someone who was in love with her.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Lying on a beach, in a hammock, a cold beer in one hand and one of my books finally published in the other.
2. What is your greatest fear? Fast moving cars
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Insecurity or maybe anxiety – although anxiety sometimes works for me and feels good. You know, like when you’re really anxious for something and then it actually happens you’re over the moon with happiness, you almost feel your heart growing inside your ribcage. So… maybe just the first.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Secretes or actually half-truths. I just hate it when there is so much more to the story than they are telling me. It’s probably my narcissism talking, but if you want to tell me something, just say it. Stop beating around the bush and just say it all at once. I just hate to learn later that there was a reason for whatever that I wasn’t told because fuck you, that’s why. I tend to jump the gun, so I want to know the entire truth not just the part that is convenient.
5. Which living person do you most admire? Do you have to ask? It’s always and forever … no, not jack. (laugh) It’s Rose of course.
6. What is your greatest extravagance? Real hair wigs maybe? If you’re not counting the shoes.
7. What is your current state of mind? Boldness and stupidity sprinkled with a spoon of wiseass.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? No, I don’t know…
9. On what occasion do you lie? Deadlines? And when I’m annoyed and want to be left alone and sick and cornered. Usually a lot.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance? Short, obviously. I look like a perverted child.
11. Which living person do you most despise? I don’t see the people that way. Who I like or hate, I can’t judge. Why say I hate some terrorist when I know nothing about him. But If I were honest than maybe myself on occasion.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man? Confidence? To generic? Well how about balls? Does that count?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman? I like women with clean sunny faces. Like you look at them and they just beam at you. No dark thoughts hidden underneath.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Fuck? Umm, Let’s see, why don’t we…
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life? Now, that would be Jack Stoneheart.
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have? More creative.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Just one? Are you sure? How about a physical one and an emotional one? Like my height, no my eyes, no, my… damn it… fuck it. I’d give myself bigger boobs. That always works best.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Lucy – the new fan book.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? Like a tree? No, I’d be myself, maybe a man, maybe a woman but taller. I’d like to try again could be exiting to compare at the end.
21. Where would you most like to live? On a sandy beach somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
22. What is your most treasured possession? My autograph collection. I’m a simple woman.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Depression.
24. What is your favorite occupation? Not being depressed. I love writing of course and absolutely nothing else.
25. What is your most marked characteristic? I’m probably an airhead? No, wait. You called me a disaster ready to happen, is that good?
26. What do you most value in your friends? Oh, I have so few, but I like that they don’t give up on me, especially Rose, Like when I’m moody and snap at her, she forgives me and supports me. I feel so bad all the time for venting my anger on her but she’s always there putting up with whenever mood I’m in. So, that would be patience, maybe.
27. Who are your favorite writers? I like everyone in almost identical doses. As soon as I start reading something I like, that person becomes my hero. And then when I start another author, the same thing happens again. I’m very fickle.
28. Who is your hero of fiction? Yeah, these single answer questions don’t work for me. But I’ll try. Let’s see: Dr. Who – the 10th one more than the others.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with? You don’t have to ask this one. Never mind. (my character wears a Cleopatra stile wig)
30. Who are your heroes in real life? That would be Rose again. She really is a true hero.
31. What are your favorite names? Now, I really don’t want to say Thomas (laughs – Thomas is the same of the interrogator). I like Lucy and Mika and Rose, you know. I like the names of the people around me.
32. What is it that you most dislike? Sugar in my coffee.
33. What is your greatest regret? Quitting high school.
34. How would you like to die? Dramatically! Definitely. Like a superstar. I hear in my heard all the time; It’s better to burn out than to fade away, and that’s what I want. A huge burn out.
35. What is your motto? I can do it! I can Try!
I prefer to interview my characters with just one question provided by NLP training and my book coach, Beth. Upon asking my character what he wants, I then ask “What will having that do for you?” Until I’m pretty sure I’m at the base core of his wants, really basic.
I’ve only done one so far, and I don’t know why it took me so dang long. But here you have it, one of my main characters, Rosalie Bello’s Q&A:
What is your idea of perfect happiness? The only way to have anything perfect at all is in a perfect world, which is impossible on Earth. So perfect happiness is in the life afterwards, if you follow the right path.
What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is being unloved. To think about one day without my best friend, Harry, would be like torture.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I think it’s how easily I get upset with most people. If I ask them to do something, and I come back to them and they haven’t done it, I will get angry. And I try not to let myself show it, but sometimes I just blurt it out, and I get angry at myself afterwards.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? I guess it is people’s lack of compassion and empathy. I mean, some people can’t understand others. People are mean to someone who isn’t like them, and they don’t even think of what their words feel like to the other person. It’s unfair.
Which living person do you most admire? I think I admire Harry the most. He is loyal and knows me so well, he can tell if I’m upset or angry. And he sits through my rants, I admire him for that.
What is your greatest extravagance? Well that’s hard to say, because I don’t exactly have money. My family is not the wealthiest. However, if I did have money to spend I would buy a bigger house for me and my family, then silk for Mama and land for Papa’s olive garden.
