Grace asked Teya:

How do you make your characters? Do they just pop into your head or are you inspired by something/someone? What are your tips on making characters?

Teya Grace that is an absolute perfect question! A question filled with depth and yet light on the surface. Straight out a little of both. I know that doesn't help. However, I believe in constantly learning, and so because I'm an author not a millionaire (yet) I found www.creative-writing-now.com. They have three free lessons. Just from these lessons I built 10 starts for books. The book See me for me started out as one of these starts, but it needed conflict and I had nothing. Until I picked up my daughter from ballet and heard a mothers name. Then the whole thing click into place. The actual characters themselves, well for me they write themselves. Sometimes I'll type something they say and stop. I have a conversation with the character if the dialogue was me or the character. If I have to stop and think about it, the dialogue was me. I had one scene which I really enjoyed, then my edited pointed out facts that it really wasn't in his character to do the action. I enjoyed the action and wanted that hit, but it really was not in the characters character, it that makes any sense.

I have another book I'm working on currently, and again had one character mapped out and figured out, but the other half was missing. I made a call about something and the ladies name was Leola. It hit me with a ton of bricks the character needed for the book. It was funny as I talked to her I saw this woman who well she's a ninja warrior master and well the rest is in the book. SO, to answer it goes both ways for me.

I hope that helped. Let me know if you have any other question. I love being asked questions.

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