Character prep

The story is coming together. I'm sure I'll make changes as the novel develops, but the outline is fleshed out quite a bit more. Now I know how many characters I'll need and what their roles are in the novel. I have a list of twenty or so questions that I ask myself about each character. It takes several days each to really be sure I have made those characters as real as possible. Until I really know that character, it is impossible to write either from their perspective or from a main character, who is talking and interacting with them. Sometimes I start with a character who is likable, but then I end up loving them. There are other times when I struggle to understand how they got to the place they are since their experiences are so different from mine. Before I write anything from their perspective, I read my answers again and be sure I'm staying in their character. Finally, I look at my usual cast of characters and decide what new things the reader will get to learn about them in this novel.