What is your current state of mind? I don’t know, really. I am just relaxed, because there’s nothing for me to worry about right now. But usually I find myself in a good mood anyway.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Well I don’t think any of them are overrated. You need all of the virtues if you want to be a good person, and that’s what I’m striving to be. So really, there is no overrated virtue.
On what occasion do you lie? If it is to protect my family or my friends, unless it is really important that they know. But I try not to lie usually. Sometimes it just slips out.
What do you most dislike about your appearance? I try not to be too self-conscious of myself, but I guess I dislike how pale I am. No matter how long I stay in the sun, I won’t get darker, I’ll get redder.
Which living person do you most despise? I despise the Demon Lord. He rules harshly over the whole kingdom like the people in it don’t have feelings. He is so conceited and self-absorbed and there’s no reason for that, especially for him.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Probably loyalty. A man should be with you and only you while he’s in a relationship with you. Adultery is the most shameful thing a man could do.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Well, I like the girls in my village that are not suckers for the boys. There are some that will drop to their knees and worship the handsome ones, just for a one night stand. I like a woman who would stand her ground and know her worth.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? When I’m happy or humorous, I tend to say “absotootly” a lot. But when I get angry, I interrupt people by saying “just don’t”. All the time.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? If we were talking phileos, I would say Harry. He is my best friend and knows more about me than Mama and Papa. If you don’t know what “phileos” is, it is one of the Greek words for love, but it means in the brotherly sense.
When and where were you happiest? When the Blue Fairy Queen revived Harry on the day before my birthday. I was so happy he was alive.
Which talent would you most like to have? I guess I would like to write like Harry can. He can write the most tear-jerking poems you have ever read, but usually he writes the action ones that keep you on your toes.
if you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My patience level. I am not very good at waiting, and I get cranky if I have to wait too long for something. You don’t want to be with me then.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Well, before, I thought my greatest achievement was painting the rose field that Harry and I used to play in as kids. But after the whole battle, I think it was defeating the Demon Lord and becoming queen over Magic Kingdom.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I would come back as my pet rabbit, Piero. I just want to know what he thinks all the time. When I try to talk to him, I want to know if he’s starting to understand.
Where would you most like to live? I would want to live Venice, where there is change every day and you meet new people every time you walk down the street. It seems so different from where I grew up, I would like a change.
What is your most treasured possession? I think my necklace is. I had a dear grandmama, and she gave me a locket before she passed away when I was 12. She saved up for a golden one just for me, from Venice, with a note in it saying she loved me. It had a picture of me and her in it.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? When you are so miserable, you’ve lost your relationships, your personality, and even your sanity. When it goes through all the layers of you, peeling you apart like an onion. Until you are just an exposed core.
What is your favorite occupation? I love painting so a job that would require me to spend all my day painting and such, I would take it anytime. Or singing, because I think it is so relaxing to sing.
What is your most marked characteristic? The characteristic most people see when they’ve heard of me is my ability to paint. I’m not trying to brag, but some of the young men in the village just see me for my looks.
What do you most value in your friends? Their understanding of me and empathy, just knowing what I feel and what’s going on in my life because they are so involved in it.
Who are your favorite writers? Pietro Casula because he was Catholic and journeyed to Jerusalem himself. I named my bunny after him. Also William Shakespeare, but the boys think that his work is just for girls. Oh well.
Who is your hero of fiction? Well I can’t choose a person from the Holy Bible, because that isn’t fiction. Well, I will anyway. I like Esther, who married the king and exposed someone who was plotting against her people.
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Well, I guess after the whole fiasco with the Demon Lord, I am like Esther, because I saved my people from someone who planned to use them as slaves.
Who are your heroes in real life? Harry. He is always there when I need him to talk endlessly to when I feel overburdened and I need to let out some air. And we just fit together so well, like opposites of a magnet.
What are your favorite names? Well, I do like Serena. I think it is very beautiful and sweet, and could be short for Serenity.
What is it that you most dislike? I most dislike when I have to fight with my family or my friends, because then I feel horrible and they don’t want to talk normally to me for a while.
What is your greatest regret? I try not to regret things, but I regret taking my time with Grandmama for granted. The time was so short, and I loved her so much. I didn’t think my time with her would be cut off so soon.
How would you like to die? I want it to be for something I care and fight hard for. When I die, I want it to be something I walked into knowing the possible ending and still going for it. I don’t want it to be in vain.
What is your motto? My motto comes from Scripture, from Romans 1:16. It says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
A few questions with my character I’ve been working on…
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being surrounded by people who loves you by who truly are, with your deffects or your virtudes.
What is your greatest fear?
To be discovered that I am a mestizo and not a pure spaniard.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My insecurity.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lies.
What is your greatest extravagance?
People just need to look at me to see that I am a living extravagance.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Gentleness
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
That people may think that I am a woman and not a man.
Which living person do you most despise?
I cannot say I despise them, because not all are equal. But white people that have racist actitudes to those no-white people.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
A man must be a true gentleman with both women and men, and have principles.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
That a woman must respect herself above all things. If not, she becomes vulgar.
When and where were you happiest?
I try not to think about that, because then must days would appear sad or dull and I would not enjoy them. Every day I try to be as happy as a I can.